Apple Patent Imagines iMac Made From a Single Sheet of Glass

[Regbial]

It's kind of ugly and certainly more obtrusive than the current iMac... but hey maybe we're entering a retro-future era, with computers like the ones in Alien, and Alien: Isolation... I wouldn't mind too much. 👀

I mean you can only modernize (clean design-ize) and flatten, simplify things so much before it gets boring... Where do we go from here?

 

[Count Blah]

Everyone complains apple aren't innovating then complain when they do.

"innovation" is in the eye of the beholder ...

 

[W.O.P.R.]

I feel like I've seen that curve before...

 

[carrrrrlos]

Working that close to 27"+ screen seems highly dysfunctional. My current monitor sits a good 24" away and from my keyboard.

 

[farewelwilliams]

Because you didn’t actually read the post now you look like an idiot.

I did and you look like an idiot for thinking the flexible material is going to allow a wide range of angles and it's going to be just as effortless as the iMac. As I said, good luck changing the viewing angles.
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So you didn't even read the article did you?

I did. I also studied some material science in college. How about you do the same and tell me what would be the range of viewing angles on this invention given the "flexible" material. Not as much or as easy as the iMac I bet.

 

[Bin Cook]

Fair play. Only took four posts for the stockholders to pile in and talk up this piece of crap.

 

[skitidetdu]

good luck changing the viewing angle

Maybe a display that can be bent? Or at least a stand in other material that are flexible...

 

[Jim Lahey]

Fair play. Only took four posts for the stockholders to pile in and talk up this piece of crap.

And 81 posts for the hard-of-thinking to pile in and talk down an unreleased concept they’ve never set eyes on 😂

 

[Four oF NINE]

The PERFECT iPhone design looks like clear glass until it's turned on.

 

[lovehateapple]

I hope this never sees the light of day. Doesn't look like progress to me at all. Would much rather see a touchscreen Mac.

 

[Unami]

so we‘ll finally get some product featuring that flexible glass from corning?

 

[EdT]

This could be amazing. I wonder how much the base will cost.

Only $699.00. By Grapthars Hammer, what savings!!

 

[high heaven]

It would be better to make a modular Mac for a larger market. All in one computer, especially from Mac, isn't that profitable and yet Apple is ignoring that major market.

 

[EdT]

It's kind of ugly and certainly more obtrusive than the current iMac... but hey maybe we're entering a retro-future era, with computers like the ones in Alien, and Alien: Isolation... I wouldn't mind too much. 👀

I mean you can only modernize (clean design-ize) and flatten, simplify things so much before it gets boring... Where do we go from here?

I’m a Form follows Function guy. You make something that is the most efficient way for that something to do what it’s designed to do. I would want it powerful and able to connect to other devices and easily expandable and either so damn cheap that it doesn’t matter that a bigger/better version is released 12-18 months later or the ability to make this model that version.

i also would like everyone in America to give me $1000.00 this month. I think my computer requirements are more of a fantasy than that request.

 

[jacjustjac]

So Jony Ive has officially left and this is what they think of on their own (I’m joking).

 

[JosephAW]

Of course if it's sealed there's no more servicing it. Maybe this is the new ARM model.

 

[EdT]

It would be better to make a modular Mac for a larger market. All in one computer, especially from Mac, isn't that profitable and yet Apple is ignoring that major market.

Not really sure the market is that major. You can get decently powered PC’s for under a thousand. Real gaming machines aren’t cheap from anyone and without NVIDEA support a Mac isn’t going to compete in that market anyway. I don’t know of a general use category that average people would buy a MacBook or iMac for in preference to a Windows PC. The OS may be more stable but its expensive to buy a Mac and cost will sway more people than features.

 

[Unregistered 4U]

Of course if it's sealed there's no more servicing it. Maybe this is the new ARM model.

That’s what I was thinking. For what most folks use an iMac for, they could take the ARM processor out of an iPad Pro, increase it’s ability to work with a higher resolution screen and, for the heat it dissipates, it wouldn’t have to be much thicker than the current iPad Pro. It would look like a large piece of glass. I’m even wondering if it’d need a fan at all.
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Apple is ignoring that major market.

