Apple Not Planning to Launch Larger-Screened iMac

[smulji]

Oh, and kept the 27" Intel iMac, you know, to give them hope.

Apple's not in the hope business. Unless of course you're a shareholder.

 

[KnighsTalker]

I wouldn’t claim that. The Mac 128k, like it’s predecessor the Lisa, all are derived from the Xerox Star which is where most of the Mac GUI is derived from, including the mouse. While Mac 128k -> 512k ->plus-SE, Apple then went to computer/displays for years until 1998 iMac G3. That’s a lot years without a desktop all in one.

What??? The iMac G3 is one of the biggest things that saved Apple after Jobs came back and took control of the company (Not to mention the $150 million Microsoft happened to throw Jobs way). Those "computer/displays years" were an archaic philosophy pushed by Apple's board culminated by the near disastrous tenure of Jean-Louis Gassée leadership of the company. Jobs knew exactly what he had to do and one of those things was to bring back the AIO Mac because he knew it appealed to the masses and it did. The company went from a few short weeks to becoming a niche footnote in history to becoming one of the, I'd even dare say, greatest companies ever.

 

[James Godfrey]

It makes sense considering…

Studio Display with M1 Mac mini plus apples keyboard and mouse = around $2500

Studio Display with upcoming M2 Pro Mac mini plus apples keyboard and mouse = around $3000

Studio Display with Mac Studio plus apples keyboard and mouse = around $3800

All of which will be far cheaper to upgrade in 4-5 years time… as the displays will last years, and all options allow you to cut costs by going with third party displays, keyboards and mice etc…

 

[nastysailboat]

I think this is what they’ll do

When M2 comes out they’ll add an M2 pro version to both the mini and the iMac 24” so you end up with
- MacBook Air M2
- MacBook M2/M2 pro (replacing the 13” MBP)
- MacBook Pro 14’/16” M2 pro and Max

- Mac mini M2/M2 pro
- iMac 24” M2/M2 pro
- Mac Studio M2 Max and Ultra
- Mac Pro M2 Enterprise (quad M2 Max)

I think they will call the Mac Pro M1 Extreme. Or M1X seems more apple to me. I am curious if they will drop the Mac Pro with the m2 for this round tho or if they will keep it M1. I think the chip shortage is messing with them and that’s why the iPad Air is currently beating out the iPad Pro. I think if they could they would update most of their iPads around the same time. Which is why I think the first Apple Silicone Mac Pro might be an M1

 

[KnighsTalker]

I don’t think that sentiment and nostalgia has any place in running a business. Keep the iMac around for as long as it meets a specific need, and replace it with something better when (Apple thinks that) it doesn’t.

Like I said, "appeal to the masses." The Studio Mac in its current iteration does not. The Mac AIO is tried and true and if someone thinks otherwise they are sadly mistaken.

 

[smulji]

I think they will call the Mac Pro M1 Extreme. Or M1X seems more apple to me. I am curious if they will drop the Mac Pro with the m2 for this round tho or if they will keep it M1. I think the chip shortage is messing with them and that’s why the iPad Air is currently beating out the iPad Pro. I think if they could they would update most of their iPads around the same time. Which is why I think the first Apple Silicone Mac Pro might be an M1

Apple specifically stated that the M1 Ultra is the last SoC in the M1 family lineup. There will not be any M1 Extreme branding

 

[Da_Hood]

The 27" iMac that's comparable to the $2000 Mac Studio was the $2800 iMac, not the $1800 iMac. The Mac Studio at a minimum costs more than the $1800 iMac, so they're not even in the same ballpark. If Apple had included an M1 27" iMac, that would have been comparable, since that's essentially a 24" M1 iMac with a 3" bigger screen. An M1 Pro would have been comparable to the $2400 iMac while the M1 Max is basically the $2800 iMac. Put in the M1 Ultra, that is basically the discontinued iMac Pro at $4999, which funny enough is the cost of the upgraded M1 Ultra with 64 GPU cores (the non-binned version). Because they're in the ballpark, that's how you know the M1 Ultra is really Apple's replacement for the old iMac Pro, not the $2800 iMac.

