14 DAY TRIAL // In what appears to be the final clue that Apple is refreshing its desktop lineup, AppleInsider has received confirmation that the Mac maker is warning its direct sales channels of discontinuing older Macintosh models, including the iMac and Mac mini.
According to the report in question, “Apple this week began informing its direct sales channels that several of its desktop-based Mac offerings have entered a period of constraint, further hinting that Mac hardware updates are on the horizon [...] Apple Retail on Monday issued an advisory to its stateside brick-and-mortar shops in which it noted that further orders for many of its existing desktop SKUs would go unhonored and that stores should not expect those models to be restocked.” In keeping with AppleInsider, the Mac maker is believed to replace all four retail configurations of its aluminum iMac line, as well as the low-end, $599 Mac mini.
An update to the same report further confirms “that the low-end Mac mini SKU has indeed been discontinued. Volume partners wishing to place orders are being told that availability should improve in the next few weeks.”
This is the third media report we’ve seen in less than a week talking about Apple’s plans to refresh its desktop Macs. With the Apple online store down yesterday, Softpedia felt compelled to speculate on these yet-unconfirmed plans of the Mac maker, suggesting that, once the store was back online, readers would be able to see new configurations at attractive prices. Although there is a high probability this will be the case soon, yesterday’s Apple-Store-Down did not honor our wishes.
Also worth noting, according to an older AppleInsider report, is that Apple’s most popular Mac – the 13-inch, poycarbonate MacBook – is getting a refresh as well. In what is touted as a move that will solidify the base of Apple’s notebook offerings, the device is said to be getting a new (slimmer) enclosure, and upgraded components.