Low inventory at Apple stores hints at a slew of upcoming new devices, iPhone 17e included

Apple stores are running short on several products, and that’s feeding expectations of new hardware on the way. According to reporter Mark Gurman, certain custom MacBook Pro models, Apple TV units, the iPad Air, and the iPhone 16e are either delayed or hard to find in physical Apple stores.

In Apple’s usual playbook, thinning stock often comes before product refreshes. Gurman’s earlier reporting pointed to a new iPhone 17e and an updated iPad Air in the pipeline, and the current inventory squeeze lines up with that timeline. Low supply isn’t a guarantee of new launches, but with the iPhone 16e now a year old, the signs suggest replacements are getting close.