Apple Spokesperson Confirms New Mac Pro Designs Likely Coming in 2013 [Update: Not iMac]

[MacRumors]

Yesterday, David Pogue of The New York Times vaguely stated in reference to Apple's desktop Mac lines that an unnamed Apple executive had informed him that "new models and new designs are under way, probably for release in 2013." That information was taken to include both Mac Pro and iMac models, but was not explicitly clear.

Soon after we posted the article, we received a report from a reader who had emailed Apple CEO Tim Cook about his disappointment in the lack of a significant Mac Pro update yesterday, with Cook responding to indicate that users can expect significant upgrades next year.

Our pro customers are really important to us...don't worry as we're working on something really great for later next year.

Forbes now follows up with additional corroboration of both Mac Pro and iMac updates coming down the road, with the updates likely appearing next year. The information was provided directly by an Apple spokesperson.

An Apple spokesman just told me that new models and new designs of the Mac Pro, as well as the iMac desktop, are in the works and will likely be released in 2013. That confirms what New York Times columnist David Pogue said yesterday, citing an unnamed Apple executive, about Apple's commitment to its desktop computers.

There was considerable disappointment from Apple's professional workstation users yesterday when Apple introduced only a very minor update to the Mac Pro, with Apple even taking the unusual step of removing the "New" designation on the Mac Pro in its online store today.

In light of the disappointing update with processors that are still several years old, we have tweaked our Buyer's Guide recommendations to suggest that users able to hold off until next year for a more significant update do so instead of purchasing the just-updated but still outdated Mac Pro models.

Update: Apple PR has reached out and clarified that only the Mac Pro is expected to be next updated in 2013. The company had no comment about the iMac, which perhaps means that the iMac could see updates earlier than next year. It has been 406 days since the iMac last received an update, significantly longer than the traditional iMac update interval.

Article Link: Apple Spokesperson Confirms New Mac Pro Designs Likely Coming in 2013 [Update: Not iMac]

[donlab]

finally a redesign of the mac pro!

[Hakone]

Yay... another year w/ my BSOD-prone Dell.

[Megagator]

2013 is a long ways away for an Ivy Bridge iMac.

[Liquinn]

Originally Posted by Megagator

2013 is a long ways away for an Ivy Bridge iMac.

Won't Haswell be around the corner then? lol

[nutmac]

What about mini?

[fun173]

if "designs" also includes cases this will be very interesting. I wonder what possibilities there are with the mac pro case.

[iDemiurge]

Gosh, 2013? Will they add Mr.Fusion to it?

[Derpage]

Perpetual Ketchup. The new apple sauce.

[DTphonehome]

Well, there goes the sales for the rest of 2012. Someone at Apple should look up "The Osbourne Effect" on Wikipedia. Guess they had to announce something due to the backlash.

[Eidorian]

I guess the special sauce for next year is the insane marketing graphics and text they can come up with when Ivy Bridge-E destroys good old Westmere. You know the same Ivy Bridge-E that every other workstation uses?

[CIA]

Originally Posted by DTphonehome

Well, there goes the sales for the rest of 2012. Someone at Apple should look up "The Osbourne Effect" on Wikipedia. Guess they had to announce something due to the backlash.

I can't imagine they are selling boatloads of MacPro's at the moment, announcement or not...

I was ready to pounce on a new MP, but my 2008 8 core 3.2 machine will hold me over until next year. Glad I bought top of the line years ago. The 2008 top of the line I have now was actually a Applecare free replacement for my Quad G5 from 2005(?) that blew up. (Yay liquid cooled!)
So really I haven't even bought a new Mac desktop for 7 years, Talk about ROI. I feel for people with 1st Gen MacPro's tho.
This news gives me some extra time to save up some cash to get a nice new top of the line 2013 machine that should last me another 6 years.


{Edit} Mac Pro updates, we are used to being jerked around by Apple, so whatever at this point. But seriously, no iMac update until 2013? I get the laptop is king, but schools buy iMacs right? That shocks me. They could do a small refresh to Ivy Bridge with the same case in a few weeks to hold everyone over until 2013. Waiting that long to refresh the top selling desktop is horrible. Arrogant really.

