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Rumors of June Launch for Updated iMacs Begin to Build
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It's time for Apple to push the envelope again
I'd like to see the iMac be a computer that makes the front pages of magazines again. I absolutely love my 27" i7 iMac, but it's going on 4 years now (I think). It's been so good to me that I probably won't need to replace it for another 2-3 years.. unless Apple does something drastic.
I mocked something up. It's an iMac with an easel screen. I'd like to see Apple explore more of touch on the desktop with OSXI (11) and I think this is along the right lines. It would be cool if the screen could go not just to easel position, but also level out horizontally to be like the MS Surface. I'd also like to see a touchscreen keyboard. Many of us have gotten used to typing on a touch screen and it would be great to have the keyboard change based on software... Imagine having the keyboard change themes based on games or applications... it would also be great to remove the dock and have the launcher on the keyboard. Maybe I got it wrong.. it might make more sense along the top of the keyboard, but the launcher makes more sense on the keyboard for me either way.
Please excuse the wonky top black bezel area (where the camera would be). I know it's not drawn straight... I'll fix it later.
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I'd like to see the iMac be a computer that makes the front pages of magazines again. I absolutely love my 27" i7 iMac, but it's going on 4 years now (I think). It's been so good to me that I probably won't need to replace it for another 2-3 years.. unless Apple does something drastic.
I mocked something up. It's an iMac with an easel screen. I'd like to see Apple explore more of touch on the desktop with OSXI (11) and I think this is along the right lines. It would be cool if the screen could go not just to easel position, but also level out horizontally to be like the MS Surface. I'd also like to see a touchscreen keyboard. Many of us have gotten used to typing on a touch screen and it would be great to have the keyboard change based on software... Imagine having the keyboard change themes based on games or applications... it would also be great to remove the dock and have the launcher on the keyboard. Maybe I got it wrong.. it might make more sense along the top of the keyboard, but the launcher makes more sense on the keyboard for me either way.
Please excuse the wonky top black bezel area (where the camera would be). I know it's not drawn straight... I'll fix it later.
The biggest argument for "upgrading" a computer isn't what you might want to do a few years later - but what you want to have on day 1.
I'll agree with your premise that "2nd/3rd year" upgrades are fairly rare.
However, people who buy tower systems will often get options (AKA "upgrades") at the time of purchase. More memory, better graphics card (or even add a graphics card to a system with base integrated graphics), more/bigger disks, various PCIe cards (eSATA, GbE, RAID, ...), BD burner, ....
While some people do upgrade later, IMO the biggest argument for a mini/mid tower is the ability to configure the system you want from the start (and it's not relevant whether you get BTO options from the vendor or order what you want from Newegg and install it yourself).
I'm of the opposite camp. I almost always build DIY systems - although I do price compare with Dell/HP/Asus/... to check. (My current main desktop is a Dell XPS Core i7-940 - Dell's price was much better than I could build on my own, and it came with a great warranty.)
Your point about the mobo is a bit of hyperbole (I can't think of any reasonable cases where a graphics card upgrade requires a mobo upgrade (unless you have an ancient AGP mobo and want to put a PCIe x16 card in it)), but it's true in that if you jump to a CPU that needs a different chipset, you'll need a new motherboard usually you can't transfer your memory. (I did, however, just replace a mobo with a Q6600 CPU with a Core i7 mobo, and the DDR3 memory worked in the new mobo. Pleasantly surprised.)
One other point to consider on the upgrade scale, and one that I always follow, is to game the Intel release schedule.
This means
- Don't buy CPU X (and mobo X and memory X) right after announcement, three months later the prices will be much lower
- When you do buy, don't buy the fastest CPU X. The model two or three steps slower is much, much cheaper and almost as fast.
- Watch prices for CPUs, especially when Intel releases the new CPU X+1. Prices for even the fastest CPU X drop when X+1 shows up.
- Buy the fastest CPU X before Intel stops producing them.
If money is not a concern, yes - buy a new computer every year.
And I still don't understand why Apples with out-of-date components have resale value. Sheeple who can't afford new?
I'll buy an iMac with "anti reflective" glass, but if what they mean by "anti reflective" is matte, no thanks. In that case, i'll just buy a 2011 i7 and hope the matte screen is gone in the 2014 iMac.
No clue but it certainly helped me to sell my 2 year old Mac Pro for 2000$ and buy a new one for 2800$ in 2008.
