21.5-inch iMac power drops due to lack of chips, possible refresh

Apple’s 21.5-inch low-end iMac appears to be in small quantities at Apple stores and in Apple’s online storefront in the United States. The lack could be an indication of an imminent change in the iMac range just days before Apple hosts a product launch event on April 20th.

In particular, the cheapest 1080p iMac (the rest of the 21.5-inch models have 4K displays) sees ship data sliding back a few days until late April or early May, which is usually a sign of low supply. . This Mac, in particular, is also increasingly unavailable for picking up at Apple’s physical stores in the US.

Meanwhile, the more expensive 27-inch iMac comes in a regular window and is shown to be available in several retail stores.

This development comes weeks after Apple discontinued several configurations of the 21.5-inch iMac – specifically, those with 512 GB of 1 TB SSD storage options. Currently, you can buy 21.5-inch iMacs with 256 GB of solid state storage or a 1 TB configuration that combines an SSD with an older hard drive.

Historically, such changes have often been signs of imminent product launches or outages. But there is a wrinkle that makes this less certain this time: a global shortage of chips that could affect Apple products. The lack has already affected many other technology and gadget companies and may be the cause here as well.

M1 first, M1X later?

We speculate here, but the fact that only the latest models have significant shortcomings, while the 27-inch iMac works as usual seems a promising sign for an imminent product launch.

As we explained in our article about what to expect from the upcoming Apple event, Apple is most likely to upgrade a low-end iMac before tackling faster and more expensive configurations.

An entry-level iMac would probably have the Apple M1 chip, the same thing seen in other low-end Macs late last year, while a higher-end model would need a new chip that Apple has not yet introduced. , such as an “M1X”. “

This split could explain why some leaks and rumors have said that an iMac update will arrive next week, while others say it will be later in the year. But again, today’s news could be the result of a lack of chips, rather than a change in Apple’s product line.

We will find out in one way or another when Apple will organize its event on Tuesday next week.

Listing image by Samuel Axon