MacBook Pro, Mac mini and iMac models are disappearing off the shelves, another sign that Apple’s M4 Mac launch is imminent

Retail inventory of current-gen Macs is dwindling, a leaker tells us

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.

Appleappears to be running down stock levels ofMacBook Pro, Mac mini and iMac modelsahead of the launch of new M4 refreshes of these devices.

Leaker Mark Gurman posted on X to let us know that “retail inventory for iMacs, MacBook Pros, Mac minis, iPad minis, iPad mini accessories continues to dwindle.”

Retail inventory for iMacs, MacBook Pros, Mac minis, iPad minis, iPad mini accessories continues to dwindle. Not seeing the same for entry iPad, for those wondering.October 14, 2024

So, this is a fairly hefty hint that we could soon be seeing a new MacBook Pro, Mac mini and iMac with the M4 chip, which is what’s been rumored for quite some time now.

It is, of course, common practice to slim down the stock levels of a current generation of hardware, before the next-gen arrives for obvious reasons.

As Gurman notes, the same is true for the iPad mini which is due an M4 refresh, and purportedly all this hardware is set to belaunched by Apple later in October, ahead of anon-sale date of November 1.

Analysis: A much-needed boost for Apple’s Mac range

The rumors around the launch timeframe have been alittle inconsistent of late, but the mentioned dates fall in line with Apple’s past history and what we’d expect, so all of this feels very believable. We only have a short while before we find out for sure, anyway, as if there is a late October reveal planned for all these M4 Macs (and iPad mini), invites for the press event should be imminent (maybe pitching up in the next couple of days, in fact).

Apple needs a new generation of Macs, it would seem, certainly if current sales figures are anything to go by. Recent figures from an analyst firm show that in Q3 of 2024,Mac shipments plunged by 17.5% year-on-year, which is a pretty worrying drop for Apple.

Get the best Black Friday deals direct to your inbox, plus news, reviews, and more.

Sign up to be the first to know about unmissable Black Friday deals on top tech, plus get all your favorite TechRadar content.

Tim Cookwill certainly be hoping that a raft of new M4 computers can help to revive those numbers somewhat, and turn the tide in the other direction – the way in which the rest of the PC industry is flowing (wheremodest levels of growthhave been observed earlier this year,or at least sales are staying flat).

ViaWccftech

You might also like

Darren is a freelancer writing news and features for TechRadar (and occasionally T3) across a broad range of computing topics including CPUs, GPUs, various other hardware, VPNs, antivirus and more. He has written about tech for the best part of three decades, and writes books in his spare time (his debut novel - ‘I Know What You Did Last Supper’ - was published by Hachette UK in 2013).

The M4 Mac mini has removable, modular storage – and an important SSD upgrade

Apple iMac 24-inch M4 (2024) review: the best, and most colorful, all-in-one computer levels up

Phishing attacks surge in 2024 as cybercriminals adopt AI tools and multi-channel tactics