Analyst: 13-inch Retina MacBook Pro in production

A smaller MacBook Pro with Retina display is on its way, with the device being assembled right now, according to one analyst.

Our American colleagues at CNET.com report the production gears have crunched into action on a 13.3-inch MacBook Pro with a 2,560x1,600-pixel screen. That's what NPD DisplaySearch analyst Richard Shim says, anyway.

He seems to know the exact model as well, adding: "The supply chain indications are that it's for a MacBook Pro 13.3 -- not a MacBook Air." The screens are made by Samsung, LGD, and Sharp.

If Shim's figures are correct, Apple predicts this smaller model to be a big seller too, as the production run dwarfs that of its larger counterpart. "With 15.4 it's production of a few hundred thousand units versus one to two million for the 13.3," he said. Production started in the third quarter, so we could expect the 13.3-inch model hit the shelves around late autumn.

With a new iPhone and iPad also rumoured before Christmas (though on separate dates from the sound of things), it could be a very busy end of year indeed for Apple.

The Retina display is found on Apple's 15.4-inch MacBook Pro. That model has a resolution of 2,880x1,800-pixels, with 220 ppi. The iPad screen is 2,048x1,536 pixels, with a ppi of 264, which also makes it a Retina display. (Anything over 200ppi and you're in Retina territory.)

A 13.3-inch Retina MacBook Pro would likely fly off the shelves, thanks to being more portable than its larger counterpart. It'd also be cheaper than the 15.4-inch model, which sells for a whopping £1,799.

Would you buy a 13.3-inch MacBook Pro with a Retina display? How much would you be willing to pay? Let me know in the comments below, or on our Facebook page.