
Apple to Cease Production of 13-inch Non-Retina MacBook Pro [Digitimes]
Apple is rumoured to be ending production of the 13-inch non-Retina MacBook Pro in the second half of this year, according to sources speaking with Digitimes. The 13-inch MacBook Pro is currently Apple’s only non-Retina product in the MacBook Pro line. The company had already stopped production of the 15-inch non-Retina MacBook Pro last year.
Apple is expected to stop production of the 13-inch MacBook Pro in the second half of 2014 and will replace the product line with thinner models equipped with a Retina display. Meanwhile, Intel will offer second-generation ultrabooks in the fourth quarter of 2014, pushing the notebook industry further into the ultra-thin era, according to Taiwan-based supply chain makers.
Those after a MacBook Pro can now choose between the 13-inch non-Retina and the 13-inch Retina MacBook Pro (as well as the 15-inch model), but the price difference between the retina and non-Retina model is only $150, which makes the high-resolution display model more appealing. The rumour corroborates earlier whispers about Apple discontinuing all non-Retina models.
Apple is also expected to upgrade the Retina MacBook Pros with the forthcoming Intel Broadwell processors, but the timing of the update is yet uncertain.