eMac to be Discontinued?

MacRumors · Feb 20, 2003, 01:02 PM

Rumor posted on Apple's discussion forum:

Quote:

An employee at my local Apple store told me that Apple is going to quietly discontiue the Emac. He said that they are no longer making the Emac. Only the ones currently in inventory will be available for purchasing. The reputation of the machine has been tarnished due to all of the display problems. Look for a new model to replace the Emac soon.

davy the bunny · Feb 20, 2003, 01:11 PM

really? cool, now my computer will be even more worthless!

TMA · Feb 20, 2003, 01:12 PM

That would be a shame if its true, I quite like the eMac and it is a good mac (with a good price) for educational institutes. Though if Apple can come up with something even better I'm not complaining

vanillamike · Feb 20, 2003, 01:20 PM

Then my computer will become the next cube someday

All kidding aside I am not sure how much I believe they will faze out the eMac. The display problems (and I have had them as well) seem to have been fixed by replacing the ivad cable. In my program, Graphic Design, it has been recommended that we buy the eMac for color matching. I figure if there is widespread acceptance at schools like mine across the board this product must have been at least moderately successful. If they do faze it out, I wonder what they will replace it with.

However, it would make sense that they are fazing it out since they didn't get speed bumps or any new bells and whistles when the iMacs were ugraded, just a price drop.

Mike

davy the bunny · Feb 20, 2003, 01:23 PM

you know, this may be a dumb question, but if they do discontinue the eMac does anyone think that there is any chance in hades that Apple will eventually release a low priced desktop without a monitor included? Since I really don't think that there is a chance, can someone please tell me why Apple won't release a low cost consumer desktop without all of the power of the PowerMac. I'd really like to know the reasons why. . .

GPTurismo · Feb 20, 2003, 01:36 PM

Are they going to discontiune the eMac line or the current models?

smashedapart · Feb 20, 2003, 01:37 PM

Ok, great, now I'm nervous.

My wife's new eMac just arrived at our doorstep not even 20 minutes ago. Just how wide-spread are these display issues?

MacWhispers · Feb 20, 2003, 01:41 PM

For what it's worth, I just verified that Elitegroup is quite merrily running one shift per day of production on eMacs, and has no indication that this pace will change.

This rumor needs moved to "Page 3." It's 100% fiction.

davy the bunny · Feb 20, 2003, 01:46 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by smashedapart
Ok, great, now I'm nervous.

My wife's new eMac just arrived at our doorstep not even 20 minutes ago. Just how wide-spread are these display issues?

The chances that your display will just completely go out are pretty low. . . the chances that you will have the wavy lines may be a little higher but the chances that you'll have a healthy and perfectly fine eMac are much much better.

MacWhispers · Feb 20, 2003, 01:54 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by smashedapart
Ok, great, now I'm nervous.

My wife's new eMac just arrived at our doorstep not even 20 minutes ago. Just how wide-spread are these display issues?

Checking quickly with contacts at SmallDog, MacAuthority, and two Apple retail stores, I have found out that the problem (A) was widespread, but (B) was fixed in all eMacs produced after about the 2nd week of December. Thus, any eMac purchased now from a reasonably high volume reseller should be just fine. You can check the build date for your eMac to be sure it was made after mid-December. If so, it's good to go.

Even if it's an earlier build, and has the screen problem, it's covered under warranty.

Hope this helps.

michaelyoung · Feb 20, 2003, 02:02 PM

I think those who post rumors that originate in Apple Retail Stores should be flogged. I mean what does an employee at an Apple store really have access to. Not much. They _may_ know something the day before when they get a box but other than that, nothing. Thats like saying the guy at 7-11 has the inside scoop on the winning lottery numbers.

Puh-lease.

Centris 650 · Feb 20, 2003, 02:13 PM

Could he be mistaken? Looprumors.com is posting that the iMac Classic (Snow) will be discontinued.

I can't see the eMac being discontinued since 1) has an attractive price and 2) Is geared for the educational market. I really can't imagine that Apple would discontinue a product for a market and not replace it quickly.

