Best Buy expecting new Apple products in mid-March?
Updated stock information from within Best Buy's computer systems shows the electronics retailer receiving new hardware from Apple -- potentially MacBook Pros or iPads -- on March 14.
A picture sent to AppleInsider shows the hardware in Best Buy's mobile department, suggesting the device could be the iPad's Wi-Fi model, due to arrive by the end of March, or perhaps an updated MacBook Pro. Apple is expected to refresh its MacBook Pro notebooks this quarter.
The unnamed Apple hardware is a placeholder with a dummy UPC simply used to represent a potential forthcoming new product. While such information leaks from Best Buy from time to time, it is not always reliable.
The new hardware is listed under Best Buy's computer department, though the secondary department is labeled as mobile.
Apple's forthcoming iPad, starting at $499, is set to arrive by the end of March for the Wi-Fi-only model. A 3G-enabled version of the multi-touch, multimedia device is due a month later.
For months, there have been rumors of new MacBook Pros based on Intel's new Core i7 and Core i5 mobile processors. The 32-nanometer chips offer improved speed, better graphics capabilities and lower power consumption than their Core 2 Duo predecessors.
In addition, Gizmodo also received a new image from Best Buy's inventory system, showing a number of new dummy SKUs for forthcoming Apple products. The picture, reportedly taken at a Canadian store, does not provide any details on the products. In addition, the SKU sent to AppleInsider does not appear in the list obtained by Gizmodo.
The same source also told the Web site that they saw "fully-speced high end iMacs in inventory that were not in stores yet." Whether these represent the newly redesigned iMacs released last fall is unknown.
A picture sent to AppleInsider shows the hardware in Best Buy's mobile department, suggesting the device could be the iPad's Wi-Fi model, due to arrive by the end of March, or perhaps an updated MacBook Pro. Apple is expected to refresh its MacBook Pro notebooks this quarter.
The unnamed Apple hardware is a placeholder with a dummy UPC simply used to represent a potential forthcoming new product. While such information leaks from Best Buy from time to time, it is not always reliable.
The new hardware is listed under Best Buy's computer department, though the secondary department is labeled as mobile.
Apple's forthcoming iPad, starting at $499, is set to arrive by the end of March for the Wi-Fi-only model. A 3G-enabled version of the multi-touch, multimedia device is due a month later.
For months, there have been rumors of new MacBook Pros based on Intel's new Core i7 and Core i5 mobile processors. The 32-nanometer chips offer improved speed, better graphics capabilities and lower power consumption than their Core 2 Duo predecessors.
In addition, Gizmodo also received a new image from Best Buy's inventory system, showing a number of new dummy SKUs for forthcoming Apple products. The picture, reportedly taken at a Canadian store, does not provide any details on the products. In addition, the SKU sent to AppleInsider does not appear in the list obtained by Gizmodo.
The same source also told the Web site that they saw "fully-speced high end iMacs in inventory that were not in stores yet." Whether these represent the newly redesigned iMacs released last fall is unknown.
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iPadLot.com
The "Best Buy is selling the iPad" rumor has been around for awhile now. I'm glad to see some "evidence" to back it up, even though we must take it with a grain of salt at this point until it's confirmed or more substantial and verifiable evidence is brought to light. Stay tuned!
iPadLot.com
I don't think the Wifi version of the iPad will be exclusive to Apple stores. If they want to sell it world wide at launch, which they said they will, they will need to open up sales to third party retailers like they do with all their product (not including the iPhone).
im going to just order mine from apple.com
Why? If you buy it at Best Buy, you get extra consumer protections and a discount (in the form of cash off future purchases).
Apple is coming out with more then just the iPad and MBP's this year. Looks like there will be a refresh on a lot of their products so who knows what it is exactly.. I would think they wouldn't want to bring out a new product with a refresh product close together, maybe that is why most of us are looking every day for the new MBP's...
For me, the later the better. Apple usually holds a refresh off when there is going to be a major change, not just a speed bump. There are lot of things I'd like to see happen with the next MBPs.
Last Friday of the quarter. That's what Apple likes to do for new products.
They do like to do that but usually there is something in February. Plus, March will likely have the iPad sales starting at the end of March, as well as the iPhone OS and SDK 4.0 demo as a special event sometime in March, going by the last two years.
I don't think the Wifi version of the iPad will be exclusive to Apple stores. If they want to sell it world wide at launch, which they said they will, they will need to open up sales to third party retailers like they do with all their product (not including the iPhone).
Considering the low cost, the multi-national sales out of the gate and likely sales in many retail stores in the US it's possible that the iPad could be much more popular than many have expected. I thought 4-6 million the first year would be about right, but that may be extremely low.
im going to just order mine from apple.com
I'm with you on this one!
Apple is coming out with more then just the iPad and MBP's this year. Looks like there will be a refresh on a lot of their products so who knows what it is exactly.. I would think they wouldn't want to bring out a new product with a refresh product close together, maybe that is why most of us are looking every day for the new MBP's...
I'm not sure how you are coming to that conclusion...
18 "Dummy SKUs" are listed in the shot. There are at least 6 new iPads coming. 12 if you count ENG and FR versions. I'm still under the impression that we will see another class of iPad that will have a front facing camera. That would take the total count for new products well past the 18 listed SKUs...
Ps...wouldn't it be great if the iPhone was as thin as the iPod Touch?
I've been waiting 9 months for an Apple TV hardware refresh, I really want one but know if I buy now they'll replace it and I'll be angry at myself!
Yep...I'd wait. The next gen. will be better for sure. Just don't know when that will be!
I have an AppleTV and absolutely love it...music, photos, movies, now internet radio all combined into one unit with one HDMI cable and one power cord w/o a pwr brick. It is a beautiful piece of engineering and design. It's the only piece of electronic equipment I 'proudly' display in my living room. Other than the Flat screen TV, (and a first gen. iPhone that I'm slowly making into a universal remote) everything else is 'hidden,' Cable box, DVD player, etc., because they are so clunky looking compared to the ATV.
Seriously, a core 2 duo and a Geforce 9400m in a 2000 dollar laptop is just calling your customers stupid
I'm not sure how you are coming to that conclusion...
18 "Dummy SKUs" are listed in the shot. There are at least 6 new iPads coming. 12 if you count ENG and FR versions. I'm still under the impression that we will see another class of iPad that will have a front facing camera. That would take the total count for new products well past the 18 listed SKUs...
Well it comes from BB Canada and things are bi-lingual up there, but why on earth would they need a separate sku for English or French when that is a simple user option question on first bootup? There likely will be a version of the iPad down the line with a camera, but not in this first round. What got announced the end of January is all that will be included in them. Assuming that everything you see there is accounted for by iPads is very foolish.
MacBook Pro's have previously been reported as EOL so they are clearly being replaced. How does the i3 processor stack up against the processor found in the white MacBook? It would make a nice clean jump across the board if they upgraded all the laptops so the Air and MacBook ran i3s, the 13 and 15" Pros ran i5s and there was an i7 that was at least a BTO option for the 17". Obviously if the Air could have an i5 and still maintain it's form instead of using an i3, go that route.
I don't think the Wifi version of the iPad will be exclusive to Apple stores.
Do you mean the 3G version since they all have Wi-Fi?
Do you mean the 3G version since they all have Wi-Fi?
I think he means WiFi-only. We know that it will be sold in AT&T stores.