The shipping times for most of the variations of the Mac Pro have started to lengthen in Apple Stores across Europe, with many versions now taking 5-7 business days before they are shipped. The models of the Mac Pro to which the lengthened shipping times apply are those using the Quad Core Intel Xeon Nehalem and Westmere processors, whereas the model of the Mac Pro incorporating the 6 core Westmere processor still remains at the standard shipping time for the Mac Pro of 3-5 days. Online Stores where the shortages first appeared include countries like the UK, Italy and Spain.
The delays in the shipping times appear to be attributable to the processors that are used in the standard Mac Pro models as customization appears to shorten the shipping estimates in some cases, contrary to the normal lengthening of shipping times when requesting customized models. For example, changing out the single 2.8 GHz Nehalem for a 3.2 GHz Nehalem means that the shipping estimate drops from 5-7 days down to 3-5 days. Of note, however, the shipping times in the US Apple Store are all on target, listing the majority of the Mac Pro configurations as ‘In Stock’ meaning that the processor shortages are not as prevalent there.
The Mac Pro has not received an update since July 2010 and as has been named as a strong contender to be the first Mac to receive the brand new Intel Ivy Bridge processors which have recently been rolled out. That said, shipping times for the Mac Pro have lengthened in Apple Stores before without any updates being revealed so this could simply be a temporary hitch, particularly since rumors of the demise of the Mac Pro have swirled for a few months now.
With the new Ivy Bridge processors, however, perhaps something a little more interesting is on the horizon for the Mac Pro.
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