Bear · Feb 20, 2003, 02:17 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Centris 650
Could he be mistaken? Looprumors.com is posting that the iMac Classic (Snow) will be discontinued.

I can't see the eMac being discontinued since 1) has an attractive price and 2) Is geared for the educational market. I really can't imagine that Apple would discontinue a product for a market and not replace it quickly.

This makes much more sense - I can see the iMac CRT going away before I can see the eMac going away. In somw ways I'm surprised it hasn't gone away already.

rainman::|:| · Feb 20, 2003, 02:23 PM

the emac, unfortunately, isn't going away. the snow iMac will probably depart in the next month or two, i think...

pnw

davy the bunny · Feb 20, 2003, 02:29 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by paulwhannel
the emac, unfortunately, isn't going away. the snow iMac will probably depart in the next month or two, i think...

pnw

Why is it unfortunate that it's not going away? Why would you want this machine to go away?

FelixDerKater · Feb 20, 2003, 02:31 PM

The eMac is one of those in-between products like the Cube, which deosn't really fit. We have G3 iMacs, G4 iMacs, and high-end PowerMacs. There isn't much more that you could need.

smashedapart · Feb 20, 2003, 02:34 PM

Thanks for the info guys. You rock.

I don't know if anyone else has noticed, but, looprumors.com has a tidbit up about the snow iMac being axed soon, and even goes to say that "Apple is said to make the transition [to an all-LCD lineup] complete by late summer."

seamuskrat · Feb 20, 2003, 02:39 PM

I have done some digging though education channels. As I work for a university, and I am an authorized purchasing agent, here is what I found.

eMac in all configs are listed as available for purchase with a 2 to 3 week time.

The G3 iMac is not even on my store. I click on it, and I get taken to the eMac.

Conclusions:
Could be in for an eMac update of some minor sort, hence the delay. And the G3 mac seems destined for the history books.

Plus, Apple DID say that no OS 9 bootable Macs would be sold in 2003. That has got to mean that the G3 iMac is on the way out.

PLUS
There was not a significant cost savings between a G3 iMac and an G4 eMac with so much more. Andin the case of my university, the 'bulk' cost of units makes the FP iMac the biggest seller. In fact, we buy 5 iMacs for every eMac and ZERO iMacs. And our cost for an G3 iMac at education retail is MORE than out discounted FP iMac cost in 100 unit lots (although I am sure the G3 would be cheaper in 100 unit lots).

For what its worth.....

MOM · Feb 20, 2003, 02:51 PM

It would be nice if Apple would replace the G3 iMac with a monitor-less (think ibook without the screen) CPU for a very cheap price. There is a thread on the "iCheap" at Mac-in-touch that reflects many peoples wishes for such a unit. I think schools with old and donated CRTs would love a very cheap solution to get new Macs on their tables.

seamuskrat · Feb 20, 2003, 02:52 PM

Some more thoughts:
Without discounts the cheapest eMac for education is:
$849.00
700MHz
PowerPC G4
128MB SDRAM
40GB Ultra ATA drive
CD-ROM drive
No Modem

Amazingly, many schools are snapping these up even with the anemic 128 megs of RAM. Remember most schools STILL purchase Macs for OS 9.
A more usable options is this:
$949.00
700MHz
PowerPC G4
128MB SDRAM40GB Ultra ATA drive
Combo drive (DVD/CD-RW)
56K internal modem
Discounted from $999 retail price

Still anemic in the RAM and not acceptable for OS X IMO.
When for this price most education instituions can get the iMac for : (in fact its often LESS for universities than this price even)
$999.00

15-inch LCD flat screen
800MHz PowerPC G4
NVIDIA GeForce2 MX
32MB DDR video memory
256MB SDRAM
60GB Ultra ATA hard drive
10/100BASE-T Ethernet
56K V.92 internal modem
Apple Pro Speakers
AirPort Ready
Bluetooth Optional

Discounted from $1,299 retail price

This increases speed, doubles ram, increases harddrive, for not too much more. As I said the price point in bulk is even smaller.

So, either Apple has realized most schools using X go with the iMac or they have decided the eMac does not really fir the bill in its current incarnation and needs a refresh of sorts.
I think that is more likely. iMacs can be too fragile for touch classrooms while the eMac is a workhorse in these environs.

Hopefully we will see a quiet refresh of the eMac with speed, RAM, and a lower cost. But the need is still present for a sturdy under 1K machine.

by eliminating the G3 and the lower power G4 they elimnate any excuses to keep 9 in schools. I know of one major CA university thattakes new G4s and erases X and installes 9 over it. Ugg.

Jaykay · 03:07 PM

At the moment it seems that Apple cant really afford to get rid of the eMac because of their falling market share in the education sector. Well unless they bring out something new, but i doubt that really.

And also the fact that microsoft poured a lot of money worth of software into that market recently.. this is not the greatest time.

Edit : Interesting points are made though in the post above.

Dont Hurt Me · Feb 20, 2003, 03:24 PM

I think the emac was a quick solution to the fact that Lcd prices did not fall as apple expected and even increased hence them raising the imac price when they first came out. Now it seems they are falling and if this continues then what purpose does a emac hold? look at the imacs right now, all they have to do is keep on dropping the price. Steve did say the crt was dead and notice the classic imac and the emac have not been updated. Classic will be gone soon( though ill allways miss it ) emac will be gone by the end of this year? cheaper Lcd imacs to come and the 970 on the horizon. Now how about a super cube?

vanillamike · Feb 20, 2003, 03:39 PM

Wow everyone seem really down on the eMac. I love my eMac, it looks cool, the speakers sound good, the display despite the one time raster shift problem is quite striking. Flat pannels are nice, but I still like CRTs. If I had a pro tower I would probably still buy a CRT, especially in my field.

Mike

pantagruel · Feb 20, 2003, 03:42 PM

I think they should "revamp" the emac and make it available once again to only the education field.
Bring out a new dektop that would fill the "cheaper" market under the iMac.

davy the bunny · Feb 20, 2003, 04:05 PM

Like vanillamike, I also love my eMac and I don't understand why everyone is so down on it.

Feb 20, 2003, 01:11 PM	#2
davy the bunny macrumors regular Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Dallas	hmm. . . really? cool, now my computer will be even more worthless!

Feb 20, 2003, 01:12 PM	#3
TMA macrumors 6502a Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: England	That would be a shame if its true, I quite like the eMac and it is a good mac (with a good price) for educational institutes. Though if Apple can come up with something even better I'm not complaining __________________ Have you tried turning it off and on again?

Feb 20, 2003, 01:20 PM	#4
vanillamike macrumors regular Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Ottawa, Ontario, Canada	Then my computer will become the next cube someday All kidding aside I am not sure how much I believe they will faze out the eMac. The display problems (and I have had them as well) seem to have been fixed by replacing the ivad cable. In my program, Graphic Design, it has been recommended that we buy the eMac for color matching. I figure if there is widespread acceptance at schools like mine across the board this product must have been at least moderately successful. If they do faze it out, I wonder what they will replace it with. However, it would make sense that they are fazing it out since they didn't get speed bumps or any new bells and whistles when the iMacs were ugraded, just a price drop. Mike __________________ "If my rhyme was a drug I'd sell it by the gram" Vanilla Ice

Feb 20, 2003, 01:23 PM	#5
davy the bunny macrumors regular Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Dallas	Why no consumer desktop sans monitor to replace? you know, this may be a dumb question, but if they do discontinue the eMac does anyone think that there is any chance in hades that Apple will eventually release a low priced desktop without a monitor included? Since I really don't think that there is a chance, can someone please tell me why Apple won't release a low cost consumer desktop without all of the power of the PowerMac. I'd really like to know the reasons why. . .

Feb 20, 2003, 02:02 PM	#11
michaelyoung macrumors member Join Date: Jun 2002	Apple Store Rumors.. I think those who post rumors that originate in Apple Retail Stores should be flogged. I mean what does an employee at an Apple store really have access to. Not much. They _may_ know something the day before when they get a box but other than that, nothing. Thats like saying the guy at 7-11 has the inside scoop on the winning lottery numbers. Puh-lease.