Most folks buying Macs buy mobile systems, they don’t want desktops. For those that do, most want iMacs. I would guess Mac Mini purchases are somewhere between 5 to 8 percent, if that much. Not a major market.

 

[Sensa2004]

it's really an ergonomic nightmare that doesn't improve on the current design.

The keyboard would have to be wireless to be functional as no one in their right mind would sit as close to the screen as would otherwise be required. And, if the keyboard is removable and wireless then you're left with a massive "chin", for lack of a better description, that is not aesthetically pleasing when the keyboard is removed and takes up valuable real estate on your desktop. As an example, currently I have a disk drive sitting on top of the bae of the stand so as to maximize desktop space. Others no doubt use this space to store other things. There's also the aforementioned issue of adjustability of the screen angle that would appear from the patent to be somewhat challenging and/or lead to the use of the types of materials in the Galaxy Fold, in the upper "chin" area, that are prone to scratches and other damage over time.

The size of the stand / component enclosure also appears to much bulkier than the current design of the stand and again will take up more desk top real estate than the current model.

Ergonomically and aesthetically this is a step backward imho. I think its safe to say that John Ivy wouldn't approve.

 

[EdT]

it's really an ergonomic nightmare that doesn't improve on the current design.

The keyboard would have to be wireless to be functional as no one in their right mind would sit as close to the screen as would otherwise be required. And, if the keyboard is removable and wireless then you're left with a massive "chin", for lack of a better description, that is not aesthetically pleasing when the keyboard is removed and takes up valuable real estate on your desktop. As an example, currently I have a disk drive sitting on top of the bae of the stand so as to maximize desktop space. Others no doubt use this space to store other things. There's also the aforementioned issue of adjustability of the screen angle that would appear from the patent to be somewhat challenging and/or lead to the use of the types of materials in the Galaxy Fold, in the upper "chin" area, that are prone to scratches and other damage over time.

The size of the stand / component enclosure also appears to much bulkier than the current design of the stand and again will take up more desk top real estate than the current model.

Ergonomically and aesthetically this is a step backward imho. I think its safe to say that John Ivy wouldn't approve.

Is it thin to the point of being fragile? Ivy would approve.

 

[high heaven]

Not really sure the market is that major. You can get decently powered PC’s for under a thousand. Real gaming machines aren’t cheap from anyone and without NVIDEA support a Mac isn’t going to compete in that market anyway. I don’t know of a general use category that average people would buy a MacBook or iMac for in preference to a Windows PC. The OS may be more stable but its expensive to buy a Mac and cost will sway more people than features.

This is because Mac Pro 2019 is too expansive for those people need a desktop with upgradability around $3000. All in one itself isn't popular.

 

[Icaras]

In a world of cynicism for everything new Apple designs, I'll stay open minded

how about a 34”?

I can certainly see a 30” and above size for the iMac Pro pipeline. Not so much for the consumer iMac.

 

[MarkB786]

We want a post-Ive world. If this design would make it more functional and powerful for the user, great! Otherwise, no more Ive-esque design that sacrifices function for art.

 

[jscooper22]

When the iPads came out I actually thought they would put a hinge between two of them an make a laptop like that.

 

[iPadified]

This has potential as modular system with screen and computer. I did expect a screen plus a Mac mini setup instead or a laptop. I do believe the screen should be doubling as a gigantic desktop iPad and hence has the latest AYYX processor in it for pencil input. Sidecar could be useful to add Mac OS funtionality to the screen. I would love if they went back to the design language of their white/transparent flat screen iMac that was subsequently replaced with Al casings. Glass and white painted Al is recyclable to larger degree that polymers (I assume it was polycarbonate). .

Apple has taken the market for beautiful computers and in many situations having good looking computers is highly desirable. The front has the potential to be beautiful although impractical in this embodiment but the back looks awful and something expected from Dell. A patent and a final design is quite different so I guess this drawing was made to blur their real implementation.