Apple has ordered some 380,000 next generation MacBook Airs from its manufacturers in Asia, models that use Intel’s Sandy Bridge processors, which are a significant step up from the Core 2 Duo processors used in current MacBook Airs. Concord Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo told AppleInsider that Apple is also in the process of winding down orders for those current models, with some 80,000 more units left in the hopper.
Analyst Ming-Chi also told AI that Apple was ordering a 55% product mix of 11.6” models, with the other 45% being the larger 13.3” model.
Rumors began circulating in May of this year that Apple would bring both the Thunderbolt port and Sandy Bridge processors to the MacBook Air line as early as July. If Apple is planning on building 380,000 units during June, a July rollout seems all the more likely.
Intel’s Sandy Bridge processors use a 32 nanometer architecture that offer both higher performance and lower power consumption than the two-year old Core 2 Duo processors, and will be a significant upgrade for Apple’s smallest and lightest MacBook laptop. According to the analyst, Apple will specifically be using Core i5 and Core i7 chips.