The Apple MacBook Air with Retina Display may arrive this coming Christmas, in light of recent developments.

On Monday, Aug. 11, Intel officially introduced the 14-Nanonmeter chip. It has long been rumored that the Retina Macbook Air will run on this chip. Codenamed Broadwell, the 14-Nanonmeter is entering production soon.

"The first systems based on the Intel Core M processor will be on shelves for the holiday selling season followed by broader OEM availability in the first half of 2015," the chipmaker explained.

Traditionally, the U.S. holiday shopping season takes place between from October thru December. Depending on when Apple starts receiving the new chip, the MacBook Air with Retina Display may launch anywhere within this time frame.

Intel also promised that the 14-Nanometer will allow devices to run quieter and be less prone to overheating. This feature is significant because it allows thinner notebooks to retain optimum performance as well as battery life, without needing to run on fans. Such capability allows devices to run quieter without sacrificing speed. According to Intel, the 14-Nanometer will be added to machines that include laptops, desktops, and servers.

Over the years, Apple continually uses Intel technology in its MacBook series. For instance, the current MacBook Air and Pro models exclusively use Intel's Haswell chips. With the introduction of the 14-Nanometer, the Cupertino-based company may start using the newer chip in future designs.

These recent developments have confirmed earlier speculation regarding the MacBook Air with Retina Display. In April, respected analyst Ming-Chi Kuo predicted that Apple will be introducing a substantially thin, but fan-less device. Fans later determined the Kuo was referring to the Retina MacBook Air.   

Besides the new MacBook Air, Apple may be releasing other devices in the fall. The highly-anticipated iPhone 6 may start selling in September. Also, Apple may reveal the iPad Air 2 and iPad Mini 3 in October.