We only have a little over a week until the next batch of new Apple devices are reportedly set to be unveiled. But leading up to the big event, there’s already a new report of what Apple fans can expect in the way of MacBooks next year.
See also: 16 Best Free Mac Apps
In a research note shared by 9to5Mac, KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo predicts that Apple will release a 12-inch Retina MacBook sometime in either the second or third quarter of 2014.
The report claims that the laptop will sport an entirely new design. However, the device isn’t termed as being a MacBook Air or MacBook Pro, so it’s unclear if this might represent a new laptop category for the computer maker, or simply an upgrade to an existing model.
Aside from the MacBook rumor, Ming-Chi Kuo’s report also claims that Apple may release a lower-cost iMac around the same time as the new MacBook, as well as a sixth-generation, 9.7-inch iPad with 30-40% higher PPI (pixels-per-inch) than the current Retina iPad.
Of course, only Apple knows what it really has planned for 2014. But Ming-Chi Kuo has a decent track record for making such long-range predictions.
So while it wouldn’t be advisable to bet on these latest product forecasts as being 100 percent accurate, you can probably expect at least some of these rumors to come true this time next year.
BONUS: 7 Innovative Ways the iPad is Used in Retail
When you see an electronic kiosk in a store, how often do you actually want to get your hands on it? Probably rarely. Traditional kiosks are usually slow and bulky. Things Remembered, a personalized gift store, has ushered in a new era of the self-service “kiosk.”
Things Remembered is one of the first retailers to allow customers to design their own gifts on in-store iPads. The once paper-based process has been streamlined through the iPad, offering self-designed engraving and adding some excitement to the shopper's experience.
The Delta terminal at JFK airport may be the exception to the normal headache of air travel. The airline installed almost 140 iPads at its gates, so passengers can order food and drink or simply peruse digital entertainment.
Delta's iPads have no time restrictions or ordering minimums, allowing passengers to happily pass time waiting in the terminal. As Delta travelers order Caesar salads or swipe through the People magazine app, the customers' iPad-driven satisfaction is easy to see.
New York City’s 4food has aptly integrated the iPad into the restaurant dining experience. 4food's customers select from iPad-hosted menus and customize their orders via the devices right at their tables.
4food is just one of several iPad-embracing restaurants popping up across the country and we certainly hope to see more of this tasty technology integration.
Sports retailer City Sports joined the iPad bandwagon by weaving the device into the fabric of its Washington, D.C. concept store. In addition to accessing product information, City Sports' iPad kiosks allow customers to connect to specific local content such as running clubs and area events.
J.C. Penney, one of the oldest department stores in the world, is proving it can stay relevant by using iPads as part of its “findmore” experience. Sales associates in 50 J.C. Penney fine jewelry departments can now showcase the company's full offerings of bridal jewelry, rather than just what's available in any given location.
Puma is using iPads to allow its customers to design their own sneakers right from its stores. The in-store iPad station, dubbed The Creative Factory, connects Puma wearers around the globe through an app for comparing sneaker designs and learning about the lives of the shoes' creators. Stations can be found in Europe, Asia and Africa but are not yet available in the U.S.
Among the state-of-the-art amenities at the just-opened Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas hotel is an iPad embedded at the hotel registration counter. During the registration process, guests can virtually explore the hotel’s facilities, restaurants, music venues and bars. The iPad is simultaneously a marketing tool for the property and an impromptu day planner for its guest.
Image: Flickr, Mikael Miettinen