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DocMultimedia

macrumors 68000
Original poster
Sep 8, 2012
1,563
3,657
Charlottesville, VA
From AppleInisder:

http://appleinsider.com/articles/12/11/14/rumor-release-of-new-imacs-may-be-delayed-into-2013

After Apple CEO Tim Cook revealed last month that there would be a "significant shortage" of the newly redesigned iMac, a report on Wednesday claims manufacturing difficulties may push back the all-in-one's launch date into next year.

Citing a "commercial source," French language blog MacBidouilleclaims that production of Apple's new iMac models may not be ready for sales ahead of the lucrative holiday shopping season, speculating that the company's advanced welding process is to blame.

During Apple's quarterly earnings conference call, which was held shortly after the new iMac's debut, Cook said that there would be a "significant shortage" of the all-in-one, but declined to offer details on the matter.

The totally redesigned iMac was unveiled in October and features an advanced assembly technique called friction-stir welding, which uses high heat and pressure to "intermix the molecules of the two aluminum surfaces" to create a seamless joint. In order to achieve maximum thinness, the iMac's optical drive was removed, a design decision that has slimmed down other Apple products like the MacBook Air and the latest MacBook Pros with Retina display.

Adding to the already high difficulty of manufacture is the iMac's screen lamination process, which eliminates the 2mm air gap between the display and front glass seen in legacy models. In August, KGI analyst Ming-Chi Kuo reported that the process is more involved with the 27-inch model and would cause supply constraints for the initial batch of machines.

Currently, the Online store shows a November availability for the 21.5-inch iMac, which is to be followed by the 27-inch model in December.​
 

tyche

macrumors 6502
Jul 30, 2010
413
65
Doesn't surprise me in the least if true. I'm sure they have every factory running full out making iPhones and iPads for the holidays.
 

I8P'CS

Suspended
Jul 29, 2010
355
31
I'm enjoying my mid 2011 iMac. I'll purchase this one at the end of 2013 with Haswellonce everything is ironed out. Clearly problems with these iMacs even if they still come out on time.
 

cesarhans

macrumors newbie
Nov 13, 2012
6
0
Toulouse - France
Disappointed

You know, I read a lot of comments about people talking about this delay. I don't wanna believe them, but looks like they are right.

I am very disappointed, I was really expecting to buy my first iMac until the end of the year.
 

skyenet

macrumors regular
Jun 26, 2012
146
6
Near Glasgow - Scotland
and all because they want to make the iMac slimmer, something I think very few customers were even worried about. This news does not surprise me as I was wondering why the iMacs were still not available to order. I had not banked on getting a BTO before the end of the year anyway, but wonder how long I will have to wait after this news.
 

MacMiguel

macrumors regular
Oct 22, 2012
249
12
and all because they want to make the iMac slimmer, something I think very few customers were even worried about. This news does not surprise me as I was wondering why the iMacs were still not available to order. I had not banked on getting a BTO before the end of the year anyway, but wonder how long I will have to wait after this news.

If it's real... Apple is dead. I think this is not true
 

50548

Guest
Apr 17, 2005
5,039
2
Currently in Switzerland
My 2006 24in iMac is BEGGING to be replaced. This has been a brutal wait.

VERY simple: it's time for Cook to STOP being a CEO and re-take his COO position...he has no vision, just execution skills.

Without him SPECIFICALLY devoted to that task, the wonderful supply chain advantage carved by Apple is gonna go down really fast.
 

DocMultimedia

macrumors 68000
Original poster
Sep 8, 2012
1,563
3,657
Charlottesville, VA
translation from Macbidouille, iMac = Airbus

This was the source. It's in French, but google translation is below. I enjoyed the fact that the new iMac will use the same method used to make an Airbus A380 jet. I wonder if it will fly. :)

http://www.macbidouille.com/news/2012/11/14/apple-pas-d-imac-avant-la-fin-de-l-annee

We just learned from a commercial source that Apple has delayed the release of the iMac announced three weeks ago. While the model output 21.5 "was scheduled for November 27 and that" for December, it is possible now that the range rate the holiday season.

If nothing is mentioned, Apple seems to have more problems than expected because of the new manufacturing process of these iMacs, which passes through a system of welding of aluminum under high pressure system, already used to assemble the wings some aircraft such as the Airbus A380.

This is very bad news for Apple, whose Mac sales were disappointing last quarter. The iMac is certainly the model that would allow the company to garner many sales. Apple will now have to rely on all its laptops, which certainly successful, but probably not enough to revive the increase Mac sales.​
 

Phx08

macrumors member
Nov 7, 2012
59
0
oh well...my windows PC is going perfectly fine and I can always use my wife's 2011 iMac.
 

DocMultimedia

macrumors 68000
Original poster
Sep 8, 2012
1,563
3,657
Charlottesville, VA
I agree. The supply chain seems very unstable since Cook migrated upward.

VERY simple: it's time for Cook to STOP being a CEO and re-take his COO position...he has no vision, just execution skills.

Without him SPECIFICALLY devoted to that task, the wonderful supply chain advantage carved by Apple is gonna go down really fast.
 

mchoffa

macrumors 6502a
Jul 12, 2008
832
52
Asheville, NC
I'd love confirmation, because I need to upgrade to SOMETHING ASAP, and preferably before end of year for tax purposes. If I knew it would be April or later before I could get a BTO, I would either get a refurb or change over to mini + 2 displays

Oh, except that just THIS MORNING I went ahead and ordered 32 GB of ram for a new iMac!
 

Icaras

macrumors 603
Mar 18, 2008
6,343
3,380
VERY simple: it's time for Cook to STOP being a CEO and re-take his COO position...he has no vision, just execution skills.

Without him SPECIFICALLY devoted to that task, the wonderful supply chain advantage carved by Apple is gonna go down really fast.

But isn't this whole issue the COO part anyway? The vision part is already over with. Jony has already designed the next generation iMac. It's now the deployment of the product, supply and demand, and the supply chain as you mentioned. All three things in which Cook supposedly excels in.
 

Mic2904

macrumors 6502a
Mar 22, 2011
503
103
As long as the apple page says "available in November" and apple does not confirm its remains a rumor.

I am optimistic and say will see the Imac this year.
 
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