Is a slimmer, 12-inch MacBook Air on the way?

Many of the Apple rumors that have been discussed on this blog recently have revolved around the mobile platform. From the iPhone 6 to Office finally coming to the iPad, mobile has been the popular play. However, Apple offers much more than that, and the latest speculation proves that.

According to an article from the International Business Times — which was first reported by a Chinese news outlet —  the technology giant is gearing up for a refresh of its MacBook Air line and there could be several changes in the hardware.

The biggest updates will be in a 12-inch screen and the removal of the fan assembly that is found in Apple's iOS device lineup. There is also speculation that a recently granted patent could point toward a revamped multitouch trackpad that would remove the mechanical button in favor of force and optical sensors. Incorporating any of these changes into the MacBook Pro will not happen until the fall, which would follow Apple's track record.

The change in size is the biggest item of notice here and is something that has been speculated about for some time. KGI analyst Ming-Chi Kuo reported about this back in October.

"We expect the unprecedented 12" model will boast both the portability of the 11" model and productivity of the 13" model," Kuo said. "The high-resolution display will also offer the outstanding visual experience of the Retina MacBook Pro. The offering will likely be lighter and slimmer than the existing MacBook Air to further highlight ease of portability in the cloud-computing era."

This could be a change that pushes more professionals to pick one up. With the help of an IT consulting firm that specialized in Mac support, any business will be able to support the devices properly.