Reports from the supply chain suggest that Apple has picked a supplier for 13-inch screens for a new MacBook -- which if accurate may mean that the MacBook Air's days are numbered.
According to a report on Tuesday from supply chain monitor DigiTimes, Apple has tapped General Interface Solutions for LCD modules. The modules are said to be for an "entry-level" 13-inch MacBook, allegedly due in the second half of 2018.
The report has very little actual data about a new MacBook model, and the orders ultimate destination may have been misinterpreted by DigiTimes. Apple already has a 13-inch LCD screen supplier for the MacBook Air, and MacBook Pro, and if the orders are actually going to Apple at all, it is possible that they are for either of those products in an effort to diversify suppliers of crucial components.
Apple is not expected to make a major renovation to the MacBook Pro in 2018. However, this does not preclude a processor swap, or a screen from a new supplier in a refresh.
DigiTimes does generally provide accurate information from within Apple's supply chain, but has a poor track record for predicting Apple's future product plans.
As a result of orders for any rumored future Apple product, the company is expecting to double it's monthly LCD screen production before the end of 2018. Between the new LCD orders and any successor to the OLED iPhone X, GIS is expected to see a revenue rebound.
Apple's MacBook Air hasn't seen a big revision since 2015. The last minor update consisted of a minor speed and RAM bump at the 2017 WWDC. It is Apple's last laptop without a Retina screen, and retails for $999 for a 1.8GHz dual-core i5 processor, 8GB of RAM, and 128GB of flash storage.