Mac updates coming soon?

The long-awaited refresh for Macs might be coming soon, according to a number of recent hints.

The refresh has been expected for a number of months, and Mac Rumors buying guide has the MacBook Pro listed as a “Don’t buy – updates soon”, due to the fact that the last refresh was in June 2009. Because it’s been 286 days since the last release, and the average Mac product goes 200 days before an update, signs are that the refresh is expected any day.

The range expected for an upcoming updates includes the MacBook Pro, Mac Pro and MacBook Air. Other than the normal hardware updates, according to Tech Crunch the line is expected to also get the Intel Core i5 and Core i7 chips. TechCrunch also pointed out that in comparison to the newest range of Windows machines, the specs in the MacBook Pros aren’t up to scratch.

Digitimes reported that according to sources, the delay could be due to a tight supply of Intel processors after Acer placed a large volume of orders for its upcoming range of notebooks. Due to the shortage, Intel is only giving priority to “major players”, with other notebook manufacturers having to wait much longer for the i5 and i7 chips.

In addition to the longer than usual wait, 9to5 Mac pointed out some pricing inconsistencies on various Australian and New Zealand sites offering the products, which hints at an impending update with higher pricing.