It is often said that clues about what Apple is to launch at an upcoming event can be found if you take a look at Apple’s online store to see the expected shipping dates on certain products. So normally, a long wait time for Apple products ahead of WWDC would be a sure sign that something’s new coming, but in these days of global component shortages, there are plenty of reasons why buying a Mac isn’t as easy as it used to be.

Still, the timing isn’t great. As Apple readies the release of a new macOS beta, many developers are going to be looking for new machines in June to test out their apps, and they could be in for a long wait. Shipping of most MacBook Pros models is delayed for months, and stock of the new Mac Studio, especially the M1 Ultra model, is similarly constrained.

In fact, the only Macs that don’t appear to be in short supply in the U.S. are the older M1 Macs: the MacBook Air, 13-inch MacBook Pro, Mac mini, and 24-inch iMac, all of which are mostly available for shipping immediately.

While Apple shipping delays are hardly a new phenomenon, particularly with newer products, just last month, many of these products were being shipped within 2-3 weeks. with the M1 Max MacBook Pros having a six-weeks backlog. So it’s getting bad out there. Here’s when you can expect to get your Mac if you order from the Apple Store today:

However, not every Mac is unavailable. You can still order these Macs in the Apple Store and get them (almost) immediately:

Just because Apple has low stock right now doesn’t mean you won’t be able to buy one of the above Macs. We can confirm that various retailers do still have stock of certain Macs – and many of them are offering great discounts. Check out these articles that include the best deals on Mac you can get.

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Macworld editor since 2008, Karen has worked on both sides of the Apple divide, clocking up a number of years at Apple's PR agency prior to joining Macworld almost two decades ago. 

Karen's career highlights include interviewing Apple's Steve Wozniak and discussing Steve Jobs’ legacy on the BBC. Her focus is Mac, but she lives and breathes Apple.

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