Feb 20, 2003, 01:36 PM	#6
GPTurismo macrumors 6502 Join Date: May 2001 Location: Montgomery, AL USA	Are they going to discontiune the eMac line or the current models?

Feb 20, 2003, 01:37 PM	#7
smashedapart macrumors member Join Date: Mar 2002	Ok, great, now I'm nervous. My wife's new eMac just arrived at our doorstep not even 20 minutes ago. Just how wide-spread are these display issues?

Feb 20, 2003, 01:41 PM	#8
MacWhispers macrumors member Join Date: Feb 2003	For what it's worth, I just verified that Elitegroup is quite merrily running one shift per day of production on eMacs, and has no indication that this pace will change. This rumor needs moved to "Page 3." It's 100% fiction.

Feb 20, 2003, 02:13 PM	#12
Centris 650 macrumors 6502 Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Camden, SC	Could he be mistaken? Looprumors.com is posting that the iMac Classic (Snow) will be discontinued. I can't see the eMac being discontinued since 1) has an attractive price and 2) Is geared for the educational market. I really can't imagine that Apple would discontinue a product for a market and not replace it quickly.

Feb 20, 2003, 02:23 PM	#14
rainman::\|:\| macrumors 601 Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: iowa	the emac, unfortunately, isn't going away. the snow iMac will probably depart in the next month or two, i think... pnw

Feb 20, 2003, 02:31 PM	#16
FelixDerKater macrumors 65816 Join Date: Apr 2002	The eMac is one of those in-between products like the Cube, which deosn't really fit. We have G3 iMacs, G4 iMacs, and high-end PowerMacs. There isn't much more that you could need.

Feb 20, 2003, 02:34 PM	#17
smashedapart macrumors member Join Date: Mar 2002	*whew* Thanks for the info guys. You rock. I don't know if anyone else has noticed, but, looprumors.com has a tidbit up about the snow iMac being axed soon, and even goes to say that "Apple is said to make the transition [to an all-LCD lineup] complete by late summer."

Feb 20, 2003, 02:39 PM	#18
seamuskrat macrumors Demi-God Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: New Jersey USA	I have done some digging though education channels. As I work for a university, and I am an authorized purchasing agent, here is what I found. eMac in all configs are listed as available for purchase with a 2 to 3 week time. The G3 iMac is not even on my store. I click on it, and I get taken to the eMac. Conclusions: Could be in for an eMac update of some minor sort, hence the delay. And the G3 mac seems destined for the history books. Plus, Apple DID say that no OS 9 bootable Macs would be sold in 2003. That has got to mean that the G3 iMac is on the way out. PLUS There was not a significant cost savings between a G3 iMac and an G4 eMac with so much more. Andin the case of my university, the 'bulk' cost of units makes the FP iMac the biggest seller. In fact, we buy 5 iMacs for every eMac and ZERO iMacs. And our cost for an G3 iMac at education retail is MORE than out discounted FP iMac cost in 100 unit lots (although I am sure the G3 would be cheaper in 100 unit lots). For what its worth..... __________________ Remember to VOTE. Its a right and privilege. USE IT. ROCK the VOTE http://www.declareyourself.com

Feb 20, 2003, 02:51 PM	#19
MOM macrumors member Join Date: May 2002 Location: San Francisco	replace G3 iMac with iCheap It would be nice if Apple would replace the G3 iMac with a monitor-less (think ibook without the screen) CPU for a very cheap price. There is a thread on the "iCheap" at Mac-in-touch that reflects many peoples wishes for such a unit. I think schools with old and donated CRTs would love a very cheap solution to get new Macs on their tables.

