Apple online store down, could indicate new Mac in the offing

Over the past few weeks we have witnessed the iPhone 5 being unveiled and launched through brick and mortar stores as well as through Apple’s online retail channels the world over. The other major news in respect to Apple is that it may introduce the iPad mini in the later half of this month. The Apple online store is down in a host of countries, and when this happens, Apple is usually getting ready to display a new device on the store.

As per a report by CNET, the author, Steven Musil states, “Apple's online store is down at this hour, which is typically indicative of a new product release on the horizon. However, what that might portend is a bit of mystery. With the iPhone 5's launch and new iPods already in Apple's rear-view mirror and the unannounced but much-rumored iPad Mini still apparently further down the road, it leaves one to wonder what Apple is adding to the store.”

Apple to quietly launch a new product?

This could indicate that Apple may be preparing to introduce a new Mac, as the brand has not unveiled the iPad mini yet. 

There have been rumours surrounding a smaller MacBook Pro with Retina Display ever since Apple announced the 15-inch MacBook Pro at the Worldwide Developers Conference earlier this year. There has been a lot of talk surrounding the launch of this smaller notebook, which is believed to come in a 13-inch form factor. Apart from the 13-inch MacBook Pro with Retina Display capabilities, another computer from Apple creating a buzz is the next generation iMac, the brand’s all-in-one desktop. As per a report by Digitimes, it appears that these computers will be launched sooner than expected with Apple’s supply chain already believed to have begun shipping them.

An earlier report by Digitimes stated, “Apple's upstream supply chain reportedly started mass shipping new iMac all-in-one PCs and Retina Display 13.3-inch MacBook Pros in September, according to sources from the upstream supply chain. The sources estimated that the official launch of the Retina Display 13.3-inch MacBook Pro should be in either September or October to target back-to-school demand and the year-end holidays. As for the iMac, Apple originally planned to release three new models with upgraded panels and CPUs, but due to poor yields of the panels, the mass production of the high-end model, has been postponed, without any launch schedule. The other two models – targeting the mid-range and entry-level segments – saw shipment volumes from the supply chain increase in September.”