Quanta still making 500K 11.6-inch MacBook Airs

Taiwan contractor Quanta was said today to still be on track to produce 11.6-inch MacBook Air notebooks this year. Its production would still be modest at 400,000 to 500,000 systems before the end of 2010 and suggests that Apple still considers the system a premium or specialized model. The Digitimes tip didn't give more details.

Many expect the Air to be a complete overhaul that would bring it to a lower price but possibly thinner and lighter still than the 13-inch existing version. Previous rumors had it switching to an ultra-low voltage Core i3, i5 or i7, though this would mean either reverting to slower Intel graphics or opting for low-end dedicated graphics.

The numbers, while small, would contribute to a resurgence in computer shipments in the fall after a summer slump. Quanta is expected to have dropped slightly overall in the summer, to 13.2 million units total, but would hit a one-month record in September with five million. Local competitors Compal and Wistron are expected to hit their own records at 4.5 million and 2.5 million computers shipped each.

Shipments would taper off in October, though this may be to avoid overstocking in the post-holiday environment.

By Electronista Staff

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Intel, computers, industry, Quanta, MacBook Air, Compal, Core i7, Apple, Wistron, Core i5, Core i3