2012 iMac Said to Carry Thinner Design, Alleged Internals Photo Surfaces

[APlotdevice]

I don't.

I don't need an internal or external CD/DVD Drive.

I don't need additional storage.

Maybe you do, but many other people don't anymore. You are mistaking was the iMac was not what it currently will be (if this rumor holds true). If I need any of these I will simply plug in a cable and be good to go. I don't need to iMac to be heavier, bigger, use more power etc. to maybe use a certain thing once or twice a year.

Apple will likely have no more CD/DVD drives in laptops in a few weeks if the 13" rMBP is true (and they drop the current model). What then?

So you don't take photos or videos? That kind of stuff takes up a lot of storage space.

Internal space is premium in notebook computers. So there makes sense to remove the optical drive and swap the HDD for flash chips. Space is not premium in a desktop machine.

 

[CWallace]

What about printers then?

I don't recall a printer ever being a part of any model if iMac.

I don't need an internal or external CD/DVD Drive. I don't need additional storage over the standard 128GB SSD Apple currently offers.

Congratulations. But just as those of us who do need / desire them are not everyone, neither are folks like you who do not need / desire them.

Those who want a small box without extras have an option right now - Mac Mini and external display. And those who want a full-function machine have an option right now - the current iMac. Why change that to give one side two options and the other side none?

Maybe you do, but many other people don't anymore. You are mistaking was the iMac was not what it currently will be (if this rumor holds true).

So the iMac is no longer an All-In-One machine, but instead a a Mac Mini fused with an Apple Thunderbolt Display. Which means the Mac Mini can now be killed because it serves no purpose.

On the flip side, this will hopefully force Apple to reduce the cost of the Mac Pro because it will now be the only "full featured" desktop Mac on offer.

 

[GizmoDVD]

So you don't take photos or videos? That kind of stuff takes up a lot of space.

Space is premium in notebook computers. So there makes sense to remove the optical drive and swap the HDD for flash chips. Space is not premium in a desktop machine.

iPhone is my camera. I don't need to dump raw photos in. If I did...external. I'm assuming that's what heavy photographers use anyway, right?

Space IS a premium in AIO's nowadays. Look at the competition. You want Apple to continue with the same tired design they've had for 7+ years?

 

[InfoTime]

It would be nice if the option to use Target Display Mode with DisplayPort from my PC returned. Have this on my 2009 27" iMac. Thunderbolt models don't

 

[GizmoDVD]

I
Congratulations. But just as those of us who do need / desire them are not everyone, neither are folks like you who do not need / desire them.

You have an option right now - Mac Mini and external display. And so do we - the current iMac. If this update happens, you will have two options and we will have none.

You have an option right now - the Pro and 2011 iMac. You won't likely have an option for the 2012 iMac. I'm sorry, but times change. Apple dropped the Floppy and people marched on. They dropped the Disc drive from laptops and people continue to march on. And soon - the iMac. If Apple doesn't even sell it's own software on disc why would they continue to support a dying medium?

 

[CWallace]

Space IS a premium in AIO's nowadays. Look at the competition. You want Apple to continue with the same tired design they've had for 7+ years?

The competition is trying to become what Apple has been the past seven years. They find Apple's current thinness to be the target.

As for a tired design, it works as an All-In-One. The new design appears to be a "Some in One".

 

[StephenCampbell]

Well this means that something different is definitely coming for the Mac Pro next year.. and it's not going to be a type of "iMac Pro." There would definitely be some thicker iMac on the horizon if that were the case.

By the way, just to put things in perspective, a family member of mine was recently talking to me about the new iMacs coming up, and they said "they ought to make it a little bit thicker, so they can fit more into it.. maybe have two optical drive slots on the side... etc" and I sat there thinking two things... 1. Man I wish this was the mentality of the world right now, and 2. Sadly my family member is extremely out of touch with reality.

I briefed them on the current state of affairs, and they asked "Why would Apple do that!???"

 

[Johnf1285]

A 256gb SSD can be had for about $200 or so now a days. I hope to hell Apple doesn't charge more than $200 to upgrade from whatever the HDD offering is to a 256gb SSD. If they do, many will be disappointed. But many will pay more too to have it (myself included) LOL.

I hope SSD is standard on all but the base model.

 

[jollino]

I don't recall a printer ever being a part of any model if iMac.

