This is a copy of an article I just read. The article is brand new and from macworld UK. I never know what to make of these things, but I’m told these guys are usually very reliable. If nothing else, at least we can all comment and see what we think:

Apple pulls plug on Cube to make way for new-look iMac

Production of the Power Mac G4 Cube has been stopped. The product, touted by Apple last July as ‘an entirely new class of computer’, will be removed from the Apple product line.

Highly reliable sources have reported that lacklustre sales and a new iMac design, which would put into question the Cube’s product positioning, are among the reasons for the product’s demise.

Sources within Apple confirmed the Cube will be replaced by a totally redesigned iMac with a flat-panel LCD display at the upcoming Macworld Expo in New York on 17 July. One insider said: ‘When you see the new iMac, you’ll understand why the Cube is gone.’

Macuser.co.uk reported three months ago that the Cube’s development team had been disbanded but Jobs later denied this. Production of the eight inch Cube with its crystal-clear case stopped in late April, one source said.

Apple dealers have reported poor availability of the Cube from distributors over the past two months. Worldwide distributor Ingram Micro has no Cubes in stock and company representatives have confirmed they will not be receiving any more units. However, Cubes, in their different configurations, are still available through the online Apple Store.

At its debut last July at Macworld Expo New York, Apple CEO Steve Jobs said: ‘The G4 Cube is simply the coolest computer ever.’ But despite its stylish looks, the machine never became a hit with customers who were confused by its positioning in the Mac product family and thought it too expensive and not very expandable.

In February Jobs informed financial analysts ‘The Cube has found a definite market. The disappointment to us was the market wasn’t as big as we thought.’ Based on quarterly sales figures, Apple sold a little less than 200,000 Cubes since its debut, generating less than $250m. This compares with the iMac, its consumer counterpart, which sold five million units in less than three years.

Last September, Apple fended off criticism that the Cube was marred by hair-thin cracks in its casing, claiming they were blemishes formed through the normal course of manufacturing. As the Cube began to suffer from poor sales, Apple turned to rebates, offering Ј250 off a Cube with a monitor. In February Apple introduced a new model at a lower price point with the addition of a CD-rewriteable drive. In neither case did Cube sales dramatically rise

Stuffing the ballot box?

I feel pretty confident about that report, for what that’s worth.

Stuffing? Ouch. Harsh. No, actually, I found that to be the most credible source for a new model that I’ve found to date.I agree with Bryan.