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Announcement date - how long before release?

J

jbirdie6

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Nov 21, 2010
12
0
With the release of new iMac's completely up in the air, I am trying to determine when Apple typically announces the release date in comparison with actual availability. The rumor is the new iMacs will release with Mountain Lion in July - does past history show that Apple announces it the day of release or a week in advance, etc.?

I am trying to hold off on getting a new iMac but I have a friend that wants my 24" model and he's pretty anxious as well. I am eyeing the refurb 27" 3.4 i7 on Apple's site but I don't want to regret it if the new ones are launching in 3 weeks. I could always return, but the timing is tight on this. I've been putting this off for a couple months now and my prospective buyer may go elsewhere...

Any thoughts?
 
jbirdie6 said:
With the release of new iMac's completely up in the air, I am trying to determine when Apple typically announces the release date in comparison with actual availability. The rumor is the new iMacs will release with Mountain Lion in July - does past history show that Apple announces it the day of release or a week in advance, etc.?

I am trying to hold off on getting a new iMac but I have a friend that wants my 24" model and he's pretty anxious as well. I am eyeing the refurb 27" 3.4 i7 on Apple's site but I don't want to regret it if the new ones are launching in 3 weeks. I could always return, but the timing is tight on this. I've been putting this off for a couple months now and my prospective buyer may go elsewhere...

Any thoughts?
Click to expand...

Typically the day that the item is released is the day it is also announced and available in stores (standard configurations, etc.)

With something like an iMac availability shouldn't be much of an issue unless you're thinking of a BTO model
 
jbirdie6 said:
With the release of new iMac's completely up in the air, I am trying to determine when Apple typically announces the release date in comparison with actual availability. The rumor is the new iMacs will release with Mountain Lion in July - does past history show that Apple announces it the day of release or a week in advance, etc.?

I am trying to hold off on getting a new iMac but I have a friend that wants my 24" model and he's pretty anxious as well. I am eyeing the refurb 27" 3.4 i7 on Apple's site but I don't want to regret it if the new ones are launching in 3 weeks. I could always return, but the timing is tight on this. I've been putting this off for a couple months now and my prospective buyer may go elsewhere...

Any thoughts?
Click to expand...

No one knows it exactly. I am waiting since the beginning of 2012 for the new IMac. I really hoped that there will be a release in June, but... As I have said in another thread, I will wait till the end of July because I think the new IMacs will be released with mountain lion.
There are rumors that apple staff is not allowed to take vacation in July. I cannot belive that this is only because of the mountain lion release...
Keep my fingers crossed...
 
jbirdie6 said:
With the release of new iMac's completely up in the air, I am trying to determine when Apple typically announces the release date in comparison with actual availability. The rumor is the new iMacs will release with Mountain Lion in July - does past history show that Apple announces it the day of release or a week in advance, etc.?
Click to expand...

Sometimes we'll start seeing part numbers or other almost-irrefutable-proof up to a week or so in advance. You won't hear anything directly from Apple until the moment it's on sale.
 
forty2j said:
Sometimes we'll start seeing part numbers or other almost-irrefutable-proof up to a week or so in advance. You won't hear anything directly from Apple until the moment it's on sale.
Click to expand...

When the details leaked from Australia showing the new macbook pros, there was also an iMac number ... but it never shipped. Everything else did.

We don't know, and we still have to wait. Apple has never told when its new machines are coming, except with a new line. Such as the iphone, which was announced months before it actually shipped. But the upgrade iPhones were never given a date as to when they'd be announced ... we just have to wait.

its tough, and your 24 will likely go down in value further when the new one is announced.
 
Nova Sensei said:
Do you guys think there's any chance of a SSD iMac this year?
Click to expand...

As default? Perhaps in the top 27 one, but probably only as BTO for the other models. I'm not sure if I think this'd increase the top 27 price tag though, hoping not if a SSD only or a SSD/HDD combo would be default.
 
Well nobody can tell you what is going to happen by the end of July, if anything as far as iMacs goes. If you were to listen to many passionate arguments for rumors here over the preceding months, they most assuredly should have already been released, etc.

I've been enjoying my new iMac for the past month and will have no regrets regardless of whatever and whenever Apple might release something new.

If it would bother you terribly to have new iMacs come out by the end of July and not get one versus buying now, you should wait I guess. If it would bother you terribly if new iMacs came out in August or September, etc., you should wait I guess.

What I am trying to say is that nobody but you can actually answer this question to your own personal satisfaction. It does sound to me like you are someone who wants to wait a little longer and if that is true, then you probably should. But I would caution against waiting too long. Life is short and it is goodness to live in the moment, to enjoy today. For any one of us, tomorrow might never come, you know?
 
Good answer DirtyHarry. For me, I know my 7 year old laptop will keep chugging for at least another year, so I can afford to wait.

Plus, the waiting is kinda fun, in a sick, twisted sort of way.
 
Melbourne Park said:
When the details leaked from Australia showing the new macbook pros, there was also an iMac number ... but it never shipped. Everything else did.
.
Click to expand...

All the numbers were accounted for between MBA, MBP, rMBP, and Pro. There was a later interpretation of the numbers after the initial thought that they were iMacs.

Last years MBA part #'s were originally thought to be Pros. Sometimes the first guess what a number means is wrong.
 
