Another report has surfaced, this time from DigiTimes, detailing an ARM-based MacBook product being in the works at Taiwanese manufacturer Pegatron.
The outlet’s sources name-dropped the same ‘Star’ codename and ‘N84’ series number first hinted at by 9to5Mac sources a few days previously.
Pegatron declined to comment directly for DigiTimes, which doesn't come as much of a surprise, considering the secrecy that surrounds the creation these types of products.
Reading more closely
The exact language of DigiTimes’s report could be of note regarding when we expect to see this device, however. "Pegatron is likely to land orders from Apple," the report reads.
This implies a timetable in which the manufacturer has yet to even begin production, and that the deal is still underway.
That would mean we probably won't see this device for a long time yet, and likely missing a WWDC reveal, unless Apple either has prototypes to show or it will do a iMac Pro-like tease reveal.
Judging by how this is about the same time of year we begin to hear reports and rumors of iPhone products hitting manufacturer lines, which almost invariably land in September, this ARM-based MacBook product could arrive around the same time or perhaps later, if Apple is this far in the process to reportedly make manufacturing orders.
Also, if this rumored MacBook is truly based on an ARM processor, that would certainly make getting iOS apps to work natively in the macOS environment much easier. Though, that’s contrary to CEO Tim Cook’s own words on the matter.
Of course, that’s assuming such a device is in the works, which we’ll only truly know is true when Tim Cook or Phil Schiller says the magic words on a keynote stage.
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