Things are shifting in the Mac ecosystem. Apple reportedly plans to push beyond the current MacBook Pro. A new high-end machine might actually carry the name MacBook Ultra. Touch screens included? Possibly. Rumors suggest yes.
The iMac gets fresh colors. Just cosmetic, mostly.
But the real story lies with the Mac Mini and Mac Studio. These machines are bracing for the M5 chipset upgrades. We covered the timeline this week on One More Thing. Some releases might happen now. Others? Maybe next year.
Here is the snag. A global memory shortage. Generative AI tools are hungry for RAM and they are eating up the supply chain. This shortage is already choking the production of Apple’s desktops.
“It may take several months” to restore normal supply.
That quote comes directly from Tim Cook during an earnings call. He isn’t hiding it. He knows.
Some variants of the Mini and Studio are simply gone. The cheapest models vanished. So did the most expensive ones. Middle-tier configs still exist but they come with 12-week shipping estimates. That is a long wait.
So you are left with a choice. Do you buy now?
Perhaps not. Apple might be intentionally dialing back production. They could be clearing inventory ahead of the M5 refresh. It happens.
If you need a computer today you are stuck with delays or limited specs. If you can wait you might score the new silicon.
There is no good answer. Just patience. Or bad shipping times.
Which do you prefer?
Probably neither.
