Image: Mashable, Nina Frazier
Purported inventory data from Apple resellers gives us some insight into the products that the Cupertino, Calif. company may announce at its new product event on Tuesday.
Apple Insider put together a chart of inventory levels for current Apple products (at least as it relates to Apple resellers and big-box stores), and the data matches up with recent rumors about new devices.
Originally published on Mashable
For instance, MacBook Pro with Retina inventory levels are nearly nonexistent for both the 13-inch and 15-inch varieties. This jibes with our prediction that new Haswell-based MacBook Pro with Retina laptops will appear at Tuesday's event.
Also likely: a new 9.7-inch iPad. The redesigned full-sized tablet seems like a sure thing; over the last six months, we've seen many leaks of the supposed new fifth-generation iPad, complete with a slimmer body that's similar to the iPad mini's design.
Speaking of the iPad mini — this is where things get interesting. Although Apple Insider's sources note that inventory levels for the Wi-Fi and LTE iPad mini is "average to low," the 16GB and 32GB Wi-Fi-only iPad mini has a "high" inventory level.
This could mean that Apple will release a new iPad mini — likely with a retina screen — but continue to sell the non-retina, Wi-Fi only iPad mini at a lower price. Apple has continued to sell the iPad 2 (which incidentally, is almost exactly the same as the iPad mini on a technical level), even after the third- and fourth-generation retina iPads hit the market.
Inventory Table: AppleInsider
I predicted the continued existence of the original iPad mini in our most recent #MashTalk, so it will be interesting to see what happens.
Reseller inventory of the Mac Pro is basically sold out, indicating that we'll at least get a date — if not more specific information — about Apple's highly anticipated and wholly redesigned workstations.
What won't we get? If inventory levels are any indication, an updated version of the Apple TV.Apple Insider's sources said that Apple TV inventory levels are "the highest [it's] been in months."
That corresponds with my expectations for the Apple TV: more software updates, but not actual hardware changes. For instance, iOS 7 specifically includes support for game controllers, and it would make sense for those controllers to work when paired with the Apple TV via AirPlay. What's more, OS X Mavericks, which we also expect to see next week, includes support to use your television as a full second monitor via Apple TV and AirPlay. In other words, Apple is giving customers more incentive to buy the $99 Apple TV this fall.
Rumors aside, we'll have to wait until Tuesday to see what Apple plans to release.
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