Gurman: Redesigned iMac, Smaller HomePod, New Apple TV, and More Coming This Year

[Unregistered 4U]

Is there any reason to believe that AR will be anything more than a gimmick?

Right now, I don’t think so. BUT, back when the first Mac was released, there was no reason to believe that it would be anything more than a curiosity like the ill fated Lisa. There wasn’t even Excel or Word until a year later.

versatile all around speaker that had appeal beyond the audience it found.

I think that’s the Beats brand. Apple’s selling WAY more of those than the HomePod.

There's really no reason other than aesthetic for an all-in-one desktop to be so thin.

Probably just folks at the time saying that the Mac needed a “redesign” and >POOF< redesigned. So for those hoping for a redesign now, just so that it looks different, remember what happened LAST time /s

I think the rumor mill has dried up for him a bit since he went to Bloomberg.

And, of course, there’s always this (thanks to daringfireball, I can’t see Bloomberg without thinking...)
Bloomberg, of course, is the publication that published “The Big Hack” in October 2018 — a sensational story alleging that data centers of Apple, Amazon, and dozens of other companies were compromised by China’s intelligence services. The story presented no confirmable evidence at all, was vehemently denied by all companiesinvolved, has not been confirmed by a single other publication (despite much effort to do so), and has been largely discredited by one of Bloomberg’s own sources. By all appearances “The Big Hack” was complete **oops**. Yet Bloomberg has issued no correction or retraction, and seemingly hopes we’ll all just forget about it. I say we do not just forget about it. Bloomberg’s institutional credibility is severely damaged, and everything they publish should be treated with skepticism until they retract the story or provide evidence that it was true.

Is the idea that you'd take it off and charge it some time during the day?

My watch takes about two hours to charge during the day. Plus, it’s all about your usage. If sleep tracking is of zero import, then folks will put it on charge at night as they always have. It’s only those that want sleep tracking that might have to alter their habits (or they have already altered their habits using a different app?)

 

[The Cappy]

I think the rumor mill has dried up for him a bit since he went to Bloomberg. I also don’t believe he was ever as in the know as he wanted people to think. I don’t think he ever really understood the inner workings of Apple.

Yeah that stuff about Marzipan turned out to be complete nonsense.

 

[Tesla1856]

1. Lack of proper i/o hampered the sales of the HomePod. It was/is ecosystem locked and limited. You couldn't connect it to anything or anything to it. No BT playback, no 3.5m jack... just made it an all-in speaker for the all-in fan when it could have been a versatile all around speaker that had appeal beyond the audience it found.

2. If the rumored smaller speaker doesn't have proper i/o I think we're going to see a repeat of the original HomePod's sales.

I would have much rather stayed "all Apple eco-system". However, when I was ready to finally try a "smart speaker" years ago, there was no HomePod yet.

We had an Amazon Prime account (really, just for the free shipping) so we tried a $40 Alexa Echo Dot. The rest is history. Now, years later, we have all different shapes and sizes of Alexa-Echo devices around the house.

Yes, something like an Echo-Dot 3rd-gen (with clock or small display) or a Echo Show 5 ... is what I would try to get people to try the new Apple HomePod-mini .

 

[PickUrPoison]

You know good and well Apple will slap a 720p FaceTime camera on a 2020 iMac. 😃

What’s wrong with 720p? Most broadcast HDTV is 720p and it looks incredible, even on a 55” set.

Resolution isn’t the problem.

 

[Tesla1856]

Smaller HomePod with even worse sound?
I'd love to have a larger homepod.
Large enough to fit an 8" sub in there.

So, what if it did ? So, you spend $500 on this, but it only works for Apple devices. You have a different (more expensive) audio-system for the Home Theater or main TV room . And more speakers for the other thing (ie Amazon or Sonos).

I just don't get it.

I would rather use the smart-speakers as old-school "desk radios" . For sound any bigger than that, I would rather use my real audio systems in those rooms .

Do young people and families not buy and install conventional audio systems any more?

 

[MacFan782040]

I would looovvveeeee a 32" iMac or iMac Pro!

 

[Caliber26]

What’s wrong with 720p? Most broadcast HDTV is 720p and it looks incredible, even on a 55” set.

Resolution isn’t the problem.

I personally have no problem with Face ID cameras on a computer. I can count on one hand the number of times I’ve used a webcam on a computer since their inception, so they could put a 480p camera on there and I wouldn’t care at all.

I was speaking to the point that people often ask for higher resolution on the Face ID camera and Apple keeps delivering 720p. If the 16” MBP got 720p, it’s very likely the iMac will follow suit.

