Larger Redesigned High-End iMac Rumored to Launch Next Year

[Porco]

If true, I’m even more satisfied I got my 2020 iMac when I did (spoiler: 2020 lol), but I can understand the frustration of anyone waiting for this one.

 

[mook]

Ok, maybe time to bite the bullet and buy an M1 iMac, they are already looking pretty nice.

 

[amartinez1660]

I’m looking forward to a redesigned large iMac, but I also probably would’ve pulled the trigger if they had done what they did with the Air, and just put an M1 chip in the old body.

My 2014 27" iMac was really begging to be replaced so I got one of the new 24" ones. It's beautiful, and much faster, and fits more nicely on a desk -- but the jump down in screen size is noticable, and the speakers are nowhere near as good. If I'd had the choice of an M1 version of the old 5K design, I might well have chosen it instead.

Totally understandable.
I don’t get the “don’t want their products to compete for attention” angle, attention for what and who? Currently I’m not inclined for a Mac Mini, any of the MacBooks or the iMac 24”, however the larger iMac would have gotten my attention… you were on a similar boat. Them not releasing it (on purpose it is my understanding) feels counterintuitive.

 

[Zdigital2015]

If this large iMac gets delayed and doesnt get released this year, then it's simply unacceptable. Tim Cook promised a two year transition and more than a year in, we've only just got one damn M1 chip and much of the Mac lineup is still waiting to be updated to Apple Silicon. To think that the iMac, which was iconic and symbolises the Mac spirit, will take so long for an update....
And not to mention that the Intel version with 10th gen Intel is just getting so old

It's not that hard to simply scale the current 24" up to 32" and introduce some more premium features to it (like 6K screen, even better speakers etc).

The iMac was updated this year to M1 and a new form factor. The transition began in November 2020, when the first M1 Macs were released, not in June at WWDC 2020. We’re not even half way through at this point. I’m sure Tim Cook is aware of everything that is going on at Apple and I am sure he wants this to go faster than it is right now. The faster the transition, the faster the pace of users upgrading and the sooner they can dump Intel support for Apps and macOS. Bet a lot of users here are hoping for longer Intel support.

It’s slightly more complicated in upscaling to a 32” iMac than simply going into the CAD software and dragging the resize tool to a 133% and *BAM* there’s a 32” iMac. They have to get the next CPU right and I would rather they make doubly sure everything is 100% than meet your timetable. We’re going to be living with the next Gen of CPUs for a while. One would hope you’re simply not a spec chaser, but it sure reads that way. Besides, 11th and 12th Gen Intel is simply not that impressive. I find it curious that now that Apple is onto M1 that Intel is all of a sudden belting out CPU upgrades like crazy and putting out stupid M1 comparison ads. But I digress.

 

[speedyg256]

By high end are we talking iMac Pro? Or just the 27” replacement?

 

[Zdigital2015]

If COVID-19 wasn't happening, i'm sure that the iPad Pro would've had an A-series chip, instead of the M1, the entry-level iMacs would've have an M1X SoC, and the higher-end MBPs, set to release this year, would've had an M2 SoC, instead of M1X, which are the rumors. In addition, I also think that higher-end iMacs would've been released alongside the higher-end MBPs, because both of these product lines target relatively the same sort of customer: pros and prosumers. I still think that the AS-version of the Mac Pro would be released at the end of this transition window and in 2022.

However, with COVID and the chip shortage, who knows? Maybe the Mac Pro will be delayed yet another year, and will be released "outside" of this 2 year transition window foretold by Tim Apple...

We’re living in a world where car dealers are charging $38,000 for a Toyota Corolla with a straight face, so anything is possible at this point.

 

[Zdigital2015]

By high end are we talking iMac Pro? Or just the 27” replacement?

They are one and the same at this point. You’re going to get a larger iMac and it will be called the iMac Pro to differentiate it from the smaller iMac.

 

[nikaru]

The only thing that is pushing me from purchasing an iMac is the screen size and GPU performance. 27 inch and 10 teraflops, and we have a deal (and not charging me 2000$+ for the machine please).

 

[Zdigital2015]

iMac Pro - available in a space grey finish.

This seems patently obvious, looking at Apple's existing product lines.

• Low-ranked products are 'fun and colourful'.
• High-ranked products are 'sombre and serious'.

How about this instead?

- Consumer-ranked products are fun and colorful
- Professional-ranked products are somber and serious.

My M1 MacBook Pro is faster than my Core i9 iMac in everything but Metal, so I don’t consider it low-ranked in the slightest.

 

[PsykX]

Ok, maybe time to bite the bullet and buy an M1 iMac, they are already looking pretty nice.

I'm thinking the same.
They're never on promo here in Canada... and there's still no refurbished.

 

[Zdigital2015]

The only thing that is pushing me from purchasing an iMac is the screen size and GPU performance. 27 inch and 10 teraflops, and we have a deal (and not charging me 2000$+ for the machine please).

