iMac Design Changes: 2017 or 2018?

[Andres Cantu]

For the next iMac's design, do you guys think it'll look something like that, and if so, this year or the next? The black borders on the current one certainly could get reduced, and they could introduce a Space Gray color like the MacBook Pro, or perhaps the Magic Keyboard and Magic Trackpad are holding them back from doing so (since they're both just silver).

 

[HealthyFruitSalads]

Looks nice but the bottom black bezel needs to be lower as well as the stand is just like on the current MacBook Pros.

 

[DanielDD]

I would love to own an iMac only with the glass bezel

 

[Pakaku]

I can't tell what you changed asides from darkening the case colour.

 

[Andres Cantu]

I can't tell what you changed asides from darkening the case colour.

The black borders are significantly reduced, similar to how the MacBook Pro's have changed in the past two design changes.

 

[macmee]

I dont care what it looks like as long as it runs cooler and LG doesnt supply the monitor

 

[The Doctor11]

Smaller bezels certainly look great, but I don't think it really matters. I never notice the bezels when I'm using my computer, my only focus is the screen.

 

[T'hain Esh Kelch]

Given the long wait with both iMac, Mac Mini and Mac Pro, I do honestly believe the next round of updates indicate a signficant blurring of how the three lines seperate. So yes, I do expect a significant overhaul of the iMac.

 

[maflynn]

Given the long wait with both iMac, Mac Mini and Mac Pro, I do honestly believe the next round of updates indicate a signficant blurring of how the three lines seperate. So yes, I do expect a significant overhaul of the iMac

I wouldn't be surprised to see the Mac Pro killed off.

Also other then making a few tweaks to the enclosure (less bezel), I'm not sure what Apple could do design wise. Maybe go the route that MS did and put the computer guts in the base of the display.

 

[psiquest_x]

I don't anticipate any significant design changes. Perhaps a slightly reduced bezel, as others have said, but that's about it. I think it will be an internals update (processor bump, amd graphics, all retina lineup, etc.).

I do, however, fully expect a keyboard with a fingerprint sensor specifically for ApplePay. I hope they'd refrain from a full TouchBar, but... not putting it past them at this point.

 

[T'hain Esh Kelch]

I wouldn't be surprised to see the Mac Pro killed off.

That is actually also my expectation. Unless they go for something in between the old Mac Pro and the Mini. Ie. a mini tower with some form of expandability.

 

[CWallace]

I wouldn't be surprised to see the Mac Pro killed off.

Well Apple have been investigating moving Mac Pro production to China so they seem to at least have been looking at a new model with a design that was more amicable to mass production.

 

[maflynn]

Well Apple have been investigating moving Mac Pro production to China so they seem to at least have been looking at a new model with a design that was more amicable to mass production.

I hadn't seen that report, that does mean some good news for MacPro owners.

 

[Icaras]

I wouldn't be surprised to see the Mac Pro killed off.

Also other then making a few tweaks to the enclosure (less bezel), I'm not sure what Apple could do design wise. Maybe go the route that MS did and put the computer guts in the base of the display.

I agree with the first statement on the Mac Pro, but I don't know about the second. Unless Apple decides to go against everything it's argued for and reverses its hard stance on touchscreens for Macs, I don't really see the benefit for Apple to transplant the guts to the base. There is no need to pivot the iMac display horizontally like the Surface Studio and it also makes the iMac appear busier in design up front. But then again, they love thinness, so really anything is possible. I just don't see the likelihood of it because the iMac doesn't share the same touch screen interface method than the Surface Studio.

 

[richinaus]

I agree with the first statement on the Mac Pro, but I don't know about the second. Unless Apple decides to go against everything it's argued for and reverses its hard stance on touchscreens for Macs, I don't really see the benefit for Apple to transplant the guts to the base. There is no need to pivot the iMac display horizontally like the Surface Studio and it also makes the iMac appear busier in design up front. But then again, they love thinness, so really anything is possible. I just don't see the likelihood of it because the iMac doesn't share the same touch screen interface method than the Surface Studio.

It will be interesting to see where they take the desktop over the next few years, as if they are not doing multitouch / pencil input then really there is not that much to add except make it a little slicker and update the ports / cpu & cpu each year. I agree with the arguments they make for having your main screen as touch but at the same time it would be awesome for me to have pencil input on an iMac like the Surface Studio.

I don't give the direction of the computers lots of thought as that is what I pay Apple to do, but it could all become stale quite quickly if they don't change it up to something new[ish] soon.

 

[Icaras]

It will be interesting to see where they take the desktop over the next few years, as if they are not doing multitouch / pencil input then really there is not that much to add except make it a little slicker and update the ports / cpu & cpu each year. I agree with the arguments they make for having your main screen as touch but at the same time it would be awesome for me to have pencil input on an iMac like the Surface Studio.