 

[69Mustang]

What’s wrong with 720p? Most broadcast HDTV is 720p and it looks incredible, even on a 55” set.

Resolution isn’t the problem.

You can't really compare broadcast TV 720p to a webcam's 720p though. Broadcast TV looks great because it is not broadcasting your lighting environment. It's broadcasting a properly lit and colorized image. Your webcam is broadcasting whatever lighting environment you happen to be in at that moment. This video illustrates that (it's short, less than 4 min).


Laptops and desktops can and should offer better webcams. I seriously doubt a better camera couldn't have been fitted in the current iMac chassis and I'd be hard pressed to believe Apple won't do it in an updated iMac. The days of potato cams should have been a thing of the past a long time ago.

 

[idji73]

No reason for 8K Apple TV... There's no content available...

Let's get a decent remote though, like the Swiss one.

 

[PickUrPoison]

So absolutely nothing we haven’t already heard? Thanks Gurman 🙄

Oh wait he broke the news that the AirTag might have a leather case. I guess for when you’re not using it? Awesome.

 

[Hiddecollee]

We don’t know what sources he has now that he‘s at Bloomberg. Sure some of this will probably become true but a lot of it anyone could predict.

Did you guys forgot the iOS 13 leaks from last year from him?

 

[Unregistered 4U]

Do young people and families not buy and install conventional audio systems any more?

Big ol’ guessing and speculation here:
I’d say in one room, the one that’s meant to be the audiovisual center of the house/apartment, that’s where the conventional audio systems go. However, judging by the sales of the Alexa compatible speakers, if there’s additional speakers in the house, there’s a strong desire to have them respond to voice commands. So, if you do have another room where you’d like to have decent sound, there’s a good chance that room will have some form of smart speaker. Actually, even the “conventional audio” room likely has a smart speaker in it, too.

 

[PickUrPoison]

You can't really compare broadcast TV 720p to a webcam's 720p though. Broadcast TV looks great because it is not broadcasting your lighting environment. It's broadcasting a properly lit and colorized image. Your webcam is broadcasting whatever lighting environment you happen to be in at that moment. This video illustrates that (it's short, less than 4 min).


Laptops and desktops can and should offer better webcams. I seriously doubt a better camera couldn't have been fitted in the current iMac chassis and I'd be hard pressed to believe Apple won't do it in an updated iMac. The days of potato cams should have been a thing of the past a long time ago.

Right. That's my whole point, it’s not a 720 vs 1080 problem. You don’t solve the problem of poor quality video simply by increasing the resolution. 720p is entirely appropriate and more than sufficient for a webcam.

You can easily end up with worse video quality with higher resolution streams, since they require more upstream bandwidth that you might not have to spare.

 

[urnotl33t]

Saving the Homepod, should be a move upmarket AND downmarket, not downmarket alone. Apple needs to have presence in the low end but they will not outcompete "pay-in-data-rape-and-privacy-violation" from the other big two tech companies, so they need to have a bigger homepod and a subwoofer to compete for the high end audio market, where people gladly pay big money - and those folks all are expensive iphone owners.

I want an EQ. The bass is way too strong; it vibrates my downstairs neighbor if I have the volume too high. Ok that’s a slight exaggeration, but it is too much. I also don’t hear the highs very much at all, either. I noticed today in “Lucky Feeling”, from Jimmy Eat World, that the tambourine in the third verse and chorus was non-existant. Play it on AirPods and you’ll hear the difference. HomePod made me kinda sad for that.

Improvements to Siri should include “Sans Siri”. 😕 I tell my 8yr old often that Siri is an idiot. I know Apple is keeping Siri on-device, but holy crap what a useless mess. I know the backend infrastructure for Siri is awesome and fantastic, but the front end is pitiful. And wildly inconsistent between devices.

I should be able to tell Siri a list of items to put on a grocery list, not add them one at a time like I’m the robot. Otherwise I can just type it myself faster (and I do). Alas.

 

[femike]

Apple TV ... I hope they don't even think about wasting time for 8K. It needs hardware updated, more ram, revamped software, revamped remote. Development has been stagnate for over 4 years now.

 

[Tozovac]

The iMac is certainly due for a redesign. But I wonder what that will entail? They can't make it much slimmer. They could possibly get rid of the chin and make it just a floating screen, basically a big iPad on a Magic Keyboard. They've got my attention; let's see what they can deliver.

Hey, you got the numpad back since then. don't complain 😛

But yeah, the iMac desperately need a new design. The chin and bezels are huge by todays standards, and they should be able to improve that.

