Apple about to drop cheaper AirPort Extreme, 3TB Time Capsule (update: FCC confirms)

Apple is set to release upgraded models of their AirPort Extreme and Time Capsule products. The brand name wireless routers have been constrained for many weeks now in retail locations across the globe: from Apple Stores to Best Buy to resellers world wide. The new AirPort Extreme and Time Capsule, first confirmed by 9to5Mac, will hit the streets any day now as part numbers for the devices have have been sent to us.

The AirPort Extreme will come in a single configuration and the Time Capsules will keep the 2TB configuration and add a 3TB model for the first time. According to the part number information, all three wireless router configurations will feature price drops. The Time Capsules are rumored to include a new software update caching feature that will store Mac OS and iOS updates on the device’s hard drive for installation on any networked Mac/iOS device.

Here are the new part numbers courtesy of Mr. X:

MD031LL/A – AIRPORT EXTREME 802.11N (5TH GEN)- USA

MD032LL/A – TIME CAPSULE 2TB (4TH GENERATION) – USA

MD033LL/A – TIME CAPSULE 3TB (4TH GENERATION) – USA

Also in the pipeline are new Mac minis, Mac Pros (likely launching in early August), and MacBook Airs (possibly later this month or early July).

[Update 1: July 21, 2011]: An updated AirPort Extreme wireless base station with marketing model number A1408 has surfaced in the FCC database, confirming our findings. Engadget explains that the filing drops hints of the three-stream standard for 450Mbps over both the 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands.