2014 MacBook Air and 2014 MacBook Pro Release Round-up Update: Fall Release, Solar Charging Clamshell and More Features
It appears Apple has been gearing up for a fall release of its most anticipated products. Apart from the iPhone 6 and the refreshed iPad Air, recent information suggests that the tech giant will be releasing refreshed versions of its MacBook Air and MacBook Pro series. According to the patent filings sighted, Apple has been working on a solar-charging clamshell allowing its laptop devices to have unlimited battery life. Can Apple deliver an all new and solar-powered MacBook generation?
If Apple can push through with its recent patent filing, then the 2014 edition of the MacBook Pro and the MacBook Air will be the first of their kind to feature solar charging. This means unlimited battery life for consumers. So long as they have access to solar energy source, then battery life will not be a problem. Apple will be the first company to explore this, if they can proceed with the product launch.
Analysts remain torn whether the Cupertino-based company can realise its patent suggestion. Although the market knows that not all patent filings and grants materialise into products or official features, some remain confident Apple will be pursuing the release of solar-powered MacBooks while the rest remain unconvinced.
If the company does pursue and make the patent filings a reality, then the two MacBooks will be the world's most eco-friendly laptops. If this happens, Apple could be looking at solid hard sales, according to analysts. According to the patent grant released by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, Apple secured a patent that goes by the name "Electronic Device Display Module."
According to the patent, the technology pertains to a range of systems, methods and devices for housing for an electric device. The housing will function as an input and output (I/O) device. The housing will feature built-in sensors which may otherwise serve as the solar-charging panel of the laptops.
The housing will also incorporate a processing unit that can interpret electronic signals created through one or more sensors. Following the input, a corresponding output electronic signal will be sent out. According to predictions, the MacBook Air and the MacBook Pro will likely sport a lid that features the standard display panel, whereas the exterior of the panel will have solar-charging sensors.