Are Mac shipping times slipping ahead of November Apple Silicon event?

16-inch MacBook Pro on Box
16-inch MacBook Pro on Box (Image credit: Rene Ritchie / iMore)

What you need to know

  • A new report says Mac shipping times could be slipping on Apple's website.
  • It's been suggested this could further indicate an upcoming Apple event.
  • Apple is expected to debut at least one new Apple Silicon Mac in November.

A new report notes that some Mac shipping times on Apple's website are slipping ahead of a rumored November Apple Silicon event.

As spotted by Dutch outlet Macerkopf:

After a previously unpublished 16-inch MacBook Pro 2020 appeared recently , we took a look at the Apple Online Store to see the current delivery times of the devices. The delivery time for the 13 inch models is currently between November 12th and 20th and between November 20th and 27th. With the 16 inch MacBook Pro, Apple also speaks of a period between November 12 and 20...The tense delivery situation is an indication for us that there will be new Macs soon. There is currently speculation about November 17th as the date for the keynote . It remains to be seen which model will be the first Apple Silicon we will receive. It is questionable whether Apple will not only present new Macs with Apple Silicon this year, but also new models with Intel processors.

As the report notes, shipping times across Apple's Mac lineup vary somewhat. In the US, shipping for the 13-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro ranges from 1-2 to 3-4 weeks. Some 21.5-inch iMacs are shipping in 4-5 weeks. By contrast, Apple's MacBook Air currently ships in just 3-5 business days.

One counterpoint is that new products like Apple's 27-inch iMac are also seeing fairly lengthy shipping times up to four weeks. However, there are rumors that Apple is expected to announce at least one Apple Silicon Mac at an event in November. Most recently, serial Apple leaker Jon Prosser said it would take place on November 17.

Stephen Warwick
News Editor

Stephen Warwick has written about Apple for five years at iMore and previously elsewhere. He covers all of iMore's latest breaking news regarding all of Apple's products and services, both hardware and software. Stephen has interviewed industry experts in a range of fields including finance, litigation, security, and more. He also specializes in curating and reviewing audio hardware and has experience beyond journalism in sound engineering, production, and design.

Before becoming a writer Stephen studied Ancient History at University and also worked at Apple for more than two years. Stephen is also a host on the iMore show, a weekly podcast recorded live that discusses the latest in breaking Apple news, as well as featuring fun trivia about all things Apple. Follow him on Twitter @stephenwarwick9