Apple Thunderbolt Display Refresh May Happen Soon as Shipping Times Have Slipped Across Europe

Shipping times for Apple’s Thunderbolt Display have slipped across Europe, once again stirring up hopes that a new model with 5K Retina display could be in the works.

European shoppers at the Apple online store now have an 8-day wait for new Thunderbolt Display orders to arrive in many countries. The shipping delay was first publicized by Macerkopf.de.

In contrast, Thunderbolt Display shipping times in the rest of the world remain available with overnight delivery and in-store pickup.

Apple’s Thunderbolt Display was last updated in 2011 and the inventory of the device has dwindled on multiple occasions. Inventory reduction and extended shipping times is frequently a sign that Apple is preparing a refresh of the device. However, given past low inventory of the Thunderbolt Display, these latest shipping delays may not mean much.

Apple already sells a 27-inch Retina display panel as part of its larger iMac with 5K-resolution screen, packing in 14.7 million pixels. In contrast, the standard-resolution Thunderbolt Display has a resolution of 2,560 by 1,440, or about 3.7 million pixels.