13-inch MacBook Pro with Retina Display May Join iPad Mini Launch

Apple is now expected to debut the long-awaited 13-inch MacBook Pro with Retina Display at the iPad Mini launch which is currently rumored to be taking place on October 23rd.

According to 9to5Mac, the 13-inch MacBook Pro with Retina Display will arrive alongside Apple’s new 7.85-inch tablet device this month. The new MacBook Pro with Retina Display will join the 15-inch MacBook Pro with Retina Display that made its debut earlier this year at the launch event for the third-generation new iPad. It was released to the public in June.

It looks like the 13-inch MacBook Pro with Retina Display will not only bring a slimmer device to the table, but it will also likely be lighter than the 15-inch MacBook Pro with Retina Display.

Read: MacBook Pro with Retina Display Review: 256GB is Not Enough.

The details surrounding the 13-inch MacBook Pro are light but it appears that it will be sold in two different hardware configurations with two different processors and storage space options. It will, like the 15-inch MacBook Pro with Retina Display, boast a fairly expensive price tag, more expensive than regular MacBook Pros of the same size, though the exact price remains a mystery. A 13-inch MacBook Pro will likely cost much less than the $2199 base model for the 15-inch Retina MacBook Pro though.

We had heard previously that the 13-inch MacBook Pro with Retina Display was already in production and if true, the device could join the iPad Mini in time for the holiday shopping season.

Read: iPad Mini Launch Date: What to Expect.

The October 23rd launch event is rumored to revolve around the iPad Mini, a 7.85-inch iPad that will be put into competition with the Kindle Fire HD and the Nexus 7, both 7-inch Android tablets.

Apple’s iPad Mini is expected to have a smaller design than the new iPad due to its smaller screen and the design is said to take heavily from the iPod touch with its thinner bezels. The device is rumored to have three storage options – 16GB, 32GB and 64GB – and it may come with cellular data capabilities. Carriers and connectivity have not been revealed but with the new iPad sporting 4G LTE and it quickly becoming the new standard, it’s possible that Apple may opt for 4G LTE.

The iPad Mini’s display is also said to have lesser resolution than the current iPad’s display.