Every rumor is always subject to the filter of "is this BS spread from Apple to test where the leaks in their company are?" and the filter of "is the analyst/reporter/blogger saying this just to get some attention?"
That's a sh-t ton of money for a professional...especially freelancers. That type of machine is probably used by 2% of the industry out there.
The rest of us mid-high level professionals are not going to drop that much on a machine, even a Mac-Pro tower.
I work at one of the biggest post-houses on the east coast and I can tell you that we'd never blow that much on a PC/MAC.
Not really true. One of the most common 2nd year upgrades is a graphics card which is a huge upgrade for graphic/motion/editing professionals along with gamers. Another 2nd year upgrade sometimes is more RAM that goes with possibly new software/games that come out. They usually go hand in hand.
Retina?
Does this mean we will have desktop retina displays, the 'next big thing'? I'm on an aging 2008 Core 2 Duo macbook, which with a fast SSD is still doing the job okay. I don't really want to upgrade just for a bit more speed, but a 20-22" retina display might convince me.
I know the larger iMacs have a lot of resolution, but the extreme screen size is too big for me usual desktop use. So here's hoping this comes sooner rather than later.
Does this mean we will have desktop retina displays, the 'next big thing'? I'm on an aging 2008 Core 2 Duo macbook, which with a fast SSD is still doing the job okay. I don't really want to upgrade just for a bit more speed, but a 20-22" retina display might convince me.
I know the larger iMacs have a lot of resolution, but the extreme screen size is too big for me usual desktop use. So here's hoping this comes sooner rather than later.
Sure man, if you say so. Thing is, they don;t really offer anything else, unless you want to drop $2k+ on a Mac Pro, which is rumored to be discontinued soon. Even so, that Mac Pro is less upgradable than a PC is, that's for sure. OSX is quite picky with what hardware it likes and dislikes, based on personal experiences (Hackintosh).
True... but HP and Dell make machine that cost just as much too.
There must be a market for them... even if it's small.
Remember, he is not talking about people who work McD.
(If it wasn't clear I agree with you and find his statement ridiculous). $12k is the price of an entry level car.
Digitimes Again....Seriously
MacRumors....When are you going to finally stop posting articles related to Digitimes...Everyone knows their track record is crap. When Oh when have they ever been first to report accurate information of an unreleased Apple Product???
MacRumors....When are you going to finally stop posting articles related to Digitimes...Everyone knows their track record is crap. When Oh when have they ever been first to report accurate information of an unreleased Apple Product???
Touchscreen
Excellent idea, though I suppose it's a few years down the line yet, not that I'd put it past apple to radically redraw the boundaries so quickly.
Excellent idea, though I suppose it's a few years down the line yet, not that I'd put it past apple to radically redraw the boundaries so quickly.
Apple is not the only computer manufacturer that build all-in-one computers but they are the only one that do not build regular desktop computers (apart from niche models like Mini and Pro).
Even if your mock up is very rough, it's a great idea.
Unfortunately I don't see apple wanting to push their envelop with their new imacs, which to be frank, at this point after what about close to a decade now of the same design are boring as hell. They won't even manage doing proper height adjustment for basic ergonomics in the imac...
At this stage in the history I would. Anyway they are not working on touch of os x now and they won't in a long time. At least if they could make the new imacs more ergonomic and less the same old boring years old design with countless bs ads by Ivy talking about how calm and minimal the (same old) design is, Ivy btw who is more and more becoming some arcane bs marketing speaker and instead of a designer...no wonder he wanted to quit a while back...
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Apple will eventually not let you replace RAM either. I bet they will integrate it on the motherboards on the iMac as well. Will suck big time.
As far as I can tell it's working out quite well for them.
Who cares? The important thing is that it's not working so well for Mac users who are relegated to using rather inferior desktop computers.
Why would I want to upgrade my computer... Oh, I don't know... maybe the hard drive would eventually go out (they do that, you know), and I would want to replace myself rather than pay Apple a forture to do so. Or the display. Or the video card. Or the RAM. When that happens, should I plop down $1500 for a new machine or $50-$100 for a new component? Maybe I need a bigger hard drive for my growing movie collection. Should I buy a new Mac for that? In your eyes, I should just shut up and buy a new Mac every year to further prop up that huge cash reserve they don't really know what to do with.