Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

Evidence of Upcoming Retina iMacs Showing Up in OS X Yosemite Beta

MacRumors

MacRumors

macrumors bot
Original poster
Apr 12, 2001
63,516
30,793



imac_2013_side-250x398.jpg
Evidence of upcoming iMac updates is continuing to accumulate, and the latest hint points toward support for models equipped with Retina displays. As noted by MacBidouille [Google Translate], the OS X Yosemite developer preview includes a new file defining display scaling resolution options for a machine identified as an iMac.

The unreleased machine was first spotted last week in the OS X 10.9.4 beta, but today's discovery includes the observation that Retina-resolution display support is included.

The file includes a series of scaling resolution options for this machine, maxing out at 6400 x 3600 pixels, or 3200 x 1800 as a Retina display. The display itself would carry a somewhat lower native resolution, perhaps 5120 x 2880 to simply pixel double the current 27-inch iMac, but as with the Retina MacBook Pro higher resolutions are specified and generated by the machine before being scaled back down.
The first of these resolutions indicates hexa "00001900 00000e10" is therefore a resolution scaling of ... 6400 x 3600 (probably 3200x1800 HiDPI).
Continues and is 5760x3240 (2880x1620 HiDPI) 4096x2304 (2048x1152 HiDPI), etc..
(There are other resolutions, just make the conversion from hex)

With this alone, it is not possible to guess the native resolution of the machine. This is a resolution that does not appear in the file, since it is native and does not have to be "scaled".
Knowing that there is a gap between the values of 5760 and 4096, one can imagine something between these two (probably 5120x2880, 2560x1440 or in HiDPI), but this is speculation.
Click to expand...
As an example of how these higher-than-native resolution options are used, while the 15-inch Retina MacBook Pro has a native resolution of 2880 x 1800 (giving screen real estate of 1440 x 900 as Retina), the system is capable of generating a 3840 x 2400 desktop that is then scaled down to give the real estate of a 1920 x 1200 display.

In the case of this iMac, a similar scenario would see the initial 6400 x 3600 screen scaled to display as 3200 x 1800 on the Retina iMac.

Apple has been rumored to be working on Retina iMacs ever since the debut of the Retina MacBook Pro in 2012, but the company has likely been challenged by the large number of pixels needed for the desktop machine, particularly the 27-inch model. Recent rumors have pointed toward a lower-priced version of the iMac to help address emerging markets, but Retina models are likely also in the works.

As was seen with the MacBook Pro, Apple may initially move to split the iMac lineup with Retina models initially coming in at higher price points alongside existing or slightly cheaper non-Retina model pricing. Over time, the line would be consolidated as prices for the components needed to support Retina displays come down.

(Thanks, Greg!)

Article Link: Evidence of Upcoming Retina iMacs Showing Up in OS X Yosemite Beta
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2014/06/04/retina-imacs-yosemite-beta/
Lapidus

Lapidus

macrumors regular
May 14, 2012
202
174
Ooooooh cinema display <3

This in december: "Today we introduce al of our mac products with a retina display." Would perfectly match with Eddy's statement.
 
M

mattbaar26

macrumors regular
Jan 15, 2013
211
3
These would be awesome, Apple seems to be moving towards a high and low end type offering. The 5c and 5s, lower cost iPod Touch, presumably a lower cost Macbook Air if it's true that a retina will come out.. A low end iMac and a retina would fit right in
 
H

HKZ/MST3K

macrumors regular
May 6, 2011
116
6
I hope they don't skimp on the GPU. Mavericks made improvements to the overall FPS, but even on the desktop there was a slight bit of stuttering. Since it won't impact battery life because it's an iMac they can afford to be more aggressive with the GPU, but it's going to take a considerate amount of GPU power to render a desktop that high. I'm in the market for an iMac to replace my 17 inch MBP and it would be amazing to have an iMac with a resolution that high. I'm usually against OS X emulating iOS as far as removing and hiding user options to make it more "simple" to the average user, but 10.10 is going to look gorgeous on a display like this if this ends up being accurate. I can't wait, all I need now is a purchase button!
 
DempaX

DempaX

macrumors regular
Jun 4, 2014
145
199
Sweden
4k

I run "6400 x 3600" or 3200 x 1800 in retina resolution today using 4K screen connected to my MacBook Pro retina (late 2013) using "Display Menu" in 10.9.3

This means virtual resolution of 6400 x 3600, for the HiDPI mode - not real resolution of the screen. So I can't see why people think it is about a 5K screen?
 
Last edited:
Y

yossi

macrumors 6502
Nov 26, 2004
315
1,085
Sure, because knocking $100 off an $800 phone makes it low end.
mattbaar26 said:
These would be awesome, Apple seems to be moving towards a high and low end type offering. The 5c and 5s, lower cost iPod Touch, presumably a lower cost Macbook Air if it's true that a retina will come out.. A low end iMac and a retina would fit right in
Click to expand...
 
fullauto

fullauto

macrumors 6502a
Oct 19, 2012
918
322
Brisbane
Excellent - is that 6K?

I wonder if they will pull a 'low end' 5C style iMac - polycarbonate? Bringing back the coloured Mac..
 
Last edited:
T

tann

macrumors 68000
Apr 15, 2010
1,944
813
UK
I don't see how these can be this year, or even next year at current iMac prices... 4k monitors and tvs are still crazy expensive and to keep up the quality with even more pixels seems unfeasible at a $1800 price point!!

But really, I don't know anything about this... but that all makes sense in my head :p
 
T

Take Flight

macrumors regular
May 18, 2011
131
178
I really think the 27 inch Retina iMac and subsequent 27 inch thunderbolt display will be 5k (5120 x 2880). That could be why they've waited on 4k and why they already hinted at Thunderbolt 3 (that will be required to power a 5k display).

And 5120 x 2880 wallpapers have been in the OS for a while.

A 5k display would be a nice sell to video editor market because you could have room for UI around a 4k content window.
 
spaceballl

spaceballl

macrumors 68030
Nov 2, 2003
2,892
285
San Francisco, CA
This is awesome for a few reasons...
1) If they're going to release an iMac with this resolution, standalone displays won't be far along.
2) With most manufacturers focusing on 4K, Apple going to these resolutions can just casually bypass 4K, which is going to be huge for people in photography / video.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom