Jarllytec, a Taiwanese notebook hinge maker used by Apple, declared a massive increase in revenue this past May thanks to shipments of metal injection molding (MIM) hinges for 13-inch MacBooks, according to Chinese-language Commercial Times (via Digitimes). Even more excitingly, Jarllytec also announced it expects to start shipping MIM hinges for 15-inch Macbooks in the third quarter of this year.
This strongly hints at an upcoming announcement from Apple at WWDC this June 13 regarding MacBooks, something many people had given up hope for. Much of the WWDC rumor mill this year has been concerned with software updates, but this confirmation of mass volume production has suddenly given legs to a new MacBook Pro model rumor.
Apple is supposedly tapping two manufacturers to create the MIM hinges, rumored to be an integral design pillar of the new MacBooks: Amphenol and Jarllytec.
Leaked photos were recently sent to Cult of Mac by an anonymous source claiming to work for an Apple Chinese manufacturing partner. These photos showed cut-outs for the rumored secondary OLED touchpad/touchbar on the MacBook Pro keyboard, the same technology used in the Apple Watch. Taking over the function key row, this touchbar could enable MacBook Pro users to customize this touchbar however they wish.
Software-wise, Apple is expected to introduce a revamped version of Apple Music at WWDC, iOS 10, a new version of Mac OS X (supposedly to be renamed to macOS) and watchOS.
Stay tuned to iDigitalTimes’ WWDC coverage as the date nears closer.
