Six new Apple product placeholders in inventory systems?

Some rumors spread this weekend from non-traditional sources (1, 2) that Apple may be planning a media event on March 24th to introduce new desktop products. While AppleInsider has not received any information to this end, it's heard from one tipster that six new Apple product SKUs (stock keeping units) have turned up in the inventory systems of a major overseas electronics retailer, and that those products could arrive as early as this Wednesday.

Taken at face value, this could suggest 4 new iMac configurations and 2 new Mac mini configurations. At this point, however, that is speculative and the report remains largely unconfirmed.

Both the iMac and Mac mini are long-overdue for a refresh, and recent signs have suggested that inventory of current-generation iMacs and Mac minis may be fading fast. In particular, supply of the 3.06GHz iMac has dried up at all of Apple's largest U.S.-based resellers, including Amazon.com. Meanwhile, Best Buy online has run out of both (1, 2) existing Mac mini configurations.