Shipping times for the iMac have increased to 3–5 business days, adding credence to a recent rumor that Apple will launch a new cheaper iMac at its annual Worldwide Developers Conference next week. First noted by AppleInsider, each of the base configurations of the iMac now has a longer than normal shipping time on Apple’s online store, up from the typical shipping time of “Within 24 hours” for most Mac products.
AppleInsider also noted that shipping times are even longer for iMacs that are upgraded from their based configurations, and that inventory is either gone or limited at various Apple resellers, such as Amazon and MacMall. However, inventory is not constrained at all resellers, including at Best Buy and B&H.
The increased shipping time supports a rumor from respected KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo this April, who said that Apple was preparing to launch a cheaper iMac in the second quarter to compete with all-in-one desktop models from HP and Lenovo.
If Apple is set to announce this cheaper iMac next week, it makes sense that supply of the current iMac is dwindling.
