Supply shortages, new model numbers suggest new MacBook Pros

Reports from Italy indicate Apple may be preparing to launch an updated line of MacBook Pros at the end of February.

iSpazio claims an Apple employee informed the site about the imminent release of five new models of MacBook Pro [Google translation] with part numbers MC720, MC721, MC723, MC724, and MC725. According to the report, all three currently available screen sizes - 13-inch, 15-inch, and 17-inch - will be represented among the five new configurations.

Today, the Apple online store in the United States lists shipping times of 24 hours for MacBook Pros. However, supplies of the current models appear to be more constrained in Asia; this morning, the Apple online stores in Japan, Malaysia, South Korea, and Hong Kong show lead times of up to 10 business days for the MacBook Pro. The dwindling availability of the current MacBook Pro lineup supports the rumor that Apple's professional family of notebooks is about to be refreshed.

The Mac Buyer's Guide by MacRumors indicates the MacBook Pro saw its last major update 311 days ago on April 13, 2010. The current lineup features six standard configurations ranging from a 13-inch model with a 2.4 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo to a 17-inch notebook with a 2.53 GHz Intel Core i5 processor. iSpazio's report does not include any specifications or pricing for the upcoming early 2011 models.

[via MacRumors]
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