The Online Apple Store is now selling refurbished versions of the newly redesigned 27-inch iMac, with a variety of configurations offering savings of up to $400 off retail pricing.
After a disappointing holiday quarter, signs continue to show that Mac sales are on the rebound, with the latest data from the NPD Group revealing a 14% year over year increase in January and February.
Apple on Thursday added the newly redesigned iMac to the company's Employee Purchase Plan program which offers workers a $500 savings every three years on eligible Mac hardware, a savings that is applied on top of their usual 25 percent discount.
Apple recently updated its online store to reflect availability of a new VESA mount-compatible iMac, with the tweaked version of the thin all-in-one costing in at $40 more than standard models.
In an update to its traditional special priced Mac offerings targeted at educational institutions, Apple is now offering the newly redesigned 21.5-inch iMac with a 3.3GHz dual-core Intel i3 processor, 4GB of RAM and a 500GB HDD for $1,099.
Both the 21.5- and 27-inch version of the newly redesigned iMac now ship within one day from Apple's online stores in the U.S. and Canada.
iMac orders in Europe are now estimated to ship in as little as 5 to 7 business days, a major improvement over previous estimates, but a number that still lags behind Apple's turnaround in the U.S.
Estimated shipping times for both of Apple's new iMac models dramatically improved on Saturday, going from weeks to just one to three business days.
Mac sales outgrew the overall PC market for 26 consecutive quarters until December, but Apple is expected to see sales improve in the current quarter.
While Apple has begun to catch up with demand for its redesigned iMacs, the company's Thunderbolt Display remains in limited supply at resellers, potentially hinting that an update could be around the corner.
The latest data from the NPD Group shows U.S. Mac sales in the month of January were up 31 percent year over year, suggesting Apple began to catch up with demand for its new all-in-one iMac.
Estimated shipping times for Apple's thinner iMac continue to slip, as the 27-inch model is now advertised to arrive in Europe in 4 to 6 weeks, while the 21.5-inch model has been delayed to between 3 and 4 weeks.
Apple's component supply chain may have managed to resolve supply issues, as new reports out of China have production ramping up for the iPad mini as well as the shortage-plagued new iMac.
Several of Apple's retail partners are for the first time Sunday reflecting some availability of the company's iMac models first introduced over three months ago, including a handful of customized 21" models in addition to the $1799 27" model.
The U.S. Online Apple Store is now quoting estimated shipment dates for the 21.5-inch iMac at two to three weeks, suggesting supply constraints of the redesigned all-in-one continue over a month after the first units reached customers in November.
A new report holds that Apple's component suppliers have solved the production problems keeping stocks of the company's new iMac models low, and Apple will supposedly see strong sales of its signature desktop in the quarter to come.
Apple on Wednesday released its earnings for the first quarter of the 2013 fiscal year, revealing a precipitous drop in both revenue and shipments for Macs, a sector that once made up the core of the company's business.
New orders of Apple's 21.5-inch desktop iMac are now advertised to ship in 2 to 3 weeks to U.K. customers, suggesting production problems remain for the all-in-one desktop.
A number of resellers have run dry of Apple Thunderbolt Display inventory, suggesting the 27-inch monitor may be due for an upgrade, perhaps with a thinner design that takes cues from the latest iMacs.
Apple is still facing manufacturing issues with its new big-screen 27-inch iMac, though a report claims the issue could start to improve in February.
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糖心Vlog Staff
Neil Hughes
Sam Oliver
Kevin Bostic
Katie Marsal
