UK Apple online store down

Let the rumour frenzy begin!

With the iPad pre-ordering feeding frenzy due to start in the next few hours, it's no surprise that the US Apple Store has gone into the now familiar 'We'll be back soon' mode.

But the UK store is also showing the potent yellow stickie that usually heralds a refresh, and gets the Mac faithful all of a dither.

It's highly unlikely that the UK launch of the giant iPhone has been brought forward in line with our colonial cousins across the pond because Apple execs are still hammering out airtime deals with British airtime providers as we write.

Some tech sites are making noises about a refresh to the Mac Pro range including Intel's newly-announced i7 Gulftown hexacore processors.

We're not convinced.