This was just an direction I thought Apple might go in. There have been rounded corners in past MocOS and with Apple wanting to basically merge iOS and MacOS I could see it happening.
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My idea of what an ARM based iMac may look like
- Thread starter Jrshelby
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Beside the rounded interior corners its almost spot on to what the new Apple display with smaller boarders will probably look like. At least going off of the Mac mini quick start guides depiction.
I think Apple needs to go in an entirely new direction if it wants to build an ARM powered imac.
Isn't that the same criticism some people aim towards the iPad being a huge iPhone? It hasn't stopped Apple from pushing forward.
devices can be separated into 5 categories.
wearable
pocketable
portable (weight important, not performance)
work station but movable (performance important, not weight)
work station
current devices fall into these ranges:
apple Watch (wearable)
iPhone, iPad Mini (pocketable)
Macbook, Macbook Air (portable)
Macbook Pro (work station but movable)
iMac, Mac Mini, iMac Pro, Mac Pro (work station)
i would like to see the following:
wearables: wearableOS (not just the watch, but other wearables)
pocketables, portables: iOS
all work stations: macOS
work stations don't need or have anything to gain from an ARM processor.
current compatibility between iOS apps and their macOS cousins is sufficient.
but i do hope that the next (or next, next) generation of iPhone / Macbook / Macbook Air does have an ARM processor and is able to share apps for the most part.
wearable
pocketable
portable (weight important, not performance)
work station but movable (performance important, not weight)
work station
current devices fall into these ranges:
apple Watch (wearable)
iPhone, iPad Mini (pocketable)
Macbook, Macbook Air (portable)
Macbook Pro (work station but movable)
iMac, Mac Mini, iMac Pro, Mac Pro (work station)
i would like to see the following:
wearables: wearableOS (not just the watch, but other wearables)
pocketables, portables: iOS
all work stations: macOS
work stations don't need or have anything to gain from an ARM processor.
current compatibility between iOS apps and their macOS cousins is sufficient.
but i do hope that the next (or next, next) generation of iPhone / Macbook / Macbook Air does have an ARM processor and is able to share apps for the most part.
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What was ever wrong with the sunflower iMac design?
The Sun Flower design was forced to use laptop parts and processors. The new Mini got 50% right with the desktop class processors but failed at the graphics end. I'm sure more could be done these days however with the same amount of space the iMac G4 employed.
The current iMac uses Desktop class Processors and Graphic cards.
Love this mock up and loving the rounded corners! I’ll buy this in a heartbeat! Only thing you missing is making a rounded dock like iOS.
I do not think it is a forgone conclusion that Apple will be switching Macs to ARM. First, most of the speculation is based on synthetic benchmarks showing some performance parity and a single story from Bloomberg whose reputation at the moment isn't exactly the highest.
The move would be a painful one, and probably not as smooth as the Intel transition was. While it seems Apple could replace low end processors in the portable machines, there is no evidence that they could reasonably replace the high end machines. I do not think they will run ARM MacBooks along side Intel desktops with the ability to replace an i7, i9, Xeon level processor an open question. They have tried to push limits lately and been bitten (HomePod delay, AirPower, AirPlay 2, Mac Pro), I don't think they will make the switch unless it is guaranteed the entire lineup can be moved.
Lastly, think of motivation. Traditional computers are not the future for the mass market. Steve Jobs said this years ago. I do not see Apple investing the amount of resources it would take to switch to ARM for a market they believe is going away. I think what we may end up seeing is not a switch to ARM for the Mac, but rather the death of the Mac. I think the future of Apple is iOS and iOS devices. I think it more likely we see the iPad get its own flavor of iOS and become the replacement for the laptop line. I think the desktops either die off or macOS becomes a pro-centric, desktop/workstation only OS.
iOS is clearly Apple's vision for what an operating system should be. macOS is the legacy OS that I think they are looking to let fade. So they may move to ARM, but I do not think macOS will be along for the ride.
The move would be a painful one, and probably not as smooth as the Intel transition was. While it seems Apple could replace low end processors in the portable machines, there is no evidence that they could reasonably replace the high end machines. I do not think they will run ARM MacBooks along side Intel desktops with the ability to replace an i7, i9, Xeon level processor an open question. They have tried to push limits lately and been bitten (HomePod delay, AirPower, AirPlay 2, Mac Pro), I don't think they will make the switch unless it is guaranteed the entire lineup can be moved.
Lastly, think of motivation. Traditional computers are not the future for the mass market. Steve Jobs said this years ago. I do not see Apple investing the amount of resources it would take to switch to ARM for a market they believe is going away. I think what we may end up seeing is not a switch to ARM for the Mac, but rather the death of the Mac. I think the future of Apple is iOS and iOS devices. I think it more likely we see the iPad get its own flavor of iOS and become the replacement for the laptop line. I think the desktops either die off or macOS becomes a pro-centric, desktop/workstation only OS.
iOS is clearly Apple's vision for what an operating system should be. macOS is the legacy OS that I think they are looking to let fade. So they may move to ARM, but I do not think macOS will be along for the ride.
I think it’s coming and there is some proof of testing going on. Apple can’t sit by and wait for intel to get their stuff together. As proff by Apples moves in the semi conductor business they can design what is needed and have high yield rates as well. They A12 Bionic could run a laptop now and probably as fast as MacBook in its current incarnation.