Telling Apple retailers to “stock up” on Macs and iPods, Apple is warning of a coming shortage that could affect availability. There is no word yet on the reason for the shortage, however, speculation looms that it goes hand in hand with their mystery product announcement from the fiscal quarter update call last week.

If Apple is indeed planning a new product, such as the much speculated upon sub $1000 notebook, it may affect the company’s supply of parts and ability to make other products. It could also signal the end for some existing product or products if the mystery product competes in the same market.

In the memo sent out by apple, the reason for the coming shortage is a “ramping down” of production. Products affected by this will be current generation iPods, the 13″ MacBook and the 15″ and 17″ MacBook Pros. The MacBook Air and iPod Touch models seem to have escaped the cut backs.

Apple has suggested that retailers stock up within the next three weeks. That’s a very quick time frame for a ramp down, but it does fit with the current “mystery product” rumor mill and their projections of a light quarter into 2009. I’m sure the Apple tumor sites will be abuzz with far more detailed speculation on the reason behind the ramp down than I’m willing to get into here.

Apple is also updating their iPod Nano and iPod Touch, and there is a pending upgrade of the MacBook Pro line in the works. The company did not say that these two plans, both slated to hit within the next 8 weeks, were the cause of the production downgrade of the other products. Apple is suggesting that when stocking up on the products under a production ramp down, retailers purchase at least four weeks worth of stock to tide them over.

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Entry was posted on Wednesday, July 30th, 2008 at 3:41 pm under Announcements, Apple, Mac, MacBook, Macbook Pro, Rumors, iPhone, iPod, iPod Touch.  Print This Post

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