I don't give the direction of the computers lots of thought as that is what I pay Apple to do, but it could all become stale quite quickly if they don't change it up to something new[ish] soon.

What if they could compliment the TouchBar by simply turning the now super large trackpad (hint?), and the Magic Trackpad into a TouchPad with Apple Pencil support. And whatever window in a supported app you had active, could mirror, not unlike AirPlay, the contents of that window directly on to the TouchPad and you'd be able to manipulate it? It wouldn't have to mirror the entire macOS screen, just the contents of a particular window.

It would definitely be more cost effective than turning an entire 27-inch screen into a giant sized touch screen, which would surely jack up the price, similar to what the Surface Studio currently retails for. I'm pretty sure a full screen touchscreen iMac would cost more than a similarly specced Surface Studio. This approach would also keep in line with Apple's philosophy of having dual OS platforms.

 

[richinaus]

What if they could compliment the TouchBar by simply turning the now super large trackpad (hint?), and the Magic Trackpad into a TouchPad with Apple Pencil support. And whatever window in a supported app you had active, could mirror, not unlike AirPlay, the contents of that window directly on to the TouchPad and you'd be able to manipulate it? It wouldn't have to mirror the entire macOS screen, just the contents of a particular window.

It would definitely be more cost effective than turning an entire 27-inch screen into a giant sized touch screen, which would surely jack up the price, similar to what the Surface Studio currently retails for. I'm pretty sure a full screen touchscreen iMac would cost more than a similarly specced Surface Studio. This approach would also keep in line with Apple's philosophy of having dual OS platforms.

Yes this could be a peripheral although I am unsure of the real benefits of it. It depends on your usage of course but I find the 13" iPad Pro screen too small for drawing markups so not sure about this solution for my use, but can see the benefit for signing documents and small sketches.

it could be useful as a 'scratchpad' taking notes into the notes app....... Probably around A5 size [like a moleskin notebook] would do it for me, smaller I wouldn't bother with it.

 

[Icaras]

Yes this could be a peripheral although I am unsure of the real benefits of it. It depends on your usage of course but I find the 13" iPad Pro screen too small for drawing markups so not sure about this solution for my use, but can see the benefit for signing documents and small sketches.

it could be useful as a 'scratchpad' taking notes into the notes app....... Probably around A5 size [like a moleskin notebook] would do it for me, smaller I wouldn't bother with it.

I can certainly understand that limitation. What if they integrated the iPad Pro via the smart connector to your Mac (somehow) and you could use that to be your touchscreen mirror canvas for macOS? I said this in another thread before but even an iMac + iPad Pro can be a cheaper buy than the Surface Studio. And I know you said the iPad Pro still feels a little small for you but the 10-inch to 13-inch display could be suitable for many Pro users still.

 

[tubeexperience]

0.5 cm thinner.

Timmy calls it magical and increase the price of the iMac by $200.

 

[Lesser Evets]

If Apple has so much trouble just to work on internals, I doubt they will revamp exterior designs in any major way until the process for chips changes... maybe 2020 with 7nm chips and finless architecture. It would be nice to see them slim down the chunkier qualities of the iMac, but it shouldn't be expected while they focus on phones.

 

[ThisBougieLife]

At the least I expect a space gray option

 

[iKnowMr.Jobs]

I don't see the chin under the display being removed at any point in the near future. People need to realize that behind the bezels and chin are necessary components that you can't remove. If you want terrible speakers or no speakers at all in your next iMac, hope that the chin sticks around.

 

[maflynn]

People need to realize that behind the bezels and chin are necessary components that you can't remove

If they place the guts in the base of the computer, like the Studio, then that opens the door to them making the display thinner and removing the large chin - since they love making things thinner I hope they move in that direction. I think they can make the computer more powerful, using faster components as they'll have more freedom to build in cooling technology.

 

[Macmamamac]

The nest design will look radically different I think.

I suspect apple might introduce something OLED based, with will be be extremely thin, energy efficient and light. The internals possibly in a slim box at the bottom.

 

[CWallace]

If they place the guts in the base of the computer, like the Studio, then that opens the door to them making the display thinner and removing the large chin - since they love making things thinner I hope they move in that direction. I think they can make the computer more powerful, using faster components as they'll have more freedom to build in cooling technology.

The lower thermal dissipation in the Surface Studio base unit is a concern requires using things like mobile CPUs (like on the MBP) versus the desktop CPUs in the iMac. So unless it's a pretty big box (which being Apple, it won't be), moving the parts to the base might reduce performance, not improve it.