Neither was a 3 TB hard drive for that matter.
My point is that yes, it's an all-in-one, but I doubt that many people have ONLY that on their desk, plus mouse and keyboard. I may be a on the other extreme, but I have two printers, three USB disks + a USB dock, a card reader (my 2006 iMac has no SD slot, plus my camera uses CF anyway), an iPhone dock with speakers...

To me an iMac is a desktop first and foremost, the fact that I don't have a tower on the floor to accidentally kick is just a secondary thing.

 

[GizmoDVD]

A 256gb SSD can be had for about $200 or so now a days. I hope to hell Apple doesn't charge more than $200 to upgrade from whatever the HDD offering is to a 256gb SSD. If they do, many will be disappointed. But many will pay more too to have it (myself included) LOL.

I hope SSD is standard on all but the base model.

I would guess a laptop drive would be standard and SSD an upgrade... I only need 128GB so the price difference won't be too much. Hopefully they solder that RAM in too

 

[gotluck]

I wish apple would just make a regular desktop computer.

I don't need a Mac Pro and I refuse to buy a desktop with laptop parts and problems.

 

[urbanlung]

I really want it to look like this one
Image


But why the hell would they make them more expensive???

That doesn't look like 'Retina' to me, I can't read anything!

 

[dynafrom]

I would guess a laptop drive would be standard and SSD an upgrade... I only need 128GB so the price difference won't be too much. Hopefully they solder that RAM in too

And the Air is a supplemental computer for most. I would not use it when I'm doing REAL work. 128GB is laughable at best. A real step back.

 

[CWallace]

Neither was a 3 TB hard drive for that matter.

Non-sequiter, sir, as an iMac always had a hard drive.

My point is that yes, it's an all-in-one, but I doubt that many people have ONLY that on their desk, plus mouse and keyboard.

I am sure they don't. Heck, I don't.

I understand why Apple wants to remove the ODD from their portable machines. It adds weight, it drains the battery and it takes up space that would allow more battery capacity to be added. There is logic to making it optional.

But it's not like an optical drive is reducing my battery life since my iMac doesn't run off batteries. Nor is it like my iMac is a quarter-meter thick because of the optical drive's size. Nor do I routinely carry my iMac around with me.

It's not being removed for technical reasons. It's not being removed for performance reasons. It's not being removed for improved usability reasons.

It's being removed for aesthetics. To make a machine that need not be any thinner or lighter a bit thinner and lighter because, well, Apple can and aesthetics are their primary driver of design.

Now I like Apple's aesthetics. It's one of the reasons I buy their products. But I went iMac instead of MacBook Pro because of usability and capability, as well. And I went iMac instead of Mac Pro because the cost savings of the iMac were significant because the iMac had all the main items I needed.

 

[GizmoDVD]

And the Air is a supplemental computer for most. I would not use it when I'm doing REAL work. 128GB is laughable at best. A real step back.

REAL work? Well, Air continues to sell while the Mac Pro doesn't. Guess not to many people do REAL work like you do.

----------

Non-sequiter, sir, as an iMac always had a hard drive.




I am sure they don't. Heck, I don't.

I understand why Apple wants to remove the ODD from their portable machines. It adds weight, it drains the battery and it takes up space that would allow more battery capacity to be added. There is logic to making it optional.

But it's not like an optical drive is reducing my battery life since my iMac doesn't run off batteries. Nor is it like my iMac is a quarter-meter thick because of the optical drive's size. Nor do I routinely carry my iMac around with me.

It's not being removed for technical reasons. It's not being removed for performance reasons. It's not being removed for improved usability reasons.

It's being removed for aesthetics. To make a machine that need not be any thinner or lighter a bit thinner and lighter because, well, Apple can and aesthetics are their primary driver of design.

Now I like Apple's aesthetics. It's one of the reasons I buy their products. But I went iMac instead of MacBook Pro because of usability and capability, as well.

As I pointed out, Apple no longers provides their own software on Discs. They've moved on. Games are now also available via Steam etc. Disc are primarily useless nowadays. Why continue to support something that is dying at a fast paced? Why re-design something (and keep that design for 3+ years) based around a dying technology? Seems awfully silly.

 

[Mac32]

There is only one thing I'm worried about, and that is getting an iMac (and also a new Apple Thunderbolt Display) with a less reflective screen (like the MBA or new rMBP, and maybe an added matte choice). I have yet to buy an iMac or a Thunderbolt/Cinema Display, because they are way too glossy, and therefore not a viable option for me.
This is the one thing Apple really NEEDS to fix!! Those terribly glossy screens are so unnecessary, and so annoying..

 

[ipodmac]

Well this means that something different is definitely coming for the Mac Pro next year.. and it's not going to be a type of "iMac Pro." There would definitely be some thicker iMac on the horizon if that were the case.

By the way, just to put things in perspective, a family member of mine was recently talking to me about the new iMacs coming up, and they said "they ought to make it a little bit thicker, so they can fit more into it.. maybe have two optical drive slots on the side... etc" and I sat there thinking two things... 1. Man I wish this was the mentality of the world right now, and 2. Sadly my family member is extremely out of touch with reality.

I briefed them on the current state of affairs, and they asked "Why would Apple do that!???"

Haha two optical drives!
I hope it doesn't have an optical drive, its just wasted space.

 

[CWallace]

Why continue to support something that is dying at a fast paced? Why re-design something (and keep that design for 3+ years) based around a dying technology? Seems awfully silly.

Because there is no real drawback to doing so.

The iMac doesn't need more battery life. The iMac doesn't need to be lighter to make it easier to haul around for hours a day. And it doesn't need to be thinner to fit on a desk.

Having an optical drive doesn't diminish the usability of an iMac - it increases it.

The lack of an optical drive doesn't increase the usability of an iMac - it diminishes it.

The iMac and the MacBook (Pro/Air) have been aimed at different users with different operating habits and needs/desires.

Now Apple seems to be mashing the two together. Why bother with the iMac? Simplify the product line and just sell the Mac Mini, MacBook Pro/Air and the Apple Thunderbolt Display. If you need portability, go with the laptop and hang it off the back of your ATD with the BookShelf II. If you don't, go with the MM and park your ATD on top of it.

 

[jaw04005]

I don't see them changing the iMac much.

I can see them changing the color scheme to the new slate/grey aluminum used on the iPhone 5 and cutting off some of the iMac's chin.

What else can you really do with it? It'll still remain a monitor on a pedestal. I miss the ergonomic iMac G4 design.

Apple's sort of hit a wall with their Mac designs. I guess they can keep making them thinner. There hasn't been a real basic design change to the iMac since the iMac G5 (thinner came with the G5 Rev. 2, aluminum casing came in late 2007 and the unibody iMac came in 2009).

 

[Yamcha]

Not really happy about the price being higher, not sure who made this decision, maybe Apple has added a low capacity SSD drive for caching purposes? That would give us SSD like performance.. But could also drive the price higher..

 

[GizmoDVD]

Because there is no real drawback to doing so.

The iMac doesn't need more battery life. The iMac doesn't need to be lighter to make it easier to haul around for hours a day. And it doesn't need to be thinner to fit on a desk.

Having an optical drive doesn't diminish the usability of an iMac - it increases it.

The lack of an optical drive doesn't increase the usability of an iMac - it diminishes it.

Yes, there are.

Having a dying technology in your AIO makes it laughable. Apple is known the be on the cusp of new technology and including something that is being dropped from stores is silly.

I'm sure Apple has enough statistics to show that people are using the drive less and less and removing it won't hurt sales.

But hey, let's toss in a Floppy drive too and an additional CD/DVD drive. While were at it lets get more Memory card readers (which I hope they drop too. No stupid slot i'll never use. )

 

[ipodmac]

Do you think they would release the 21inch before the 27?

 

[The Samurai]

The iMac doesn't need to be lighter to make it easier to haul around for hours a day.

(sorry, couldn't help it )

 

[Freyqq]

thinner means that they are probably getting rid of the dvd drive. I can understand this move on laptops, but not on a desktop.

 

[CWallace]

Having a dying technology in your AIO makes it laughable. Apple is known the be on the cusp of new technology and including something that is being dropped from stores is silly.

I'd give more credence to that argument if Apple was dropping Blu-ray readers, not DVD readers.

Anyway, you won't convince me otherwise, nor will I convince you otherwise, so... *shrug*

It's clear my next Mac will have the feature set of a "portable" whatever model I buy, so might as well just get a 13" Haswell MacBook Air and hang it off the back of my ATD and recover half my desk.