14 DAY TRIAL // Apple resellers in the US have depleted their iMac stock, particularly running short on 27-inch models, in what is regarded as a controlled shortage on behalf of the Cupertino, California-based computer giant.
Checks with various retailers in the United States have revealed that Apple is no longer supplying 27-inch versions of the popular, all-in-one iMac, indicating that a refresh is on the way.
Indeed, Apple has kept the iMac on ice for over a year now, and while some of the company’s solutions have gone even longer without any significant upgrades, the iMac cannot afford to skip another year.
Ivy Bridge is the new processor model making its way into Apple’s most powerful Macs, including the new MacBook Pro with Retina display. The iMac deserves no less in terms of CPU performance.
There have been some rumors about a potential Retina display in the next-generation iMac, though such speculation has recently been muffled. Production costs seem to be the main concern.
The iMac continues to boast a killer design even after the 2009 refresh, and Apple is rumored to have some new models on the table for 2013. For now, however, it seems the Cupertino giant is focusing on the innards.
AppleInsider appropriately points out that the aforementioned shortages may also have something to do with Apple’s annual back-to-school promotion, though we’re guessing most students are going after the 21.5-inch version, not the one boasting a 27-inch display.
Apple’s iMac currently starts at $1,199 (around €956) for the 21.5-inch model with a 2.5GHz Quad-Core Intel Core i5 processor, 4GB (two 2GB) of memory, a 500GB hard drive, and AMD Radeon HD 6750M graphics with 512MB.
The 27-inch version with 3.1GHz Quad-Core Intel Core i5, 4GB RAM, 1TB hard drive, and AMD Radeon HD 6970M (1GB) sells for $1,999 (around €1,600).