Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) is expected to begin shipping 11.6-inch and 13.3-inch MacBook Air models that feature Sandy Bridge and Thunderbolt in late May for a launch that is expected to happen between June and July. Quanta Computer is doing the assembly, Catcher Technology is doing the casings, Shin Zu Shing is supplying the hinges, Auras Technology is doing the thermal modules, and Simplo Technology and Dynapack are supplying the batteries. [DigiTImes]

According to upstream suppliers, Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMZN) has made some OEM orders from Quanta Computer. Amazon.com made the orders for tablet PCs. The tablets will also receive support from E Ink Holdings for touch panels and Fringe Field Switching (FFS) technology. The monthly orders are expected to hit about 700,000-800,000 during the peak season. During the second half of 2011, these orders are expected to contribute over $3.5 billion to Quanta’s 2011 revenues. [DigiTimes]

DigiTimes has a source that is reporting Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) is refreshing their MacBook Pro and iMac line of products in the first half of 2011. Apple is planning to upgrade four MacBook Pros as well as the iMac. The iMac will have a new panel size and price point. The same report believes that Apple will sell about 10 million units in 2010. The new MacBook Pro notebooks will have a slight change in the chassis and will run on the Lion operating system. Quanta Computer and Foxconn Electronics (Hon Hai Precision Industry) are expecting to share the orders. [DigiTimes]

According to DigiTimes, Inventec has already shipped about 60,000 Chrome operating system powered netbooks to Google. The Chrome OS based products are estimated to arrive in the first half of 2011. Acer worked with Quanta Computer to develop at 10.1-inch Atom N550-based Chrome OS netback that has built in WiFi and Bluetooth. [DigiTimes]

DigiTimes is reporting that global brand vendors are preparing to launch a new generation of notebooks that use the Google Chrome operating system later in November. Google is also planning to launch their own Google Chrome based notebook.