Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
15inch iMac to be Discontinued?
- Thread starter MacRumors
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
It makes sense. If someone wants to pay extra for the awesome design and LCD, they should get better than a 15" display. Conversely, if they don't need a normal sized screen (in today's terms) they should get the soon to be updated 15" powerbook. Money conscious people have the "kinda cool" eMac with a 17" monitor. New Apple policy??? no desktop monitors under 17", all powerbooks can drive 17" (or greater) desktop displays???
Hopefully they'll lower the price of the 17" then. I guess they figure the eMac will fill the low end spot.
no no no, bad apple! bad! stop trying to eliminate all of your entry level machines! not everyone needs a dual PM G4 with 23" HD cinema! the 15" imac is just right for some people. If you must do something to it, cut its price.
Thank god someone sees the light. I'm getting about tired of these 15" discontinuation rumors-- I just don't see it happening. If components keep getting cheaper, MAKE THE COMPUTER CHEAPER, don't cram more in. The 15" is perfect for most of the consumer base they're targeting--
and you've got to be kidding about making CONSUMERS use a 15" PB if they want a 15" screen-- do you not understand the concept of "consumer" and "professional"? the PB is pro... no one's going to pay more for a PB if they want a desktop with a smaller screen. They'll go buy a $300 PC at walmart.
pnw
Originally posted by paulwhannel
Thank god someone sees the light. I'm getting about tired of these 15" discontinuation rumors-- I just don't see it happening. If components keep getting cheaper, MAKE THE COMPUTER CHEAPER, don't cram more in. The 15" is perfect for most of the consumer base they're targeting--
and you've got to be kidding about making CONSUMERS use a 15" PB if they want a 15" screen-- do you not understand the concept of "consumer" and "professional"? the PB is pro... no one's going to pay more for a PB if they want a desktop with a smaller screen. They'll go buy a $300 PC at walmart.
pnw
Exactly. Apple needs normal everyday folks too. Not just the pros.
A 15" isn't a 15", always
Maybe Apple is just consolidating their monitors.
Maybe the existing 15" iMac is being discontinued, but they'll still have a low end model that uses the rumored 15.4 inch wide aspect ratio that the new PowerBooks are using.
Since the 17" PowerBooks use the same 17" screen as the iMacs, this makes a lot of sense. Plus it keeps the monitors all at the same aspect ratio, as someone else pointed out.
And if this is true, maybe they can make new desktop monitors (for the Power Macs) that don't have that enormous rim around them. Maybe they'll look more like NEC's thin-bezel monitors (with some special Apple "look" of course).
Maybe Apple is just consolidating their monitors.
Maybe the existing 15" iMac is being discontinued, but they'll still have a low end model that uses the rumored 15.4 inch wide aspect ratio that the new PowerBooks are using.
Since the 17" PowerBooks use the same 17" screen as the iMacs, this makes a lot of sense. Plus it keeps the monitors all at the same aspect ratio, as someone else pointed out.
And if this is true, maybe they can make new desktop monitors (for the Power Macs) that don't have that enormous rim around them. Maybe they'll look more like NEC's thin-bezel monitors (with some special Apple "look" of course).
eMac
if this is true, apple could be trying to better differentiate the iMac from the eMac. 17" CRT and the 15" LCD are kind of a wash, at least in terms of screen real estate. If they only have 17" iMacs, with DDR, AE, bluetooth, etc, they could be positioned more as a prosumer model (especially if they get single 970s while the PMs get duals...), while a 1GHz eMac could take up the entry level, consumer slot.
if this is true, apple could be trying to better differentiate the iMac from the eMac. 17" CRT and the 15" LCD are kind of a wash, at least in terms of screen real estate. If they only have 17" iMacs, with DDR, AE, bluetooth, etc, they could be positioned more as a prosumer model (especially if they get single 970s while the PMs get duals...), while a 1GHz eMac could take up the entry level, consumer slot.
price range
I think Apple like most tech companies (right now) will sell their product at a certain price range, instead of lowering the price of old technology. Most digital camera companies e.g. Canon do this e.g. they will discontinue their 2 megapixal camera and replace them with a 3 megapixal at the 2 megapixal price range. Forcing people to buy their product at their price.
I would be happy to see Apple offers 2 iMac model a 17" and a 19" LCD.
Originally posted by paulwhannel
Thank god someone sees the light. I'm getting about tired of these 15" discontinuation rumors-- I just don't see it happening. If components keep getting cheaper, MAKE THE COMPUTER CHEAPER, don't cram more in. The 15" is perfect for most of the consumer base they're targeting--
and you've got to be kidding about making CONSUMERS use a 15" PB if they want a 15" screen-- do you not understand the concept of "consumer" and "professional"? the PB is pro... no one's going to pay more for a PB if they want a desktop with a smaller screen. They'll go buy a $300 PC at walmart.
pnw
I think Apple like most tech companies (right now) will sell their product at a certain price range, instead of lowering the price of old technology. Most digital camera companies e.g. Canon do this e.g. they will discontinue their 2 megapixal camera and replace them with a 3 megapixal at the 2 megapixal price range. Forcing people to buy their product at their price.
I would be happy to see Apple offers 2 iMac model a 17" and a 19" LCD.
Re: price range
maybe that's what they actually do; doesn't mean it's what they should do. A 15" lcd is great for some people, just as a 2 megapixel camera is all some folks need. I can't understand apple's attitude that selling below certain prices is bad business. Part of me thinks it must just be arrogance on their part, like, "we don't market anything but the very best."
I know a lot of people who really like the ipod, but just aren't going to pay $300 for a music player. Solution? Sell the 5 gig at $200. Sell the imac G3 CRT for $500 and watch 'em sell like hotcakes. Sell the apple 15" lcd for $250. The fact is that not everyone can afford to spend $1300 on an imac, or a $300 on an ipod, no matter how nice they may be. What is so wrong with offering lower cost alternatives? It's not like apple would be selling garbage, just stuff with less power/ capacity. But it's all some people need, and it would pull in buyers who just aren't going to shell out for the big ticket hardware, no matter how powerful it is.
as for a 17" imac and a 19" imac, that's a terrible idea, IMHO. If you need a screen bigger than a 17" lcd, buy a powermac. The imac is a consumer machine, for average people who need a reasonable balance of price, performance, and features. Everyday users do not need 19" lcds. Unless you're doing a lot of grapic design or need many pages open at once, 15 inchers work just fine, believe it or not.
Originally posted by Chomolungma
I think Apple like most tech companies (right now) will sell their product at a certain price range, instead of lowering the price of old technology. Most digital camera companies e.g. Canon do this e.g. they will discontinue their 2 megapixal camera and replace them with a 3 megapixal at the 2 megapixal price range. Forcing people to buy their product at their price.
I would be happy to see Apple offers 2 iMac model a 17" and a 19" LCD.
maybe that's what they actually do; doesn't mean it's what they should do. A 15" lcd is great for some people, just as a 2 megapixel camera is all some folks need. I can't understand apple's attitude that selling below certain prices is bad business. Part of me thinks it must just be arrogance on their part, like, "we don't market anything but the very best."
I know a lot of people who really like the ipod, but just aren't going to pay $300 for a music player. Solution? Sell the 5 gig at $200. Sell the imac G3 CRT for $500 and watch 'em sell like hotcakes. Sell the apple 15" lcd for $250. The fact is that not everyone can afford to spend $1300 on an imac, or a $300 on an ipod, no matter how nice they may be. What is so wrong with offering lower cost alternatives? It's not like apple would be selling garbage, just stuff with less power/ capacity. But it's all some people need, and it would pull in buyers who just aren't going to shell out for the big ticket hardware, no matter how powerful it is.
as for a 17" imac and a 19" imac, that's a terrible idea, IMHO. If you need a screen bigger than a 17" lcd, buy a powermac. The imac is a consumer machine, for average people who need a reasonable balance of price, performance, and features. Everyday users do not need 19" lcds. Unless you're doing a lot of grapic design or need many pages open at once, 15 inchers work just fine, believe it or not.
I posted something like this in the new eMac thread, but it fits better here -
If you check out the hardware page on the Apple site, the pic of the iMac on top specifically says 17" iMac, and when you go to the iMac page you're greeted with New 17" iMac and no mention of the 15." Today's eMac upgrade gave it a 133 MHz bus across the line, while the 15" iMac has a 100 MHz bus.....
edit - the 15" also lacks Airport Extreme, which the eMac has across the line. Apple sure doesn't seem interested in making it more appealing than the new e's, at least wrt price/features.
If you check out the hardware page on the Apple site, the pic of the iMac on top specifically says 17" iMac, and when you go to the iMac page you're greeted with New 17" iMac and no mention of the 15." Today's eMac upgrade gave it a 133 MHz bus across the line, while the 15" iMac has a 100 MHz bus.....
edit - the 15" also lacks Airport Extreme, which the eMac has across the line. Apple sure doesn't seem interested in making it more appealing than the new e's, at least wrt price/features.
Huh?
I just went to http://www.apple.com clicked the hardware tab, and then selected "New iMac." At the top of the page it has info on the 17", but if you scroll down, it still has "Two beautiful models" with the 15" and 17"
And if you click Tech Specs at the top of that page I still get both models.
I just went to http://www.apple.com clicked the hardware tab, and then selected "New iMac." At the top of the page it has info on the 17", but if you scroll down, it still has "Two beautiful models" with the 15" and 17"
And if you click Tech Specs at the top of that page I still get both models.
I know, my point was just that Apple seems to be sort of pushing the spotlight off the 15," de-emphasizing it a little. It's probably nothing, but who knows?
for what it's worth, i think it would be a decent idea to dump the 15 inchers, based on my experiences with them. i've never seen a single one in which the screen looks clean - not as in finger prints, i mean the resolution never seems to quite match the screen itself. kinda strange... maybe it's just all of the stores that i've seen it at have them all set up wrong, but i for one wouldnt' be sad to see it go...
and that 17 inch is a beaut...)
matt
and that 17 inch is a beaut...
)matt