Bulk shipments cut off by Apple

The Mac mini appears to be on the verge of receiving a much-needed update, evidence suggests. A number of suppliers are indicating shipping delays or a complete absence of stock, a common occurrence in the weeks before Apple releases new hardware. One buyer for a higher educational institution says that in placing a bulk order for Minis two weeks ago, he specified to an Apple salesman that the computers would be needed by June 1st. While the salesman assured him at the time that this would not be an issue, the shipping date was last week moved to June 14th.

"Every time this has happened in years past, it means that the item we ordered would be revised," the source says.

A consultant buying for a different organization says that when recently trying to secure a collection of higher-end Minis, his supplier indicated that the distributor had none left, and that Apple had no estimate on when new shipments might come in. A third person trying to buy Minis directly from Apple says he was told by contacts in the company to only order what he needed "for the next few weeks."

Calls to several resellers have been met with claims that orders will not be fulfilled until next week at the earliest. Next Monday marks the beginning of WWDC, when Apple is expected to announce a new iPhone, and possibly several computer refreshes. The Mini could potentially be upgraded with more RAM and storage, faster processors and a new graphics chip. It is also thought that the computer might swap its DVI port for an HDMI connection, a potential boon for people wanting a Mac as a media center PC.

by MacNN Staff