Apple has quit making the 667MHz version of the Power Mac G4 minitower less than four months after its debut, according to MacUser UK. A replacement isn’t expected before July, the article said.
“The demise of the 667MHz system, comes as dealers in the US are finding it difficult to get their hands on the configuration, which has been tightly constrained since it was introduced in January by Apple CEO Steve Jobs at Macworld Expo in San Francisco,” said Macuser UK. “The 667MHz PowerPC processor, based on an early version of the 7450 chip, has been in short supply ever since Apple started demanding more of the higher-end 733MHz chips from its PowerPC partner Motorola”
Availability of both the 667MHz system and its high end cousin, the 733MHz model, had been severely constrained until late February, which meant that both high-end Mac models were initially only trickling out of Apple, the article said. In February, dealers who buy directly from Apple were being quoted a minimum four to six weeks on all 667MHz and 733MHz systems.
Early last month, more 733MHz processors became available and Apple introduced an additional configuration with CD-RW drive. However, 667MHz systems were still constrained. Apple resellers are still trying to fulfill existing orders, but are now telling customers wanting the 667MHz to instead consider the faster 733MHz system, the article said.
“The 667MHz G4 was never a compelling option for our customers,” one UK reseller told MacUser UK. ‘The 533MHz model sits nicely in the middle of the range, and there’s even the dual processor 533MHz machine, so the 667MHz Mac never really had a home.”
Apple hasn’t officially told retailers the 667MHz is going away, but is simply telling them very few remaining orders will be successfully fulfilled, the article said.
The 667 MHz model, which is still listed on the Apple Store, has the following configuration: 256K level 2 on-chip cache and 1MB level 3 backside cache, 256MB of PC133 SDRAM memory, 60GB Ultra ATA/66 hard disk drive, NVIDIA GeForce2 MX with 32MB video SDRAM, CD-RW drive, two FireWire and USB ports, four full-length 64-bit PCI slots at 33 MHz, 10/100/1000BASE-T Ethernet, AirPort ready, built-in 56K V.90 modem, iTunes and iMovie 2. The price is US $2,799.