Apple’s WWDC conference is almost upon us, and with the expectation that the company will unveil new Macs at the event, I decided to do a bit of checking around on retail stock levels. What I found, somewhat to my surprise, was a remarkable shortage of Apple’s entry-level Mac Pro. I checked a dozen major Apple resellers (including Apple’s own website and retail stores), and found that the vast majority were either out of stock or had very limited supplies of the $2499 2012 Mac Pro.
Here are my results, as of 10:00 AM MT this morning (for the entry-level model, MD770LL/A):
*Updated, as of 3:00 PM on June 3, 2013
Backordered or out of stock:
- MacMall: “Call for Availability” – (According to their legend, this means it is out of stock.)
- B&H Photo: Backordered
- CDW: Listed as “call for availability.” I called, and they confirmed they are out of stock.
- PowerMax: Out of stock
- Adorama: Out of stock
- Amazon: Only 6 left in stock
- J&R Electronics: Out of stock
MacConnection: In stock(now listed as out of stock)
Limited stock:
- MicroCenter: In-store pickup only, limited stock
- Frys.com: In stock, but limited supply
- Best Buy: In stock on an online-only bases. I called, and was told they have a very limited supply.
In stock:
- Apple Online Store: In stock
- Apple Retail Stores: In stock at most locations (I checked stores in about a dozen major cities).
Stock-outs and diminishing retail supplies are a key sign that Apple may be preparing to release new models of a product – something which Mac Pro users have been awaiting for a very long time. It’s also worth noting, however, that other models of the Mac Pro aren’t facing as significant of stock limitations – although all models are out of stock at at several major resellers.
Tim Cook also promised last year that Apple was indeed planning to release something new for pro-level Mac users sometime this year (which Forbes confirmed would involve the Mac Pro), making the announcement of a new Mac Pro or suitable replacement an even more exciting possibility for WWDC.
This also lines up with our previous timeline on when Apple could be expected to release new Mac Pro hardware. While this isn’t a sure sign that we’ll be seeing new Mac Pros in the near future, it does reinforce the possibility. For the sake of pro users everywhere, I certainly hope Apple has something Mac Pro related in the pipes…
