DigiTimes reports that Apple plans to unveil new MacBooks with 15.4" displays some time in the second quarter of this year. Existing MacBooks are manufactured by Asus, but DigiTimes says Apple will tap Quanta for the upcoming 15.4" models. Quanta already makes Apple's MacBook Pros, the site says. Releasing 15.4" MacBooks would be a logical move for Apple. Current MacBooks have 13.3" displays, and their price tags range from $1,099 to $1,499 depending on the model. To get a Mac laptop with a 15.4" display, one must cough up at least $1,999 for a MacBook Pro. That's a little pricey, especially since Dell currently offers a 15.4" model with Windows Vista Home Premium, a Core 2 Duo processor, 1GB of RAM, and an 80GB hard drive for less than $1,000.

Currently, 13.3-inch MacBooks are manufactured by Asustek Computer, while the new 15.4-inch model will be made by Quanta Computer, which also manufactures the 15.4- and 17-inch MacBook Pros for Apple. Foxconn is said to have been in the running for the lucrative 15.4-inch manufacturing contract but was eventually unsuccessful, the sources report. Prices for the 15.4-inch MacBook models are likely to be more competitive than their 13.3-inch counterparts, due largely to the relatively lower cost of 15.4-inch LCD panels, and will therefore help push further sales of MacBooks, indicated the sources. The 13.3-inch MacBooks are currently available at US$1,099-US$1,499. The 15.4- and 17-inch MacBook Pros are currently available at a range between US$1,999 and US$2,799, and account for a relatively lower ratio to Apple's total notebook shipments, the source indicated.