My calcuations are based on the $2800 27" iMac, which would have been the base M1 Max. It's comparable to paying $2000 for the Mac itself and another $800 for the monitor (we got a bargain with the AIO on monitor costs, but on the flip side we get rid of it when we upgrade). Upgrade the iMac 27" once and you'd pay $5600 for both systems, but you'd have two monitors, one of which you'd sell, trade-in to Apple, or just junk it. Upgrading a Mac Studio in a couple years time would be paying $4000+1600 = $5600 total for old and new ($2000 for each Mac Studio and $1600 for the 27" Studio Display), compared to the $5600 for the two iMacs. Hey, exactly the same price. Now upgrade a second time, say four years down the line, and you'd pay about $7600 combined for the three systems (3 Mac Studios and 1 monitor). If you had bought three 27" iMacs, that would have been $8,200, a savings of $600. So yeah, in the long run, you save a bit of money, though you'd have to upgrade twice to do that.

Wrong.
27” iMac 3.6 10c i9, 32 Gb ram, entry GPU, 3099 retail.
Benchmark (multi core) slightly ahead of M1 Mac mini. 8c 16Gb
I doubt a 2022 Intel update would beat the upcoming Mx Pro 32Gb, wich should land at 1499 to 1599.
Center stage, camera and speakers are a $100 upgrade in this scenario.
As for your Max comparison, try an iMac Pro.

 

[richest]

I personally don't see what an iMac has to offer over a Mac Mini / Mac Studio + external display solution, but people still seem to love the iMac.

Cheaper price if they priced it pro rata

 

[RadioHedgeFund]

There is nothing a 27” iMac can do that 2 monitors wouldn’t solve.

 

[staypuftforums]

I find it hard to believe that Apple’s end goal for the iMac product line is just one single product. A 27 inch iMac powered by an M1 Max would sell.

I was in the Apple store on Friday and they had the 24" iMac side-by-side with the 27" iMac. The screen sizes were very similar. I don't think it would make much sense to continue selling both. The 27" would need to move to 30" or 32".

 

[staypuftforums]

It makes sense considering…

Studio Display with M1 Mac mini plus apples keyboard and mouse = around $2500

Studio Display with upcoming M2 Pro Mac mini plus apples keyboard and mouse = around $3000

Studio Display with Mac Studio plus apples keyboard and mouse = around $3800

All of which will be far cheaper to upgrade in 4-5 years time… as the displays will last years, and all options allow you to cut costs by going with third party displays, keyboards and mice etc…

I agree. If anything, I wish they'd have released a 21.5" Studio display and scrapped the iMac line completely.

 

[GumaRodak]

Apple has no plans to release a larger-screened iMac, according to a new report from 9to5Mac. Citing unspecified sources with knowledge of Apple's product pipeline, the site says that Apple will not be introducing a bigger iMac "in the near future."

With the launch of the Mac Studio, Apple discontinued the Intel-based 27-inch iMac, creating some confusion about the future of the iMac line. Apple confirmed to Ars Technica that the 27-inch iMac "has reached end of life," indicating the company has no intention of releasing a refreshed 27-inch model to go along with the 24-inch iMac.

Despite the discontinuation of the 27-inch iMac, there have been rumors of a larger-screened iMac Pro that could be in development, but at least some of those rumors may have been mixed up with the Studio Display. Display analyst Ross Young this week said that what his sources thought might be an iMac Pro was actually a "Studio Display Pro" that's coming later in the year, perhaps alongside the Mac Pro.

Young no longer believes that an iMac Pro is coming this summer, and 9to5Mac's information seems to agree with that take. The site says that Apple "currently has no plans to release new high-end versions of its all-in-one desktop for now," though there is a 24-inch M2 version of the iMac that's set to come out in 2023.

