MacBook Air Supplies Diminish as Refresh Approaches

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MacBook Airs Side-by-Side

A refresh to the MacBook Air lineup appears to be imminent this week as retail sources worldwide report that supplies and shipments of Apple’s ultraportable notebook are beginning to diminish.

Sources for 9to5 Mac have confirmed that MacBook Air supplies are beginning to run dry – a typical indication that Apple is preparing to launch an updated product line – ahead of the rumored June-July refresh.

The MacBook Air was last updated in October 2010 with a thinner, lighter design; solid-state drives as standard; and an all-new 11.6-inch option. The next refresh is expected to be a little less exciting, but could see the introduction of Intel’s newest Sandy Bridge processors and the company’s high-speed Thunderbolt port.

Strengthening these reports and fuelling further speculation is a recent price reduction to the refurbished MacBook Air through the Apple online store. Base models have dropped $30 and now start at an all-time low of $829 – suggesting Apple is clearing its inventory to make room for new blood.

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