MacBook Pro soon to come with Retina Display?

Apple could bring Retina Display to its MacBook Pro line in the second quarter of 2012, meaning double the screen resolution of notebook's the current 15-inch version.

According to a DigiTimes report, citing "sources in the upstream supply chain," Apple is planning to roll out refreshed line of MacBook Pros with a screen resolution of 2800 x 1800 pixels.

Retina Display is defined by Apple as having a "pixel density so high your eye is unable to distinguish individual pixels," according to CNet.

However, PCMag.com cautions that:

"Digitimes regularly comes out with new Apple rumors from unspecified, unconfirmed sources; when it comes to being correct, the paper's record is spotty."

Ars Techinca also calls out DigiTimes for not having "a good record for accuracy," but in a story headlined "Retina" MacBook Pros shipping next year? It's possible," points out "this timeline does make it somewhat plausible."

The claims come soon after a rumor that the iPad 3 will also get Retina Display in Feb. 2012.

Ars Techinca writes:

Apple is expected to have similar resolution displays ready for the iPad 3 in early spring, and the same technology would likely be used to make such a high-resolution display suitable for the MacBook Pro. Furthermore, Intel should be shipping its next-generation Ivy Bridge processors around the second quarter of next year. Apple will undoubtedly refresh its MacBook Pros to use the new processors, and its upgraded graphics are capable of driving such a high resolution display.

According to CNet, adding Retina Display to the iPad or MacBook is a matter of mass production, rather than technology.

"It's not a question of making just one. That, of course, can be done. The challenge is making lots of them," a source close to the iPad 3 rumor told the website. "This is a quantum leap in pixel density. This hasn't been done before."