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Apple is planning to update its iMac line with faster processors and lower prices next week, according to a new report from MacGeneration (Google Translate). Citing the same sources that correctly predicted the MacBook Air refresh this past April, the website also notes that Apple may also include Thunderbolt 2 ports on the new iMacs and will launch them later in the week instead of the usual Tuesday release day as done for other Apple products.

imacs.jpg
Like the MacBook Air refresh, Apple may be planning to increase the processor speed of at least some configurations by 100 MHz by using a number of recently launched processors, including the 3.3 GHz i5-4590, the 3.4 GHz i5-4690, and 3.6 GHz i7-4790 for the 27-inch model as well as the 3.0 GHz i5-4590S and 3.2 GHz i5-4790S for the 21.5-inch model. It is also possible that Apple will cut the price of the standard iMac configurations to go along with these minor spec bumps.

KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo predicted last year and earlier this year that Apple would be launching a lower-cost iMac in the near future to address growth in foreign markets.

Meanwhile, recent evidence in the OS X Yosemite developer preview has also indicated that Apple is gearing up to launch Retina Display-equipped iMacs in the near future. It is possible that Apple may then initially move to split the iMac lineup, selling the Retina models at higher price points alongside cheaper non-Retina models. A lower price point for the non-Retina models may also help address growth in critical foreign markets such as China.

Article Link: Apple Reportedly Launching Updated iMacs with Faster Processors Next Week
 

8CoreWhore

macrumors 68030
Jan 17, 2008
2,651
1,183
Tejas
They'll need an adequate price gap between Retina and these non-Retina's without making the Retina's too expensive, thus these lower prices.
 

SoAnyway

macrumors 6502
May 10, 2011
477
183
The news of new iMacs has been lingering around for weeks now. At this point, I'll believe it when I see it.

Besides, my 27" 2011 iMac supped up to the max is still serving me quite well. At this point, the next Mac I want is a Mac Pro with a 4k display.
 

Simoleon547

macrumors member
May 25, 2014
83
51
So... why not 5 months ago? I don't think they've launched any new Haswell chips better fitting since then. A retina iMac should warrant an event, why no invites yet? Better send the invites quick. This is just odd...
What rough beast this hour come round at last slouches towards Bethlehem?
 

mad3inch1na

macrumors 6502a
Oct 21, 2013
662
6
It is expected considering Broadwell delays. This could potentially mean that the updated MBA and the iMac will be released two months apart.
 

thekev

macrumors 604
Aug 5, 2010
7,005
3,343
No Mac Mini? :(

I kind of expected one around WWDC. If they're updating the imacs, it will probably come then or maybe not. It's in kind of an odd place. They didn't update the macbook pros even though the cpus are available for a small bump. It would have made some sense if they did that and updated the minis alongside them with the same thing. The chips used in the retina macbook pros are more expensive than the old ones, and I think it has the biggest impact in the $600 model, as the price difference between the old 13" mbp chips and the new ones with iris (not iris pro) graphics is quite significant relative to the retail price of the mini. They do sometimes hold the mini back due to imac updates. As an example of that its last update didn't come until the imac was announced. The updated imacs were not available until December 2012, but the minis became available as soon as imacs were announced. The chips used had been available for several months prior to that, and the macbook pros that came out a couple months prior used the same chips. The chip price disparity and lack of macbook pro refresh are the things that make this one difficult to predict.

They'll need an adequate price gap between Retina and these non-Retina's without making the Retina's too expensive, thus these lower prices.

If 4K keeps coming down, they could probably get pretty close in pricing and slowly phase the old ones out as they did with the retina macbook pros.
 

Michael Scrip

macrumors 604
Mar 4, 2011
7,922
12,470
NC
If this is true, I wonder why they just didn't announce this at WWDC?

They had a lot of materiel to cover in the 2 hour keynote at WWDC. I can't imagine them cramming in even more.

Besides... a processor spec-bump is best suited for a press release announcement... not stage time.
 

marioguarneros

macrumors regular
Nov 2, 2011
156
71
Retina iMac would mean one step closer to Retina/4k Apple Display.

I'd be very happy to see them release Retina screens on the 21"/27" sizes as this could mean the imminent release of Apple own Retina/4K displays.

I'll be ready to upgrade by the end of the year, looking forward to all the 2014 announcements. =)
 

dempson

macrumors regular
Jun 10, 2007
117
14
Wellington, New Zealand
So... why not 5 months ago? I don't think they've launched any new Haswell chips better fitting since then.
Within about the last month, Intel released updated (slightly faster) Haswell desktop processors, as well as a revised series 9 chipset which is compatible with Haswell and Broadwell.

