Speculation rampant about release of smaller MacBook Air

Apple is set to make a series of announcements at its Back to the Mac conference today, October 20th, at 10 a.m. PST - one of which might be the release of a new notebook computer to complete its line-up of personal computing devices.

The Cupertino, California-based company may be adding a new computer to its line of laptops - a MacBook Air featuring an 11.6-inch display, with parts to be sourced from various supply chain components that are already instrumental in providing pieces and assembly for other Apple products, including iPods and iPhones. The smaller MacBook Air model - the line already features a notebook with a 13-inch display - is meant to fill the gap between the 9.7-inch iPad and the larger line of MacBook computers, whose top-of-the-line model boasts a screen size of 17 inches.

Sources from the notebook supply chain are speculating that the new MacBook Air, if announced, would likely be manufactured by both Foxconn Electronics and Quanta Computer, since the two firms are currently Apple's major assembly partners.

Foxconn, a subsidiary of a Taiwanese company, has been in the news recently after a rash of worker suicides at its southern China plant. The company has quoted higher prices to many of its partners, including Apple, in an effort to provide better living conditions for its employees.