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Apple Ramping Up New MacBook Air Production in July [Update]

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According to Digitimes, Apple's notebook supply chain will "run in full gear starting" in July in order to meet production of the new MacBook Air models. Apple is said to be expecting to take delivery of over 8 million* MacBook Airs in the 3rd quarter. According to Digitimes, this represents a doubling over the previous quarter.

Shipments of parts and components for MacBook lineups totaled an equivalent of 2.2-2.4 million MacBooks in June, and orders for July are likely to top 2.7-2.8 million units, said the sources, noting that the increase is in line with Apple's previous strategy to ramp up deliveries prior to the launch of new products.

The sources also reaffirmed what has been expected -- that the new MacBook Air will feature OS X Lion and support for the Thunderbolt interface.

Note that this contradicts previous rumors that Apple had already ramped up MacBook Air production. The July ramp-up seems more likely if you are to believe that the MacBook Air will ship with OS X Lion. OS X Lion has not yet seen a final Golden Master build yet. In order to pre-install OS X Lion on MacBook Airs, Apple would presumably have to hit this milestone. Note that separately we have heard that Apple is tentatively targeting the 3rd week of July for the MacBook Air launch, but that this date could always change.

*Update: Digitimes' 8 million MacBook Air Q3 estimate is questionable since this represents twice as many Macs (all kinds) Apple shipped in Q2 2011, casting doubt on the specifics of this report.

Related Roundup: MacBook Air
Tag: DigiTimes
Buyer's Guide: MacBook Air (Buy Now)
Related Forum: MacBook Air

Top Rated Comments

K
KillerTree
193 months ago
I hope the new Air has a backlit keyboard.
Score: 19 Votes (Like | Disagree)
R
racer1441
193 months ago
Backlit keyboard is cool but I'd really like to have optical audio out in the headphone jack.

I'd also like a pony.

Ponies poo alot more than you'd think. Stick with the Air.
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
C
Cheerwino
193 months ago
Backlit keyboard is cool but I'd really like to have optical audio out in the headphone jack.

I'd also like a pony.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
H
hotcocoa
193 months ago
I hope there is an option for a matte screen.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
nagromme Avatar
nagromme
193 months ago
Can’t wait. By the way, I know there are people (like me!) who are disappointed that the Air lost the lighted keyboard (for size, price, power, who knows). But there’s a test you should try on a lighted-keyboard Mac sometime:

1. Darken the room completely. Even turn the screen itself down almost to off.

2. Turn the key lights off completely. You won’t be able to see the letters anymore! When unlit they are gray (not even white) and that just can’t be seen well on a black key in near-darkness.

3. BUT notice that you can still see the silver aluminum spaces between the keys just fine. The key-shapes are clearly visible, because metallic silver reflects even a little bit of screen light.

The good news: the current Airs don’t have gray-on-black letters like the ones on the lighted keyboards. They have metallic silver letters, and are MUCH easier to see than the old keys when unlit.

And they achieve visibility with no power usage, so in some ways it’s an improvement. Just not as cool :)
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
S
SqB
193 months ago
so u'd like to see like colored/tinted aluminum? or abandon the aluminum altogether for another material that allows for diff colors?

diff colors might be fresh. ..

Probably not too likely from a company who's CEO wears the same clothes every day.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
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