[myca]

We've had a hexacore on order for a few weeks, and this new *cough* update *cough* has saved us £500, which is nice.

If it was't for the fact that we need a Pro Tools HD rig we would have waited.

Very interested to see what a re-design of the Mac Pro will bring, as I still maintain that it is one of Apples best designed computers, a truly solid blend of form and function for a company that can at times be guilty of form over function.

Good of them to actually say that proper updates are on their way, and I wish they would be more open and transparent with professional users on a permanent basis, as it would then give us more confidence in the platform, and not have us worrying about having to jump ship.

[Mad Mac Maniac]

Lol. Recommendation: Don't buy! Days since last update: 1

Priceless

[f1-vettel-fan]

???

[MacReloaded]

So much for doubling down on secrecy.

[theSeb]

I wonder which Westmere CPUs they will upgrade to in 2013? Possibly the 3.46 GHz? The fastest Mac EVER

I am also expecting a bump up to the all new and powerful AMD RADEON 5870 HD as standard.

Whoopee!

Hey, at least they've kept the ODD, Firewire and Gigabit Ethernet. Considering the complaints about losing those on the MBP sub-forum, some people should be happy.

[DTphonehome]

Originally Posted by CIA

I can't imagine they are selling boatloads of MacPro's at the moment, announcement or not...

Yeah, but iMacs?

[derbothaus]

Originally Posted by DTphonehome

Well, there goes the sales for the rest of 2012. Someone at Apple should look up "The Osbourne Effect" on Wikipedia. Guess they had to announce something due to the backlash.

No one is going to buy because there is nothing new. They had to not be expecting anyone to buy other than business that was holding off for new tech anyway. Osbourne Effect not relevant. What they will see is market share leaving for the box's that continue to use parts that are current.

[fisha]

While I can understand that professionals would be prepared to hold out for a new mp next year, I don't see that happening for the iMac. Unless the imac gets a bump this year , then it's likely going to drive a lot of people away. Towards the end of the year, Who would seriously consider buying an iMac that's 18mths old at a higher than average consumer price.

I think they would still fill order books on pre orders if they announced an updated iMac ith a shipping date of 6 to 8 weeks

[Small White Car]

Man, Apple got scared. Having them admit even that much about a year-off product is a huge, huge change for them.

Looks like all the Internet bit**ing achieved at least a tiny result. That's new.

[manu chao]

Originally Posted by Megagator

2013 is a long ways away for an Ivy Bridge iMac.

"There will be a new design of the iMac in 2013." An update like the MBA and MBP is still likely to come this year. No reason not update the iMac (and Mac mini), if you look at them, the new processors (and motherboards with USB 3) seem like a pretty straight drop-in.

[theSeb]

Originally Posted by fisha

While I can understand that professionals would be prepared to hold out for a new mp next year, I don't see that happening for the iMac. Unless the imac gets a bump this year , then it's likely going to drive a lot of people away. Towards the end of the year, Who would seriously consider buying an iMac that's 18mths old at a higher than average consumer price.

I don't think it matters to the average consumer. I went to my local Apple store today in the hope of checking out the new MBP. They had the old MBPs and MBAs and not even a mention anywhere that they had just been refreshed. People were still buying them along with iMacs.

----------

Originally Posted by Small White Car

Man, Apple got scared. Having then admit even that much about a year-off product is a huge, huge change for them.

Looks like all the Internet bit**ing achieved at least a tiny result. That's new.

I think you'll find the response at WWDC would also have had an impact.

[Liquinn]

Originally Posted by theSeb

I wonder which Westmere CPUs they will upgrade to in 2013? Possibly the 3.46 GHz? The fastest Mac EVER

I am also expecting a bump up to the all new and powerful AMD RADEON 5870 HD as standard.

Whoopee!

Hey, at least they've kept the ODD, Firewire and Gigabit Ethernet. Considering the complaints about losing those on the MBP sub-forum, some people should be happy.

I agree there with you.

[Icy1007]

That's good to hear if true.