A Dearth Of Mac Minis Could Point To Hardware Refresh [Rumor]

Quite a few resellers of Apple’s Mac Mini computer are currently out of stock of the diminutive desktop Mac, potentially signaling a potential hardware refresh. Amazon, MacConnection, Mac Mall, and J&R retailers are all reported to not have any more Mac minis of the 2.3 GHz or 2.5GHz persuasion, according to Apple Insider.

German Mac blog, Macerkopf, also noted today that Mini supplies are running out in its country, as well.

Could this be the front wave of a potential new hardware refresh of the Mini, perhaps to the new Ivy Bridge chipset?

It’s not always the case that a limited supply of a given Apple item at third-party resellers reflects a hardware refresh, but it certainly could be. Apple Insider points out that the iMac has also seen some limited availability through the very same channels, but it hasn’t been refreshed yet.

On the other hand, Apple hasn’t boosted the specs on it’s popular headless computer, one that many folks are using as a headless server to run OS X on, since July of last year. That hardware refresh included the addition of a Thunderbolt port along with a removal of an optical drive, much like the Macbook Air.

Both models of the current Minis are still showing as available on the Apple store, starting at $599.

• Source Apple Insider
• Via Mac Daily News

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