It was also rumoured that the first 10.9.4 developer seed had references to new iMac model identifiers. That points to at least a minor iMac update including the slightly faster processors, updated chipset and Thunderbolt 2 by the time 10.9.4 is released, which should be within about two months (before Yosemite). If this latest rumour about a release next week turns out to be correct, the new iMacs will probably come with a custom build of 10.9.3, and 10.9.4 would then include support for the new iMacs in the general build installed on all models, as per the usual pattern.

A retina iMac should warrant an event, why no invites yet? Better send the invites quick. This is just odd...
A retina iMac isn't likely to be ready this soon. Apple probably needs better GPUs and good enough yields for large high resolution displays, so a retina iMac release coinciding with Yosemite or after Intel releases Broadwell processors (late in the year) seems more likely. Yosemite is probably going to be released at a special event in October, so a preview of the Retina iMac then is possible.
 

thebeeobee

macrumors newbie
Sep 19, 2012
4
0
Why would someone want to waste GPU power on pushing more pixels on an imac? The resolution is fantastic, as is.

If you think you need a retina imac, then you are easily fooled by marketing gimmicks.
 

mad3inch1na

macrumors 6502a
Oct 21, 2013
662
6
If this is true, I wonder why they just didn't announce this at WWDC?

Ha, can you imagine Phil Schiller coming out on stage and unveiling a 0.1 GHz bump?

On the big screen they would have a 3.3 being crushed by a 3.4. "Can't innovate, my...yeah sorry guys, Intel is behind on their processors. I don't know what else to say. Thanks for coming today."
 
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Simoleon547

macrumors member
May 25, 2014
83
51
Within about the last month, Intel released updated (slightly faster) Haswell desktop processors, as well as a revised series 9 chipset which is compatible with Haswell and Broadwell.

It was also rumoured that the first 10.9.4 developer seed had references to new iMac model identifiers. That points to at least a minor iMac update including the slightly faster processors, updated chipset and Thunderbolt 2 by the time 10.9.4 is released, which should be within about two months (before Yosemite). If this latest rumour about a release next week turns out to be correct, the new iMacs will probably come with a custom build of 10.9.3, and 10.9.4 would then include support for the new iMacs in the general build installed on all models, as per the usual pattern.


A retina iMac isn't likely to be ready this soon. Apple probably needs better GPUs and good enough yields for large high resolution displays, so a retina iMac release coinciding with Yosemite or after Intel releases Broadwell processors (late in the year) seems more likely. Yosemite is probably going to be released at a special event in October, so a preview of the Retina iMac then is possible.

Yeah I knew about the new macs in 10.9.4. That macrumors article cited the guy who discovered the power management file differences and he's since updated it citing new information found in yosemite that one of the 3 macs will have a retina display. So it sounds like it will launch before the fall since it was mentioned in 10.9.4. A second good question to ask is how is Apple going to supply the bandwidth for a retina iMac, thunderbolt 2 still falls short of the expected bandwidth requirements. They would definitely reserve the retina for the premium model with discrete graphics though. Should be an interesting week.
 

smiddlehurst

macrumors 65816
Jun 5, 2007
1,228
30
Yes I agree, however if you look at past WWDCs Apple has released hardware.

Yes but only when either a) they had new hardware to announce like last year's Mac Pro or, frankly, if there wasn't enough big news in the software side.

This year WWDC was entirely software driven with huge announcements across the board. Their two hour slot was so packed they were blasting by big new features in iOS with just a slide or two. Heck, they even dropped the usual 'here's how the company is doing along with a video of the latest Apple Store' opening. A spec bump iMac just wouldn't have made any sense in that context (and, indeed, would likely have generated negative headlines on the usual ludicrous 'Apple are doomed' lines).

Ultimately the PC industry currently finds itself in a slightly weird position as everyone is waiting on Intel. Broadwell is currently delayed thanks, it seems, to problems with the new 14nm manufacturing process and it's thrown schedules out of whack across the board. We're in the very weird situation of having new motherboards that support Broadwell on sale even though the CPU itself is still months away. As Broadwell is likely to bring significant power / heat improvements it's a reasonable assumption that new designs are built around those improvements so can't just be launched with the current Haswell processors. Hence most companies now putting out slightly speed-bumped versions of older equipment with any new features that they can get (in some cases thanks to being able to use the newer chipsets that should be going with Broadwell).
 

MH01

Suspended
Feb 11, 2008
12,107
9,297
Meh, CPU spec bump. This is just Intel updating its CPUs, just like the airs .

A price drop is more important if true.
 

Serban

Suspended
Jan 8, 2013
5,159
928
this update is clone of macbook air update...silent update with 100mhz and probably price cut. No TB2, i think they save for the October update
 

bigandtasty

macrumors 6502a
Dec 26, 2006
522
557
No Way!

OMG, if :apple: lowers their price by $100 that would be CRAZY! Might even wet myself. Just think of those savings! New iMac, yes Please!
 
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