Apple CEO Tim Cook speaks during an Apple event announcing the iPhone 6 and the iPhone 6 Plus at the Flint Center in Cupertino, California, September 9, 2014.
Apple CEO Tim Cook speaks during an Apple event announcing the iPhone 6 and the iPhone 6 Plus at the Flint Center in Cupertino, California, September 9, 2014. REUTERS/Stephen Lam Reuters

Apple's upcoming MacBook Air release has been making headlines first because of two primary things: it will sport the first 12-inch build and the first Retina treatment to the Air series. Intel's Broadwell processors may also be powering up the device. The Retina treatment will give the new 12-inch model twice the pixels of the 13-inch version at 1440 x 900 pixels. PC Advisor notes that it appears Apple does not want to compromise the performance of its upcoming device that is why it will be opting for the fifth-generation Core i5 processors instead of the new Intel Core M chips.

Apple's CPU plans require better graphics processors to support the Retina-display on the device. If Apple can push through with the Intel and display combination then it can also offer better battery life and improved overall computer performance. To support the release of the laptop with the reported build, 9to5Mac released an exclusive report about the mid-size notebook along with photos from iFanr.

iDigitalTimes adds that Apple plans to differentiate the new MacBook Air line further by letting go of the glowing Apple logo on the laptop's back. Instead, Apple appears to be planning on incorporating a polished Apple sign without the light on to allow a thinner build.

As if to sweeten the pot even more, an analysis from Digitimes predicts the tech giant slashing off prices from its 13 and 11-inch devices to allow the 12-inch model to take over the supplies. The site also quotes Taiwan-based supply chain makers estimating Apple PC shipments to increase this 2015. In 2014, Apple shipped around 19.59 million units but in 2015 estimates range from 20-23 million units which is around 10 to 15 percent increase year over year.

Apple's recent changes not only trickle to its upcoming hardware releases but also to its release dates. New information from French Apple publication iGen reveals that the company may be looking foward to a Feb. 24 announcement as the 12-inch MacBook Air production ends by the last week of March. Apple has not provided finalized details of the upcoming releases and dates.

To report problems or leave feedback on this article, email: p.silva@ibtimes.com.au.