Initial iMac Availability To Be Limited, Sources Say

P ARIS, FRANCE - Apple dealers are being told that flat-panel iMac G5s will be in very limited supply until late-November, early-December. Apple introduced the new iMac today to cheering crowds during the Apple Expo keynote in Paris, France.

Independent dealers say that the flow of new iMacs will be a "trickle" when they initially become available in mid-September. TMO was also told that the 17" model will be most readily available unit in the beginning, and that 20" models will be virtually non-existent when the iMac G5 first ships in mid-September.

Supply constraints should ease across the product line in late-November or early-December.

Dealers were not given specific reason for supply constraints, but were told that Apple will be shipping the new iMacs one at a time from manufacturing facilities in Asia. Apple has similarly turned to air-freight shipping to meet initial demand with other product rollouts in the past.

You can find the iMac G5 product line at the Apple Store. You can find additional details on the iMac at Appleis iMac Web site.