Really? Then what, once bezels disappear? A bezel-less screen might then mean a bulkier/thicker screen to fit in the basics, which could be ok, but then what in 5 years? I respect the opinions but I worry every time a classic, already-rather-simple design is pushed for “more different,” especially for a company like Apple with products already rather minimal-ized and full of designers wanting to...design. Put a beaver on top of the Empire State Building and it’ll...build a dam. Put a bunch of minimalist designers in front of their workstation who want to create more of their unique art, and they’ll...maybe create the hardware version of ios7. Shudder at the thought.,..

 

[hellokittymeow]

Very exciting new in regards to the iMac. Please get rid of the disgusting thick bezels and make it a floating screen! 30-32 inch iMac please, that is the size with the most interest. Also. please redesign the interior with a carbon copy of the iMac pro thermal architecture with the dual centrifugal fans! I have been waiting years for this news and have the money ready to purchase. Finally an iMac redesign on the horizon!!!

 

[Tagbert]

substantial iMac refresh - literally cannot wait. Hope 27" model will get redesigned too

Literally will have to since it is not out, yet.

 

[827538]

The iMac has a huge bezels right now, in particular the chin. Having more display on a similar size chassis would be a good improvement. And please, no more HDD, just start with a 256GB SSD like the Macbook Air.

Frankly I wouldn't mind if the iMac went back to it's 2006 days when it was much thicker.

There's really no reason other than aesthetic for an all-in-one desktop to be so thin. The added depth means you could pack everything in there, plus remove the chin, and eliminate the thick bezels. The thermals will be better too.

Think 6K XDR type thick...but floating on a hinged stand.

Agree with both of these. Shrink the bezels and chin down to nothing but make it thicker.
Also they really need to completely ditch HDD storage, it's their only device left that includes one. You would think they would be itching to ditch it so they can simplify OS development. Building an OS that only relies on SSD's has advantages, just like ditching PowerPC and 32bit based programs allows them to remove a bunch of legacy crap.
Not too mention SSD's really fit well with the Apple experience, no more slow downs.

32", all SSD, proper cooling, latest silicon and IO, would be quite a popular machine.

 

[PostApple2016BrainWash]

Very exciting new in regards to the iMac. Please get rid of the disgusting thick bezels and make it a floating screen! 30-32 inch iMac please, that is the size with the most interest. Also. please redesign the interior with a carbon copy of the iMac pro thermal architecture with the dual centrifugal fans! I have been waiting years for this news and have the money ready to purchase. Finally an iMac redesign on the horizon!!!

No doubt, if anything can remain the same is the overall thickness and price of iMac.

The new iMac is available in 24”, 28” and 32”

 

[AnnoyedCarrot]

im in the market for a computer... share the imac is months away.

 

[Lozza013]

Release the new Macbook Pro already so I can choose between the Pro and Air

 

[Azrael9]

Frankly I wouldn't mind if the iMac went back to it's 2006 days when it was much thicker.

There's really no reason other than aesthetic for an all-in-one desktop to be so thin. The added depth means you could pack everything in there, plus remove the chin, and eliminate the thick bezels. The thermals will be better too.

Think 6K XDR type thick...but floating on a hinged stand.

I preferred the thicker design.

The R&D for the shell of the 6k XDR is done. Driving economies of scale and removing the exotic parts of that could create a compelling iMac Pro/iMac product (both could be consolidated around that design.)

I'd keep the rotate to portrail aspect though. The iMac has long 'promised' flexibility and adjustability (it's all about that floating screen, right?) But after the 'promise' of the luxor iMac Apple took a giant step back with the current design.

Mac Pro display? Very exciting and bold design, I have to give Apple credit there. Great job.

It looks like the future.

Azrael.

 

[Jar Jar Abrams]

Happy to hear he's talking about a 14 inch MBP, not another 13 like other rumours lately. Sounds like a pretty perfect mobile size and I wouldn't know what MacBook to get if there were another old 13".

3D is a hit what are you talking about, it rocks every 30 years, there were 6x 3D films in the 1950’s, 8 3D films in the 1980’s and between 2010-2015 there were 9 and in 2040 we will see some more cracking 3D content! I for one can’t wait hopefully the next 30 years go fast.

 

[GalileoSeven]

Agree with both of these. Shrink the bezels and chin down to nothing but make it thicker.
Also they really need to completely ditch HDD storage, it's their only device left that includes one. You would think they would be itching to ditch it so they can simplify OS development. Building an OS that only relies on SSD's has advantages, just like ditching PowerPC and 32bit based programs allows them to remove a bunch of legacy crap.
Not too mention SSD's really fit well with the Apple experience, no more slow downs.

32", all SSD, proper cooling, latest silicon and IO, would be quite a popular machine.

Amen. The price would then be completely justified IMO.