2018 iMac with Face ID?

[m0nkeyb0y]

What are the odds of a 2018 redesign incorporating Face ID? Apple moving to 6-core chips instead of 4-core?
I'm on a 2010 iMac which is still functional (maxed RAM, 512Gb SSD), but the keyboard died. I kinda don't want to spend money for a new keyboard if I'm just upgrading next year, but I also wouldn't mind upgrading now. It's just FOMO, buying the last model before the Next Big Thing redesign hits.

 

[294307]

I can see Face ID being introduced on the Mac in the future. Regarding a radical redesign, I doubt that will happen for several years. They are releasing the new iMac Pro in December which has the same form factor as the regular iMac.

A significant redesign will require Apple to spend a lot of time reengineering the cooling system for the iMac Pro.

 

[ApfelKuchen]

I think the chances of Face ID are reasonably good, though I wouldn't try to estimate the odds. I am hoping for this change. As to making a 6-core chip the standard? Not very likely at all. If available (I'd have to check whether there's a 6-core in Intel's desktop chip lineup), I'd expect to see it as an option, not a minimum. iMac Pro is another matter - that's coming with an 8-core Xeon CPU as standard equipment.

The reason for the A11 chip having 6 cores is energy management. A desktop doesn't need that capability, so we'd have to ask ourselves whether there's been a substantial increase in app and OS demands for multi-core processing. The big change is coming is AR, but that work is better done in the GPU than CPU.

The real issue for Face ID is security. I don't know how the MBPs have been handling secure storage of the biometric data - I haven't heard of an Intel CPU with a Secure Enclave, but between that and AR, is it possible we'll see an A11 variant in upcoming Macs alongside the Intel silicon?

But as to the keyboard? You can't live without one, so unless you already have a viable spare, how can you wait for the next generation of iMacs? If you don't already have a USB keyboard lying around, it's a good long-term investment as backup to a wireless.

 

[zipur]

Merry-Go-Round; Imagine if they just give an incremental keyboard swip integration in 2018. But you hear rumors of FaceID for 2019. Would you wait 20- 30 months? Then a touch screen then 3D VR in 202x then who knows what. There will always be something better around the corner.

You got good investment from your 2010, if its working for you spend $100.00 on a new keyboard and wait nine months.

 

[theluggage]

What are the odds of a 2018 redesign incorporating Face ID? Apple moving to 6-core chips instead of 4-core?

The odds of the next iMac having Face ID and 6 cores are fairly good: Face ID is obviously easier to implement in an iMac than Touch ID on a machine without a built-in keyboard, and leaks suggest the next generation of Intel "Coffee Lake" desktop chips superseding the iMac chips will up the number of cores in the i5 and i6 to 6.

Whether the "next" iMac will appear in 2018, though is anybody's guess... Intel haven't been excelling at getting their chips out on time recently, and Apple aren't that quick in adopting them.

Also - just speculation - I worry that Apple might "dumb down" the regular iMac range to leave a clear gap between the higher-end iMac models and the iMac Pro: a 6-core i7 iMac with next year's graphics might persuade a lot of "pro-sumer" customers (who might not need Xeon/ECC stability or a compute-optimised GPU) not to shell out for an iMac Pro... but, hey, if Apple switched the 5k iMac to a cooler mobile CPU and integrated graphics - and removed most of the ports and that pesky RAM upgrade hatch - they could make it 20% thinner and lose the 'chin'!!!

I was kinda relieved that the 2017 iMacs just upgraded the CPUs, swapped TB2 with TB3 and kept the USB/Ethernet ports and upgradeable RAM. 4xTB3 would have been nice, but there may not have been enough I/O lines...

but the keyboard died.

Seriously? I mean, you're quite entitled to want to upgrade a 7-year-old Mac, but not because the keyboard died. For one thing, when you do upgrade, its highly likely that you won't like the new iMac keyboard with its ultra-short key travel. Just given up on one (after giving it a good, long trial to give the unfamiliarity a chance to wear off) and gone back to my old wired aluminium keyboard. Sooo much nicer...

 

[SaSaSushi]

What are the odds of a 2018 redesign incorporating Face ID? Apple moving to 6-core chips instead of 4-core?
I'm on a 2010 iMac which is still functional (maxed RAM, 512Gb SSD), but the keyboard died. I kinda don't want to spend money for a new keyboard if I'm just upgrading next year, but I also wouldn't mind upgrading now. It's just FOMO, buying the last model before the Next Big Thing redesign hits.

Assuming that's true another way of looking at it is you'd be buying the most refined machine of its generation and not have to deal with any of the inevitable issues with first-release models.

I'd also advise you to try things for yourself and not base your decisions on opinions in here which will run the gamut.

 

[Jack Burton]

I think the chances of Face ID are reasonably good, though I wouldn't try to estimate the odds. I am hoping for this change. As to making a 6-core chip the standard? Not very likely at all. If available (I'd have to check whether there's a 6-core in Intel's desktop chip lineup)

The most likely candidate is Intel's Coffeelake 8700k. 6 core, 12 thread, 3.7 Ghz base clock, 4.3 Ghz boost clock (all core), 4.7 boost clock max. 95W TDP.

In leaked specs, it goes toe to toe with the 7700k in single thread, and outperforms much of the Ryzen 7 chips in multi thread. 8700k supposedly comes out in early October.

Looks like a great chip for all around performance a nice balance between screaming single thread speed and solid multicore oomph. I wish it was in the iMac now, but given how hot the 7700k is, I don't know how realistic it would be.

