More Claims of October Launch for Updated iMac Models

[charlituna]

No retina display please.. No graphic card out there can drive that amount of pixels sub-30fps, yet..

Actually there could be. Too many folks are making the false assumption that Retina would mean doubling the highest current res but the math doesn't play out to that. Under Apple's own published math you only need about 12% more pixels on a 27 inch and 15-17% more on a 21 inch (which they aren't likely to do since that is the more consumer model and folks won't pay the higher price).

So they might not need some super crazy GPU to push that amount. Or if they decide they want to increase the power they might go with a 'desktop' GPU rather than a mobile one, have sorted out a way to put in a second (they would have room if they kill the internal ODD) etc.

I'm more curious what they might do with making a larger Cinema Display model and even perhaps one with the power and frame rates to handle even 3d material cleanly. I'd take a 40 inch Retina 3d capable Cinema Display as a tv any day. With both thunderbolt and HDMI I could hook my computer and blu-ray to it as well as my Apple TV and be very happy.

 

[cvaldes]

DigiTimes has come under increasing criticism for a number of claims that have not been borne out, but the publication does occasionally offer correct information and weighing its information with other rumors can still help fill out a picture of Apple's roadmap. In this case, the new report offers a second data point claiming that new iMacs will arrive in the September-October timeframe rather coming sooner as many have hoped.

LOL, this should be the first paragraph, not the last.

It's a Digitmes rumor, hence worthless. Just chuck this one into the circular file. Oh, wait, the circular file needs emptying since it's full of other Digitimes rumors.

 

[xgman]

Apple's attention to the desktop market has simply become alarming. Falling way behind the curve and longer and longer between updates. The writing is on the wall.

ps: I don't really want retina either. Not happy about the image retention issues so far with the mbp's.

 

[charlituna]

I don't claim to understand Apple's strategy and know that desktops are well below iPhones, iPads and MacBooks in the grand priority scheme.

It's less about desktops being under anything in the priority list and more about Apple's overall plan that they don't release stuff just to be releasing something. They do it when they can do it well. If it takes 3 years for the tech to be there to release a killer Pro tower, they will wait. Same with two years for a revamped iMac. Remembering that they don't make every component so that is an issue they have to deal with as well, timing and quality of the parts they need.

----------

retina display
solid state storage
no optical drive
soldered ram
thunderbolt, usb 3, hdmi,
very, very thin.

They did it with the MBP. And like the MBP it will likely be a single high end model this round and perhaps spread as the tech settles into its own.

 

[zMacintoshz]

im glad i just ordered mine, i can't wait until october to get an iMac

 

[charlituna]

So according to this article, Retina display iMac 2012 but NO redesign until 2013, So why the long wait? Smells fishy this article does.

That smell is often due to folks forgetting that Apple runs on a fiscal calendar and for them 2013 starts in Oct 2012. So you have a source saying '2013' meaning the fiscal year but the site is thinking of 2013 in a pure standard calendar since and speaks of Jan etc.

so if they release in Oct they are both in 2012 and 2013 depending on which calendar you are using

 

[rocanlover163]

It seems odd that there wasn't a new iMac update last month if it's supposbably suppsoed to be just a small spec bump.

 

[charlituna]

Unfortunately, I don't think they're going to put all their eggs in one basket. They'll likely stretch that out over several updates.

which is why they haven't release a notebook model with all . . .

oh wait.

 

[bungiefan89]

All I want is an HDMI in/out port. So disappointed that I can't use my 2011 iMac's gorgeous screen to display ANYTHING other than what's on the computer, and information from another Thunderbolt-equipped Mac.

 

[John.B]

If they offer Retina display it will probably be only in one version and it will be astronomical in price.

I don't see the point in a Retina display iMac. The resolution on the current model is darn near perfect. After seeing a retina macbook, I don't see what all the fuss is about.

Nice to have choices.

 

[charlituna]

looks like the new "folks" at apple are just "playing safe", nothing really bold and exiting came out since the 4s

Looks like someone actually believes that tech is developed overnight and has no clue that everything we are seeing right now started several years ago and we'll be seeing "steve" stuff for several more years to come (as far out as 10 years from now).

So this has little to nothing to do with the 'new folks' who actually aren't new as Tim Cook etc were with the company for years under Steve.

 

[ericinboston]

<sarcasm>Wow! I only have to wait 4 more full months before it is released! Golly, I LOVE waiting close to 2 years for Apple to update its desktop family!</sarcasm>

But seriously....what the bleepedy bleep bleep is up with Apple taking years (plural) to release an UPDATE to its destkop.

My wife and I have waited too long for this...we want something now. Bye bye, Apple. I can grab a system with a high end i7, 16GB ram, 256GB SSD drive and 2TB Sata 6Gbps drive, cd/dvd/bluray burner, USB 3.0 system with 24" monitor for $1100....NOW. Buying this afternoon. No, not Dell or HP or Lenovo or other mass-market...mom and pop store that's about $100 more than the name brands but has higher quality/better spec guts.


Shhhhheeeeeeez, Apple.

 

[charlituna]

My wish list:

Less reflective retina display
User replaceable RAM and storage
Slightly thinner, chinless design

my wish list.

Less reflective retina display
More built in Ram and storage (no need for it to be replaceable by this user)
thinner, wall mountable out of the box with out my having to spend an hour putting on an adapter. keep the chin if you like but put the ports on the edges rather than the back

 

[eddjedi]

I don't see the point in a Retina display iMac. The resolution on the current model is darn near perfect. After seeing a retina macbook, I don't see what all the fuss is about.