Price is likely to start at $2499 just as the first Retina iMac cost when it was released in 2014. That 32” display will be worth it, but won’t come cheap.

 

[nicho]

How about this instead?

- Consumer-ranked products are fun and colorful
- Professional-ranked products are somber and serious.

My M1 MacBook Pro is faster than my Core i9 iMac in everything but Metal, so I don’t consider it low-ranked in the slightest.

I don't consider your M1 Macbook pro to be fun or colorful. I think you misread the thing you disagreed with, before pretty much saying the exact same thing. 😅

 

[DMG35]

Outside of random rumors like this, is there even any evidence that Apple is going to make a higher end iMac? Is it possible that the new one is the consumer product and that they are going to release a new Mac Pro for Professionals?

Those clamoring for an iMac Pro did you line up to buy the 2017 iMac Pro? All anyone ever said was that it was too expensive for most people. Now all of a sudden Apple is going to release an affordable iMac Pro? I don't see that happening. They might release it, but it will be $5000.

This has echoes of "Apple is going to release a standalone OS for the M1 iPad Pro because of reasons."

 

[topmounter]

I'm certainly 27" iMac replacement curious. There must be a lot of internal pressure to rid themselves of the current Intel Mac SKUs, so I expect they're doing what they can to make it happen.

 

[boak]

It's pretty much what should be expected, no?

Consumer-level devices came first, and prosumer-level devices will come ~1 year later.

 

[Zdigital2015]

I don't consider your M1 Macbook pro to be fun or colorful. I think you misread the thing you disagreed with, before pretty much saying the exact same thing. 😅

The M1 Macs are sort of transition computers and occupy a bit of limbo, but they are clearly the “low-ranked” products based on their price points and product category. I merely disagreed with his naming/labeling. Perhaps, I’m being overly sensitive.

 

[thingstoponder]

Why would they do it like this? They'll go for 6K and use the same panel as XDR without the fancy stuff. That way they reduce the price overall and all will be more profitable for them.

What makes you think they can use the same panel? And why do you think they would use the panel from a 4999 display for a 1799 iMac?

When they increase the screen size from 21.5 to 23.5 it’s the same panel just cut larger. It’s not that much work to increase size.

 

[thingstoponder]

I think it's more likely that they will use a 6K 32" panel, size-wise similar to Pro Display XDR, but they will cut down on its more premium features, such as HDR intensity and color modes to drive the cost down to fit the larger iMac.

To have 5,5k and 6K screens in the portfolio sounds a bit redundant. I would wager they'll utilize economies of scale, and streamline it with 6K screens, just slightly less pro for the iMac.

“To have 5,5k and 6K screens in the portfolio sounds a bit redundant.”

Not if they’re different sizes. I think it makes perfect sense to have. 24” display, 29”, and 32”r something around there.

Keep in mind there is a rumored consumer display coming, presumably they same size as the big iMac like the old 27” was. I don’t think it’s likely it will be the same size as the 4999 one.

 

[Hexley]

If you buy Apple products on a schedule you really don’t care what’s in it anymore.

My late 2012 iMac 27” security update is schedule to end by late 2022 so I’m game to buy the product refresh after that day.

Just wish I replaced the fusion drive in early 2018 with an all SSD setup

 

[williedigital]

If this large iMac gets delayed and doesnt get released this year, then it's simply unacceptable. Tim Cook promised a two year transition and more than a year in, we've only just got one damn M1 chip and much of the Mac lineup is still waiting to be updated to Apple Silicon. To think that the iMac, which was iconic and symbolises the Mac spirit, will take so long for an update....
And not to mention that the Intel version with 10th gen Intel is just getting so old

It's not that hard to simply scale the current 24" up to 32" and introduce some more premium features to it (like 6K screen, even better speakers etc).

Alright boss. I guess you'll not accept it.

 

[James Godfrey]

Definitely seems as though the two year transitions has been delayed by 6 months due to the pandemic

 

[zorinlynx]

Damnit, this is frustrating. I want to upgrade my Late-2015 27" iMac, but don't want to invest in a new 27" Intel iMac because it's just going to be obsolete a lot sooner. I figured I'd be able to this year, but now have to wait longer.

 

[xgman]

Expected, but was hoping for a sooner surprise. . . oh well..

 

[AAPLGeek]

Yes, Apple is going to release a “pro” iMac with a “pro” pricing structure. Glued in screen with soldered on RAM and SSD on a tiny, almost inaccessible logic board. The RAM upgrade to 128GB will cost more than the entire machine but users will be happy to pay for it, because “pro”.
Any hardware issue once your 3 year AppleCare warranty runs out and you are left with a “pro” paperweight.

 

[Digital Skunk]

If this rumor is to be believed then at least next year isn't that far off. A lot of users are chomping (I know it's champ, but historically that word mean to "chomp") at the bit for a bigger, higher-end iMac and Six months from now isn't too long to wait.