Feb 20, 2003, 02:52 PM	#20
seamuskrat macrumors Demi-God Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: New Jersey USA	Some more thoughts: Without discounts the cheapest eMac for education is: $849.00 700MHz PowerPC G4 128MB SDRAM 40GB Ultra ATA drive CD-ROM drive No Modem Amazingly, many schools are snapping these up even with the anemic 128 megs of RAM. Remember most schools STILL purchase Macs for OS 9. A more usable options is this: $949.00 700MHz PowerPC G4 128MB SDRAM40GB Ultra ATA drive Combo drive (DVD/CD-RW) 56K internal modem Discounted from $999 retail price Still anemic in the RAM and not acceptable for OS X IMO. When for this price most education instituions can get the iMac for : (in fact its often LESS for universities than this price even) $999.00 15-inch LCD flat screen 800MHz PowerPC G4 NVIDIA GeForce2 MX 32MB DDR video memory 256MB SDRAM 60GB Ultra ATA hard drive 10/100BASE-T Ethernet 56K V.92 internal modem Apple Pro Speakers AirPort Ready Bluetooth Optional Discounted from $1,299 retail price This increases speed, doubles ram, increases harddrive, for not too much more. As I said the price point in bulk is even smaller. So, either Apple has realized most schools using X go with the iMac or they have decided the eMac does not really fir the bill in its current incarnation and needs a refresh of sorts. I think that is more likely. iMacs can be too fragile for touch classrooms while the eMac is a workhorse in these environs. Hopefully we will see a quiet refresh of the eMac with speed, RAM, and a lower cost. But the need is still present for a sturdy under 1K machine. by eliminating the G3 and the lower power G4 they elimnate any excuses to keep 9 in schools. I know of one major CA university thattakes new G4s and erases X and installes 9 over it. Ugg. __________________ Remember to VOTE. Its a right and privilege. USE IT. ROCK the VOTE http://www.declareyourself.com

Feb 20, 2003, 03:05 PM	#21
Jaykay macrumors 6502a Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Ireland	At the moment it seems that Apple cant really afford to get rid of the eMac because of their falling market share in the education sector. Well unless they bring out something new, but i doubt that really. And also the fact that microsoft poured a lot of money worth of software into that market recently.. this is not the greatest time. Edit : Interesting points are made though in the post above. __________________ Ireland , the republic that is. 'This place would be a paradise tomorrow if every department had a supervisor with a sub-machine gun" Alabama 3 FOLD Last edited by Jaykay : Feb 20, 2003 at 03:07 PM.

Feb 20, 2003, 03:24 PM	#22
Dont Hurt Me macrumors 601 Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Yahooville S.C.	I think the emac was a quick solution to the fact that Lcd prices did not fall as apple expected and even increased hence them raising the imac price when they first came out. Now it seems they are falling and if this continues then what purpose does a emac hold? look at the imacs right now, all they have to do is keep on dropping the price. Steve did say the crt was dead and notice the classic imac and the emac have not been updated. Classic will be gone soon( though ill allways miss it ) emac will be gone by the end of this year? cheaper Lcd imacs to come and the 970 on the horizon. Now how about a super cube? __________________ Those that give up Liberty to have temporary Security deserve Neither......Benjamin Franklin.

Feb 20, 2003, 03:39 PM	#23
vanillamike macrumors regular Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Ottawa, Ontario, Canada	Wow everyone seem really down on the eMac. I love my eMac, it looks cool, the speakers sound good, the display despite the one time raster shift problem is quite striking. Flat pannels are nice, but I still like CRTs. If I had a pro tower I would probably still buy a CRT, especially in my field. Mike __________________ "If my rhyme was a drug I'd sell it by the gram" Vanilla Ice

Feb 20, 2003, 03:42 PM	#24
pantagruel macrumors regular Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: here and there	I think they should "revamp" the emac and make it available once again to only the education field. Bring out a new dektop that would fill the "cheaper" market under the iMac. __________________ "Pretty much, Apple and Dell are the only ones in this industry making money. They make it by being Wal-Mart. We make it by innovation." -Steve Jobs

Feb 20, 2003, 04:05 PM	#25
davy the bunny macrumors regular Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Dallas	Like vanillamike, I also love my eMac and I don't understand why everyone is so down on it.

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