Other sources continue to suggest that we might see an iMac Pro at some point. Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said last Sunday that an iMac Pro would come out in 2023, and Bloomberg's Mark Gurman claims that Apple is still developing an iMac Pro.

It is not clear how an iMac Pro would fit into the Mac lineup now that the more powerful Mac Studio exists, and it's looking more and more like we might not be seeing a new larger-screened iMac in 2022. For now, Apple suggests that customers who want a powerful desktop machine invest in the Mac Studio, which is priced stating at $1,999, while those who want an all-in-one machine can opt for the 24-inch iMac.

Article Link: Apple Not Planning to Launch Larger-Screened iMac

Well sure they will make more money to sell studio + monitor

 

[Bug-Creator]

The 27" would need to move to 30" or 32".

Which would be seen as to big for most casual users making it a niche product.

Sure "niche" might still mean selling a truckload compared to non-Apple AIOs but it would be a fraction of the 24" iMac being sold and far more logistic hassle as having the same number of SKUs in Studio/Mini.

 

[Realityck]

What??? The iMac G3 is one of the biggest things that saved Apple after Jobs came back and took control of the company (Not to mention the $150 million Microsoft happened to throw Jobs way). Those "computer/displays years" were an archaic philosophy pushed by Apple's board culminated by the near disastrous tenure of Jean-Louis Gassée leadership of the company. Jobs knew exactly what he had to do and one of those things was to bring back the AIO Mac because he knew it appealed to the masses and it did. The company went from a few short weeks to becoming a niche footnote in history to becoming one of the, I'd even dare say, greatest companies ever.

Businesses didn’t buy the iMac g3 at all, most were purchasing the g3 desktop with matching colored CRT display that was much larger for creative users and heavy in 1998. Apple was still very much into the separate computer + display back then. Ahh the PPC years.

What Apple did by purchasing Next Computer was acquire NextStep that was a Unix designed to be ran on multiple platforms. Copeland was a bust, then Gershwin was also not working out, they desperately needs a modern OS that could take Macs to the next level from classic MacOS. Yes we all remember Jean-Louis Gassée BeOS. Thank god that wasn't chosen. The 2005 dual G5 power Mac was the first incarnation of the Mac Pro line, also the last year before everything went back to intel until late 2020.

The Mac Studio is a return to how Apple use to sell computers to businesses. This is seriously needed to improve Mac reception by enterprises. The iMac was not great at first it got better as time went along. Best years were 2017 thru 2020 models for the 27" iMac and for a few years the iMac Pro.

The debate concerning all-in-one desktops outselling desktop+ displays is likely the reason Apple is changing their Mac product lines. The fact they still sell the 24" is a clue that Apple is looking at the marketplace broadly. I don't think its unreasonable to assume they have something in the future that they don't want to disclose now.

 

[svish]

Very upsetting to hear that Apple no longer has immediate plans to launch an updated 27” iMac.

Maybe in 2023, with the update to the current 24” iMac, a bigger iMac could be launched. Hopefully Apple will also launch a version that is non Pro, with price starting at around $1999.

 

[wyarp]

Never thought I’d see the day that I’d be forced to switch back to PC. Until today.

 

[Wahlstrm]

It’s the size that matters to me at this point. I’m in my mid 50’s and anything smaller just isn’t good on my eyes after staring at it all day.

It's not the resolution, it's the screen size. 24" is no substitute for 27", especially for middle aged eyes.

All this talk of 24" and 27"

ha!

Here I am still on 30" -- My old eyes need all the physical size I can get at this point

Thank you. I’m glad that someone else here gets it. My eyes at this age can’t take a 24” screen, it’s just not big enough and actually quite uncomfortable.

If the 4.5K iMac won't work for "your eyes" then unfortunately none of Apples monitors will..