 

[SaSaSushi]

For one thing, when you do upgrade, its highly likely that you won't like the new iMac keyboard with its ultra-short key travel. Just given up on one (after giving it a good, long trial to give the unfamiliarity a chance to wear off) and gone back to my old wired aluminium keyboard. Sooo much nicer...

See, now that's interesting because not only do I find the action on the new Magic Keyboard with numeric pad to be excellent, it feels the same as the Apple wired keyboard it replaced and has the exact same scissors mechanism. Notable differences are a more sleek design, no USB ports I never used and no wire.

 

[fokmik]

since the imac is right in your face...faceID will be the future for imacs

 

[theluggage]

See, now that's interesting because not only do I find the action on the new Magic Keyboard with numeric pad to be excellent, it feels the same as the Apple wired keyboard it replaced and has the exact same scissors mechanism.

Keyboards are a personal thing, so you're perfectly entitled to like the new Magic Keyboard.

However, I've got the MK2 with number pad side-by-side with the previous wired Aluminium keyboard with number pad and the mechanism is self-evidently not the same - the new keys are visibly lower-profile, with shorter travel (I'd say at least 30% less). Regardless of whether its still a scissor mechanism rather than a "butterfly" the feel is closer to the new MacBook Pro keyboards than the old wired keyboard. The travel is shorter and comes up "hard" at the end (I wonder about RSI in the long term). Plus they've greatly reduced the angle of the keyboard.

If the new keyboard is excellent, then the old one is more excellenter at least when it comes to typing. Meanwhile, although having a wireless mouse is important, I don't see a huge advantage in a wireless desktop keyboard and having a couple of USB 2 ports on the desktop is very handy on an iMac (one of the weaknesses of which is a lack of front-accessible USB ports).

Thing is, Apple got it spectacularly right with the last generation of keyboards (previously, I wouldn't have touched a low-profile keyboard) to the extent that they were copied by the rest of the industry. Now, though, they've spectacularly failed the "if it ain't broke don't fix it" test for the sake of a "sleeker" design.

 

[SaSaSushi]

Keyboards are a personal thing, so you're perfectly entitled to like the new Magic Keyboard.

Agreed, it is an entirely subjective issue which is why I advised the OP to try it for themself. I can't be the only one who loves the Magic Keyboard just as you're undoubtedly far from the only one who doesn't.

It was the "highly likely that you won't like" quote that rubbed me the wrong way.

 

[theluggage]

I can't be the only one who loves the Magic Keyboard just as you're undoubtedly far from the only one who doesn't.

Possibly - although I'm staggered that you cant tell the difference between the old action and the new one, even if you prefer the new one. I wanted to like it, started with an open mind and used it for two months before deciding that, no, the old one was just better.

Anyway - the point for the thread starter is that having a spare keyboard in the cupboard is rarely a bad thing (but maybe not the half-dozen or so that I've got) and a dead keyboard is maybe not the best reason to go out and buy an new iMac.

 

[jaack]

It'll come to the MacBook Pro first I reckon, probably sometime next year.

 

[SaSaSushi]

Anyway - the point for the thread starter is that having a spare keyboard in the cupboard is rarely a bad thing (but maybe not the half-dozen or so that I've got) and a dead keyboard is maybe not the best reason to go out and buy an new iMac.

I got the impression that the OP was just using the failed keyboard as an excuse to upgrade sooner than later. I do agree that a failed keyboard alone wouldn't make the strongest case for upgrading the entire machine but if it is an older machine in general you've been planning to upgrade for a while, it could be the straw that breaks the camel's back.

 

[badlydrawnboy]

The odds of the next iMac having Face ID and 6 cores are fairly good: Face ID is obviously easier to implement in an iMac than Touch ID on a machine without a built-in keyboard, and leaks suggest the next generation of Intel "Coffee Lake" desktop chips superseding the iMac chips will up the number of cores in the i5 and i6 to 6.

Whether the "next" iMac will appear in 2018, though is anybody's guess... Intel haven't been excelling at getting their chips out on time recently, and Apple aren't that quick in adopting them.

Also - just speculation - I worry that Apple might "dumb down" the regular iMac range to leave a clear gap between the higher-end iMac models and the iMac Pro: a 6-core i7 iMac with next year's graphics might persuade a lot of "pro-sumer" customers (who might not need Xeon/ECC stability or a compute-optimised GPU) not to shell out for an iMac Pro... but, hey, if Apple switched the 5k iMac to a cooler mobile CPU and integrated graphics - and removed most of the ports and that pesky RAM upgrade hatch - they could make it 20% thinner and lose the 'chin'!!!

I was kinda relieved that the 2017 iMacs just upgraded the CPUs, swapped TB2 with TB3 and kept the USB/Ethernet ports and upgradeable RAM. 4xTB3 would have been nice, but there may not have been enough I/O lines...

I'm worried about this too. I'll wait for the announcement (if there is a new iMac in 2018), and if there is, I'll snap up a 2017 iMac while I still can.

 

[cynics]

FaceID would remove a lot of the technical and security hurdles that TouchID remotely mounted in the keyboard causes.

I don't know whether we will see it or not however its the perfect application IMO. You will be looking at the screen, you wont be at a weird angle, and its unlikely you'll be covering your face and eyes with clothing.

 

[Fishrrman]

"since the imac is right in your face...faceID will be the future for imacs"

What about those guys who put black tape over the camera...?

 

[Reywrap]

Yes! FaceID would make soooo much sense on the Mac Book Pro instead of the cheap looking Touch ID square.