Following our recent article, Apple Hardware | The PowerBook Development Life-Cycle, Appleinsider reports that next generation Intel-based Macs are slated for launch as early as January 2006 during January’s Macworld Expo in San Francisco. Beginning with Intel-based iMacs and PowerBooks which represent the mainstay of Apple’s hardware product offerings.
Among some of the latest developments rumoured on the cards for 2006 are, PowerBooks which are 20% – 25% thinner, featuring a built-in iSight similar to the current release of iMacs and the possible release of an Intel-based Mac mini and a revamped versions of the iBook range with 13″ widescreens. Like the PowerBook, the new iBook range will also be noticeably slimmer than its predecessors and adopt design elements derived from the iPod and iMac.
Initial implementations of the Intel Macs are rumoured to be based around Intel’s upcoming dual-core “Yonah” mobile processor, which is expected to top-out at 2.16 GHz in its initial rev.