Agreed. The retina display on a phone makes perfect sense, it's tiny and you often hold it very close to your face. I've also seen a rMBP in the Apple store, and from a reasonable viewing distance you can't notice the extra pixel density. On an iMac (or any desktop for that matter) it's a complete waste of time unless you sit an unhealthy distance from the screen.

 

[pmz]

If there isn't a retina diplay and/or redesign for this hypothetical october refresh, then you have to wonder why they weren't updated last month...

Exactly. If they don't launch alongside Mountain Lion, then they absolutely will have Retina display's in October. That's how I see it.

There is absolutely no reason why they couldn't have spec bump models by last month or this month.

 

[12dylan34]

a mac pro for most pro users doesnt make sense today as imacs are capable enuf, lets see what apple offers.

The iMac isn't enough for any pro doing video. If they're gonna replace it, it has to be more powerful than the current Mac Pro, or Pro users will flock away. Not because it's necessarily a choice, but because it won't be able to handle the work that they're doing.

 

[TurnerMan]

I probably won't buy another Mac until they offer better GPUs. I want to get rid of my PC, but can't do that with their out-of-date (and highly overpriced) "upgrades" for my Mac Pro. I'll stick it out with my 3,1 until it turns into dust and game on my custom system. I just want a card that's mildly comprable to what's on the market.

 

[Thunderhawks]

<sarcasm>Wow! I only have to wait 4 more full months before it is released! Golly, I LOVE waiting close to 2 years for Apple to update its desktop family!</sarcasm>

But seriously....what the bleepedy bleep bleep is up with Apple taking years (plural) to release an UPDATE to its destkop.

My wife and I have waited too long for this...we want something now. Bye bye, Apple. I can grab a system with a high end i7, 16GB ram, 256GB SSD drive and 2TB Sata 6Gbps drive, cd/dvd/bluray burner, USB 3.0 system with 24" monitor for $1100....NOW. Buying this afternoon. No, not Dell or HP or Lenovo or other mass-market...mom and pop store that's about $100 more than the name brands but has higher quality/better spec guts.

Shhhhheeeeeeez, Apple.

This just in:

Cupertino, CA:

Tim Cook states he is personally crushed by consumers buying a non-apple products.

Quote: We understand that not everybody is patient enough to wait for all the exciting items we have in the pipeline.

 

[akadmon]

I wish I had more disposable income. My G5 is still kicking and I can't convince my wife we need a new computer when my work gives me a Macbook Pro.

Convince your work to give you a Dell

 

[Thunderhawks]

my wish list.

Less reflective retina display
More built in Ram and storage (no need for it to be replaceable by this user)
thinner, wall mountable out of the box with out my having to spend an hour putting on an adapter. keep the chin if you like but put the ports on the edges rather than the back

Ports on the edges and with all the cables sticking out make it look like a porcupine?

Not going to happen.

 

[2499723]

Photographs in iPhoto didn't seem dramatically improved.

I thought there was a significant difference between photos displayed in iPhoto on the rMBP vs the non-retina MBP. My wife was blown away by the amount of detail and clarity on the rMBP screen. You certainly need to be working with high-resolution photos in the first place, but if so, the rMBP makes photos look absolutely stunning.

Whether or not the iMac needs retina at this point is another thing entirely. The sacrifice of GPU and CPU power is too great, not to mention the cost at this point. The iMac screen looks stunning as it is and I'm not typically as close to my desktop screen as I am my laptop. That said, if there were no sacrifices, I'm sure we'd all be on board with retina iMacs. I just have my doubts that they have the quantity and sizes they need to be able to outfit iMacs with retina displays at this point. It seems the rMPB is still a bit of an experiment - an experiment I hope to be participating when mine arrives later this month!

 

[Apple fanboy]

I wish I had more disposable income. My G5 is still kicking and I can't convince my wife we need a new computer when my work gives me a Macbook Pro.

You can't convince your wife you need a new computer? Just blow her out of the water with geek stuff!
If that doesn't work do what I did. Take her to the apple store and show her the lovely looking iMac's. When she asks where is the tower, just explain no that's it, no tower, no extra wires. She was sold. Unfortunately that was back in February and they still haven't released it yet!
Roll on July 24th (hopefully)

 

[ppilone]

Agreed. The retina display on a phone makes perfect sense, it's tiny and you often hold it very close to your face. I've also seen a rMBP in the Apple store, and from a reasonable viewing distance you can't notice the extra pixel density. On an iMac (or any desktop for that matter) it's a complete waste of time unless you sit an unhealthy distance from the screen.

I have to respectfully disagree with you. Upgrading my late 2008 MBP to the rMBP was a dramatic difference in screen quality and clarity. It's beyond noticeable when jumping back to my old laptop (which I still do as I slowly migrate files over to my new one) and working with text (think Xcode) is a dream.

The lack of glass panel also significantly improves the glare, which gives you the clarity of a glossy screen but the (almost) anti-glare of a matte display.

I can understand if your only experience is at an Apple store but if you really want to appreciate the difference sit it next to a previous MBP and switch back and forth.

 

[akadmon]

Damn, people still buy desktops these days? I went straight laptops the past 4 years and haven't missed a desktop yet.

I went Mac Pro nearly 6 years ago and haven't missed a laptop once. Certainly not since the iPad came out. Just sold my old MP for nearly $1K. Try getting that for your rMBP in 6 years! Or a rIMac for that matter.

 

[whooleytoo]

it's not hard to sabotage a G5 ...

Strangely ironic post content, considering your username!