Apple's gorgeous Retina display may not be limited to the iPhone and iPad much longer. Photo: Ariel Zambelich/Wired 
It looks like we’ll be getting MacBook Pros with Retina displays sooner than later — or at least that’s what we’ve gleaned from a recently published Apple patent application and comments from an industry expert regarding Apple’s supply chain.
The Apple patent application, simply titled “User-Interface Design,” lends additional support to reports that Apple’s next-generation MacBook Pros and iMacs could feature Retina displays. The patent addresses the engineering challenges intrinsic to graphical elements that are first designed for low resolutions (75 to 100 pixels per inch), but later need to be reformatted for higher resolutions (150 PPI, for example).
The patent posits a method for representing a graphical user interface in a resolution-independent way by storing a set of both resolution-independent and dependent attributes in a single file. This would allow for the creation of “a visual representation of the object at any number of resolutions.” Something like this could potentially be useful in converting UI elements to a higher resolution both in iOS and OS X.
Obviously, the patent application doesn’t directly reference upcoming refreshes to Apple’s hardware line, but it shows the company is thinking about the engineering challenges it might face when producing gear with significant variations in display quality.
Another data point comes from NPD DisplaySearch analyst Richard Shim, who has looked at supply chain indicators, and has reported that higher-resolution MacBooks should be on the way.
Shim told Wired that NPD DisplaySearch is seeing activity in the production of two different types of panels: a 13.3-incher and a 15.4-incher, both coming from suppliers that normally make displays for Apple notebooks. The 13.3-inch panel has a 2560×1600 resolution, which amounts to 227 PPI. The 15.4-inch model comes with a 2880×1800 resolution and 220 PPI. That’s double the resolution of current MacBook Pros. Shim said the 15-inch model started production in Q2 this year, and the 13-incher looks like it will begin production in Q3.
When the iPad jumped to a Retina display in the third generation model, the resolution doubled from that of the 2011 iPad 2. “Consumers love Apple’s retina display, so it makes sense to extend it throughout Apple’s product line,” Forrester analyst Sarah Rotman Epps told Wired via email.
Portions of Mountain Lion source code have also hinted that Retina display would arrive in 2012 Mac products. Various insider sources have confirmed the Retina display upgrade to a number of different outlets. And ABC News reported that in addition to MacBook Pros, the iMac line would also be getting a high resolution refresh.
If you’re in the market for a new Mac, looks like you should hold off for a few more months yet.
