Has anybody seen a new iMac?

[mclbruce]

... or bought one?

It's been two weeks since they were announced. It is still impossible to buy one, or place an order for one, on Apple's US website. Has anybody seen the new iMacs for sale in a physical Apple Store or online in another country?

I'm not planning on buying one for several months, so this doesn't affect me directly. Still this seems unusual for Apple. Two weeks with no new iMacs for sale, only refurbs - did Apple plan that in advance? I doubt it.

[NaOH]

They're not available anywhere. But this certainly isn't the first time Apple has announced a product and given a vague date of availability. I presume the no-release-date announcement was tied to the holidays since they seem to want the product out this quarter but didn't want people purchasing the last generation model (or have to keep making them).

The one thing that seems unusual to me is that it's the middle of November and pre-ordering for the model that's supposed to ship this month isn't yet available. But there's plenty I don't know about manufacturing and supply chains that there's likely a good reason or seven I'm missing.

[benwiggy]

No. They weren't in the London Apple Stores when I visited last week. Currently, you can't even buy the 2011 model, so there's no iMacs to had, not even for ready money.

Just received my Macmini yesterday. I'll be giving a full review of Migration and first appearances in the OS X Products section soon.

[mclbruce]

Quote: Originally Posted by benwiggy Currently, you can't even buy the 2011 model, so there's no iMacs to had, not even for ready money.

That's the part that seems like a mistake. There are a few refurbished iMac models on Apple's US website and that's all.

If Tim Cook were running things, this wouldn't have happened. No, wait... :-)

[onceagain]

Quote: Originally Posted by benwiggy so there's no iMacs to had, not even for ready money.

I'm sure there are, if you're willing to pay enough.

[benwiggy]

Quote: Originally Posted by onceagain I'm sure there are, if you're willing to pay enough.

I rang up the Sales line, and they would not sell me an iMac, no matter how much money I had. There were and still are no Refurb iMacs in the UK Store either.
Hence my use of the Oscar Wilde quote (even if accidentally missing a word)!

The 2011 model may still be available from third-party retailers. Frankly, I would have been happy with the 2011 model with an SSD, if it were discounted to a more reasonable price. But I love my new mini now.

EDIT: According to MacRumors, the iMacs are likely to be delayed even further:
http://www.macrumors.com/2012/11/15/...rly-next-year/

[onceagain]

Quote: Originally Posted by benwiggy I rang up the Sales line, and they would not sell me an iMac, no matter how much money I had. There were and still are no Refurb iMacs in the UK Store either.Hence my use of the Oscar Wilde quote (even if accidentally missing a word)!

So buy a used one - plenty available.

[benwiggy]

Quote: Originally Posted by onceagain So buy a used one - plenty available.

I'll assume you're trying to be helpful... but I have said, here and elsewhere, that I have already bought a new MacMini.

Of course there are second-hand, or "grey market" models around, as well as third-party stockists. But it's a peculiar state of affairs when you can't currently buy an iMac of any sort from Apple. That was the essence of my whole point.

I'm sure there are lots of people who would settle for a 2011 model in the absence of the 2012 batch -- or even in preference to the new model. But if they want to buy an iMac from Apple, they are out of luck right now. And that's a remarkable state of affairs. Indeed, I remarked upon it.

[acme.mail.order]

Quote: Originally Posted by benwiggy But it's a peculiar state of affairs when you can't currently buy an iMac of any sort from Apple.

I think it's fairly simple - demand over projections and new model conversion time means they sold out. Happens regularly.

I used to use rigging equipment from Russ Anderson. Great stuff, but they tooled up to make one product at a time which occasionally created 8-month delays for pulleys if they sold out of them.

[onceagain]

Quote: Originally Posted by benwiggy I'll assume you're trying to be helpful... but I have said, here and elsewhere, that I have already bought a new MacMini.

Well, they're not necessarily exclusive. Plenty of people buy multiple machines. I bought a new MBP in June and just bought an MBA this week. So, you never know.

Quote: That was the essence of my whole point.

Oh, I see. Well, sometimes its hard to tell when people don't just come out with it (:

Quote: And that's a remarkable state of affairs. Indeed, I remarked upon it.

Unusual - but I don't think it's anything particularly fascinating, over the time period we're talking about. Now, if they go 3 or 4 months in such a state, now that would be interesting.

[mnewman]

Quote: Originally Posted by benwiggy And that's a remarkable state of affairs. Indeed, I remarked upon it.

Indeed, remarkable.

[mclbruce]

Quote: Originally Posted by acme.mail.order I think it's fairly simple - demand over projections and new model conversion time means they sold out. Happens regularly.

Apple used to mess up these transitions often. There would often be delays before the new model was ready or Apple would have too many old models on hand and have to sell them at very low prices. But in the past two or three years I think Apple has been very good at keeping the pipeline full as new models are introduced.

From what I have read, Apple is saying that this iMac shortage is because of unanticipated problems with production of the new model rather than inaccurate sales projections of the old one.

I wonder if the "buy" or "order" button for iMacs will return to Apple's website before the end of the Thanksgiving weekend...