Suppliers gearing up for Apple's launch of new MacBook Air models

MacBook Air lineup was last updated in July of 2011, when Apple added high-speed Thunderbolt ports and backlit keyboards to both the 11.6- and 13.3-inch models, and  now sources from Apple's supply chain are waiting for the refreshed notebooks.

The anticipated MacBook Air update was mentioned on Tuesday by DigiTimes, which said that assembler Quanta Computer is expected to see its revenues grow thanks to the new product launch. It was said that Apple is "set to launch a new MacBook Air model," but a specific timeline for its release was not given.

The new MacBook Air lineup is expected to sport Intel's next-generation Ivy Bridge processors that will run at clock speeds of 2GHz and 1.8GHz. Apple is also expected to expand its MacBook Air lineup with a new 15-inch model, joining the existing 13.3-inch and 11.6-inch screen sizes available, in order to compete with Windows-based "Ultrabooks."

The success of the MacBook Air since it was redesigned in late 2010 has inspired Apple to revamp its entire notebook lineup this year. New MacBook Pro models from Apple are expected to have a radically redesigned exterior that will share many traits with the MacBook Air.