More Evidence for Retina Display Macs Shows up in OS X 10.7.3 Beta
The developer betas of Mac OS X 10.7.3 show new evidence of retina display Macs, according to a recent find by MacRumors. The discovery points to some applications “Get Info” dialog box displaying an option to “Open in HIDPI mode”, although checking the box doesn’t appear to do anything yet, and the reference seems to have been removed from the most recent 10.7.3 11D36 build.
HiDPI display modes are roughly double the existing resolutions available to Mac displays, references to these resolutions have been found separately in past versions of OS X Lion. Other evidence of retina Macs are high resolution icons and massive 3200×2000 pixel wallpapers being the default in Mac OS X 10.7.
Currently, no Mac exists with a screen that would qualify for a HIDPI display mode. Some rumors suggest that a MacBook Pro with a 2880×1800 retina display could debut sometime in 2012, and may be the first Mac equipped with such a display.
[…] first beta of OS X 10.7.3 showed up in November of last year, with later releases showing hints of retina Macs and drivers for graphics cards that are not currently shipping on […]
Screen resolutions have been going steadily higher for years. Listen youngsters, grandpa can remember when 800×600 was considered hi-res. So there’s no reason to think that process will stop any time soon. Just because at some semi-arbitrary level the new resolution gets a fancy new name is no real reason to get excited.
Actually, grandpa, maybe there is something to get excited about. When the resolution gets so good you can’t distinguish the screen from a printed page maybe that’s a sort of a tipping point.
It’s inevitable but I hope it’s soon I need to upgrade my 2008 macbook.
All signs are pointing at next year. I wish it would come in the Air, but I am betting the retina ppi is going to be what delineates the Pro from the Air line.