12-inch Retina MacBook Is Apple's Secret Weapon Driving Growth in 2015

There have been many debates about the success of the 12-inch Retina MacBook. Members of the market have been concerned whether Apple can really sell a low-power but portable laptop. A new insight now explains why the company may have chosen to go for such device: it is for the future. Is the 12-inch Retina MacBook in fact just a prologue of what Apple is planning in its future product releases? Can they make it work?

According to Cult of Mac’s Buster Hein, the latest 12-inch Retina MacBook “isn’t for you, it’s for the future.” It is Apple's way of showing people how the company's laptop line will evolve throughout the years. Likewise, the analysis also shares that the Apple's MacBook is not there to become the "must own" notebook of the year.

It can be a must-have product and primary selling item of the company but there are still doubts about that until Apple releases the device. While it may be an intro to the future, supply chain sources do claim that the latest 12-inch Retina MacBook can make up considerable share of Apple's total Mac sales for the year. Specifically, panel supply chains expect the new device to account for as much as of 15-20 percent of Apple's total MacBook shipments. This can turn the product line into the single largest growth source for the company in 2015. Digitimes quotes supply chain sources: "The device, which is expected to see shipments of around 450,000 in the first quarter of 2015 due to limited production of Retina displays as stated by several media reports, is expected to be the largest source of growth in the Apple MacBook series throughout 2015."

That is, Apple's notebook shipments may see a 25 percent decline during the first quarter before growing to 30 percent in the second quarter. Digitimes Research further claims: "In the second quarter, LG Display is expected to increase panel shipments and retake its position as the leading provider of MacBook Retina displays following a transition from Samsung Display for the first batch of MacBooks set to be released in April."

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