Apart from the iPad 2, the iPad 3, the Apple Store in Grand Central Station, and the cheap new iPhone, people just have not been freaking out enough about Apple-related rumors lately, which is why it is important to know that this may be the week that Apple announces its expected late winter/early spring refresh of the MacBook Pro line. One interesting bit of evidence marshalled in support of this theory is that Apple’s online store, which normally ships everything within 24 hours (see, for instance, the MacBook Air page), has pushed shipping for MacBook Pro computers back to 3-5 business days, suggesting a rare act of mercy on the part of a company from which one always seems to buy things the moment before they become outclassed by a newer model.
Update: A similar thing is happening with iPads, leading some to speculate the iPad 2 is coming soon.
AppleInsider: “Apple usually reserves this kind of across-the-board shipping delay for imminent new product releases. Placeholder SKUs for new Apple-branded computers discovered Sunday in the Best Buy inventory system appeared to further corroborate the pending upgrade. Five models were listed on the electronics reseller’s Laptop Configuration tool ranging in price from $1,199 to $2,499.”
If the announcement indeed happens this week, Thursday is said to be the day.
The big question on every Mac person’s mind, however, is how new the new MacBook Pros will be: They’re expected to use Intel’s new Sandy Bridge processor, but theories abound as to whether they’ll simply consist of a spec refresh, whether they’ll converge further towards the MacBook Air line with features like more widespread Flash memory, or whether they’ll feature the very promising-looking new Light Peak technology from Intel. Hopefully, we’ll learn soon enough.
(via AppleInsider, 9to5Mac)
