In accordance with Apple's "cleaner and greener" drive, reports have surfaced that the Cupertino-based company might be including its consumer line of 13-inch MacBooks as one of the products that will be receiving the LED-backlit display treatment this year.

The 15-inch MacBook Pro was the first notebook slated to undergo the LED-backlit display treatment. The 17-inch MacBook and MacBook Pro models are also being considered for the same upgrade.

According to AppleInsider, DigiTimes reports that Apple is currently studying samples of 13.3-and 15.4-inch panels from AU Optronics and Chi Mei Optoelectronics. Backlight unit makers Coretronic and Kenmos are also sending samples to be incorporated in the panels. Shipments for these components are expected to officially commence in Q2 or Q3 of this year.

 

The DigiTimes reports that Apple plans to launch new iPods featuring Wi-Fi by the second half of 2007.  Universal Scientific Industrial is reportedly set to produce the Wi-Fi modules needed for the new iPods and Foxconn will contribute as the OEM system assembler.

Don't expect to see the new Wi-Fi iPods as soon as the second half of the year starts though, because while USI will begin their shipments this April, Foxconn may only do so come the third quarter, or so the DigiTimes reports.

Given that Sony and Samsung are also planning to offer similar Wi-Fi products, the feature could be mainstream by the end of the year.