I'm actually thinking now that they probably won't bother to be honest. They'll probably just wait until next year and bring out the all dancing Retina model.

Think about it, there has not been a single hardware leak thus far.
 
So we are talking about a 2-3 years update cycle. That would just be beyond pathetic. Then they might as well just kill it meanwhile. Not too likely IMO
 
Nova Sensei said:
Good answer DirtyHarry. For me, I know my 7 year old laptop will keep chugging for at least another year, so I can afford to wait.

Plus, the waiting is kinda fun, in a sick, twisted sort of way.
Click to expand...

It might not be what everyone expects or "wants" but no doubt it will be refreshed with ML.
 
I personally think that they will refresh it around the ML release, no redesign, just the addition of IB, usb 3, more ssd options etc. I think we will see a complete overhaul in 2013, including a retina display. This is what I am waiting for. 
 
boy-better-know said:
I personally think that they will refresh it around the ML release, no redesign, just the addition of IB, usb 3, more ssd options etc. I think we will see a complete overhaul in 2013, including a retina display. This is what I am waiting for. 
Click to expand...

A GPU bump would be obvious aswell.
 
boy-better-know said:
I personally think that they will refresh it around the ML release, no redesign, just the addition of IB, usb 3, more ssd options etc. I think we will see a complete overhaul in 2013, including a retina display. This is what I am waiting for. 
Click to expand...

Still on the fence about whether Retina will be capable of making the jump to the iMac screen sizes given current available GPU power... I would imagine that Retina on 21.5" is 2 years away and 4 for the 27" and even then it would be at a price premium (as the rMBP is)
 
boy-better-know said:
I personally think that they will refresh it around the ML release, no redesign, just the addition of IB, usb 3, more ssd options etc. I think we will see a complete overhaul in 2013, including a retina display. This is what I am waiting for. 
Click to expand...

This.
My rMBP will tie me over nicely till 2013.


nicklaz0r said:
A GPU bump would be obvious aswell.
Click to expand...

and yeah of course. I'm interested to see what GPU they decide to go with.
What GPU are you thinking? 7970 across the board and a 680m with 1 gig on the top tier 27" iMac? Probably a BTO 680m with 2gig..?
 
AndyCarolan said:
Still on the fence about whether Retina will be capable of making the jump to the iMac screen sizes given current available GPU power... I would imagine that Retina on 21.5" is 2 years away and 4 for the 27" and even then it would be at a price premium (as the rMBP is)
Click to expand...
That is what some were saying about making a 13" retina Macbook. Plus, I read somewhere that for a 27" screen to be classed as "retina", it would not require such a massive improvement. But that is to do with distance from the screen etc. I think Apple would want to make it hard to distinguish pixels up close like they have on the iPhone/iPad/Macbook Pro. We will see, but it is pretty obvious that a Retina iMac will come.... at some point.

jarnold said:
This.
My rMBP will tie me over nicely till 2013.
Click to expand...
Exactly what I have done mate, mine just shipped this morning. I watched WWDC with baited breath waiting for a new iMac announcement, when it didn't come I just thought the Retina Macbook will fill the void for now. Considering getting a Thunderbolt display too but not sure.
 
I'm still hopeful for a iMac release alongside ML.

Though I am not sure I want to support a company that is going to wait 450+ days between hardware updates (or longer if in the fall or 2013).

I'll wait, see what happens, see if I want it, and if not.....moving on and away from Apple computers. :( (The more I spec out my PC, the more I am leaning towards that route :D).
 
boy-better-know said:
Exactly what I have done mate, mine just shipped this morning. I watched WWDC with baited breath waiting for a new iMac announcement, when it didn't come I just thought the Retina Macbook will fill the void for now. Considering getting a Thunderbolt display too but not sure.
Click to expand...

Haha I think great minds do think a like. I've also been considering getting a thunderbolt display. I'm pretty sure I'm going to get it and then sell it (I've heard they hold their value pretty well) once the 2013 iMac comes out. But hell I might like it enough to keep it ha. I am going to wait from them to update with the 2012 iMac though before getting it to get USB 3.0, Magsafe 2 ect.
 
jarnold said:
Haha I think great minds do think a like. I've also been considering getting a thunderbolt display. I'm pretty sure I'm going to get it and then sell it (I've heard they hold their value pretty well) once the 2013 iMac comes out. But hell I might like it enough to keep it ha. I am going to wait from them to update with the 2012 iMac though before getting it to get USB 3.0, Magsafe 2 ect.
Click to expand...

Do you mean that you think they will update the USB ports on the TB display at the same time they update the iMac? Thats a good point, I might hold fire until ML and then buy a TB display.
 
If you look at prior iMac releases there really isn't any pattern. The only months that they probably won't be updated are November through mid January.

I think there is a 50/50 chance of new iMacs with the release of Mountain Lion. The iMac is still a big seller so it's bound to be updated by late summer or early fall at the latest.

The iMac would then be "good" for another year or so. Late 2013 could see the replacement of both the Mac Pro and the iMac. I'm basing this on the David Pogue Apple statement that was revised by Apple to only mean the Mac Pro. I think this was too big of a mistake not to have some truth to it. Couple this with Tim Cook's somewhat vague statement that mentioned a new product for the pros and it's possible we could see a major change in Apple's desktop strategy.
 
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