12-inch MacBook Air Small-Volume Production Ramping Up – Demand for Non-Apple Notebooks Weak

Digitimes’ Aaron Lee and Adam Hwang report that Taiwan-based longtime Apple laptop supplier Quanta Computer is starting small volume production of 12-inch MacBook Air for October, and will gradually increase output beginning November, according to their sources in Taiwan’s supply chain.

Lee and Hwang say their industry moles tell them that since initial production of 12-inch MacBook Air has not yet reached a satisfactory yield rate, component makers and Quanta focusing on improving yield rates for the time being. Consequently, with initial production in limited volumes, the 12-inch MacBook Air may not be able to reach store shelves in time for Christmas.

Slimmer than the current 11.6- and 13.3-inch MacBook Airs the new AirBook is proving a challenge to component makers’ technological capability, the sources relate, adding the 12-inch MacBook Air is likely to come with a Retina touchscreen.

Demand For Non-Apple Notebooks, Tablets May Remain Weak Until 2Q15

Meanwhile, Digitimes’ Monica Chen and Joseph Tsai report that global demand for non-Apple consumer notebooks and tablets is likely to remain weak in the fourth quarter of 2014 through to the second quarter of 2015 when Microsoft launches Windows 10, according to Taiwan-based supply chain makers.