Retina MacBooks Mean More Manufacturing Costs For Apple

Apple’s upcoming lineup of MacBook Pros are expected to feature a slimmer design, Intel Ivy Bridge architecture and jaw-dropping ‘Retina’ displays. Like the last two iPhones and newest iPad, Apple’s newMacBook Pro and iMac models are supposed to flaunt a screen like you’ve never seen on a computer before. And if iOS device marketing is any indication, such a display will likely be the flagship feature in new Macs. Apple is expected to unveil the new MacBook Pros at WWDC next month, according to multiple reports.

If the next MacBook Pro and iMac really do come outfitted with gorgeous Retina displays, then the new screens will cost Apple more to make.

CNET passes along a note from DisplaySearch Senior Analyst Richard Shim saying that the displays Apple would likely use for super hi-res notebook screens are already available in the supply chain:

“What’s clear is that Apple’s pushing it. They’re pushing panel makers to come out with higher resolution panels because they’ve created a market demand for it, starting with their phones, now going to their tablets,” Shim said. “Now what we’re seeing in the supply chain is that they’re going to move that to their notebooks, and it’s becoming a premium feature.”

According to Shim, it would cost Apple about $160 to put a Retina-quality panel in a 15-inch MacBookPro. Apple currently pays $68 per panel. A 13-inch panel would cost $134, while the current panel costs Apple $69.

Apple already offers a higher-res display for the current 15-inch Pro that bumps up the resolution from 1440×900 to 1,680×1,050. The made-to-order upgrade costs $100 on Apple’s website.

Here are the ‘Retina’ specs Shim thinks Apple will use:

• 15.4-inch: 2,880 by 1,800 resolution. That’s 220 pixels per inch (PPI). By comparison, the current 15.4-inch MacBook Pro has a 1,440 by 900 pixel display and a PPI of 110.
• 13.3-inch: 2,560 by 1,600 resolution with a PPI of 227. By comparison, the current 13.3-inchMacBook Air is 1,440 by 900 pixels, and has PPI of 127

Interestingly, Shim did not say anything about the 17-inch MacBook Pro model. Cult of Mac has independently heard that Apple is focusing on the smaller end of its MacBook Pro lineup, so we wouldn’t be surprised if the 17-inch model falls by the wayside.

It’s important to remember that Apple didn’t raise prices when transitioning to the Retina display in the iPhone 4 and third-gen iPad, but a $1,200 notebook is a totally different ballgame.

Apple is a huge player in the supply chain, and the company has been known to negotiate seemingly-impossoble deals to secure components in bulk or at a cheaper price. We’ve reported before that the new MacBook Pros will not have optical drives, so Apple could cut manufacturing costs that way. It’s highly unlikely that customers will have to pay extra for something like a better screen. Heck, it’s not like Apple doesn’t have enough cash to float the bill.

Source: CNET via cultofmac