All of Apples retina monitors have the exact same physical resolution of 218 pixels -per inch-.
So, for the same reason a larger closet won't increase the size of a pair of 34"x34" jeans,
a 6K XDR won't* show text/images/websites/apps etc any larger than what a 4.5K iMac does.
(*You probably could run the 6K XDR in a "looks like 1080p"-mode, but what a waste..)

If an Apple monitor won't work for your eyes then a 27"4K monitor might do the trick.
Still sharp but objects on the screen will appear about 30%-ish larger compared to Apples 5K monitor.
An added benefit is that a decent 4K 27" cost almost nothing compared to Apples Studio 5K display.

 

[opeter]

iMac Pro should be chunkier than iMac though. Go big or go home.

Yeah:

p. s.: that's the old 17" Apple Studio Display CRT (ADC version), that was sold alongide the first generation of the PowerMac G4 computers. It was on the market for less than a year, before it got discountinued for the favor the Apple Studio Display LCD (ADC connection).

17-Inch Apple Studio Display CRT (ADC) Specs: EveryMac.com

A complete guide of Every Mac and MacOS-Compatible in the world, with detailed technical, configuration, and pricing information.

everymac.com

 

[wyarp]

This is curious for two reasons. First, Apple's store still lists "iMac 24"". If that was the only size iMac they are putting in their lineup, what is the point of identifying it by its size? Second, the Mac Studio doesn't serve the same market as the 27" iMac did, given the significant price difference between purchasing the Studio with Display versus just the iMac, plus the fact that many iMac users are looking for an all-in-one solution. Personally, I prefer to have my computer behind the screen and not another component with more wires on my desk. I have been waiting on a 27"-30" iMac since the M1 was introduced.

At this point there are so many stories out confirming this decision that it would seem to be true, but it is a real disappointment and a head scratcher.

THIS!

 

[Realityck]

If the 4.5K iMac won't work for "your eyes" then unfortunately none of Apples monitors will..

For myself I can put the 24" iMac a lot closer to me on a desk because of its shorter stand than the 27" with its longer stand. Yes I actually had to have the 27" iMac further back so you could look at the whole screen at once. So when we are discussing ones eyes there is also what works out to be your best distance for your eyes.

 

[hagar]

I find it hard to believe that Apple’s end goal for the iMac product line is just one single product. A 27 inch iMac powered by an M1 Max would sell.

The current offering makes much more sense. They earn more money with the Mac Studio and Studio Display.

And consumers don’t have to throw out a perfectly fine screen once their Mac is EOL.

My 2015 27 inch iMac is unbearably slow since last years macOS update. But the screen is perfectly fine. No easy way to update though, unless I open the thing and tamper with it myself.

 

[Bug-Creator]

If Apple would release a big iMac it would need to be bigger as 27" as it would otherwise be to close to the 24" in size.

At 30" or more they would want to make it 6k (which could cannibalise XDR sales) and start with the binned down M1Pro for 2999$. Once you reach the base M1Max you'd be as close to 4k.

Studio Mac and Display would be cheaper (but still only 27" 5k), Studio Mac and 2 non Apple displays could still be cheaper.

So no I don't think a big iMac would be that attractive for the bulk of "prosumers".

 

[opeter]

Next year it will be a different story. Apple will release a new lineup of an iMac. Preferably 30" iMac.

Dreams die last.

 

[Shanpdx]

24" 4K Studio Display with facetime cameras and speakers for reasonable price would be awesome, anything less than $999...

but you know apple pricing ...

again this is the company removed two ports from base model 24" iMac ...

 

[ruka.snow]

Makes a lot of sense to just have one iMac line. Maybe give it a M1 pro build to order option but otherwise it really fits the market. The 27 inch never appealed to me as it didn’t make sense compared to the Mac Pro. The studio is a much better option and I can order those in the hundreds for my developers which I couldn’t do for iMacs.