MacBook Air supply tightens at Best Buy, other retailers

If you're shopping for a MacBook Air, stop. Right now. Just put down your credit card and wait -- not too much longer, or so it would seem. As of Sunday evening, major Mac outlet Best Buy is reporting all MBA models as 'not available for shipping,' a strong if not overwhelming indication that the anticipated refresh of Apple's hottest, leanest notebook is only days or weeks away.

The Best Buy supply constraint, spotted by 9to5Mac, aligns with other order slowdowns or stops from other vendors. Our checks of MacMall and PC Connection show similar 'call for availability' alerts on most MBA models, although Apple's own online store still shows MBAs shipping in 24 hours and most Amazon storefronts are showing rapid availability.

Given the steady drumbeat of rumors around a Sandy Bridge-based refresh of the popular ultralight Mac notebook, it's only to be expected that supplies of the current build would start to dwindle in advance of the new version. The counterargument to an early-summer MBA release is the suggestion that Apple may be holding off on new Mac releases until Lion is ready for prime time later in July; of course, any new Mac bought today comes with a free Lion download once it's ready to go.