Short product cycle for first-gen retina iMac

[ckeck]

Can't help but think this first-gen retina iMac might have a fairly short product lifecycle with Broadwell right on the horizon. We're looking at a Q2 2015 mainstream launch of Broadwell with Apple possibly getting their hands on it a bit earlier.

With Broadwell comes DDR4 memory as well. I don't think Apple is going to hold off too long on refreshing these. Q2 or Q3 2015 at the latest would be my guess.

Just a thought...

 

[shokunin]

Broadwell can have a short product cycle as well with Skylake just around the corner from delayed Broadwell. There will always be something on better on the horizon, problem is, Apple can be unpredictable and delay releases for unknown reasons.

 

[Bryan Bowler]

shokunin is right. Apple doesn't always bump up the specs when you think they will. But ckeck could be right and a spec bump could be 7 months away.

Personally, I think that if Skylake looks like it will be on time or early, Apple may wait until then to upgrade. At that time, we would see Skylake, DDR4 memory, Thunderbolt 3, and whatever improved GPU is readily available at that time.

Bryan

 

[ckeck]

That is of course assuming Intel doesn't hold back Skylake.

I'm not telling anyone to wait, just thought about it earlier. Up until recently Apple was very predictable with updates of their main product lines (Air, MBP, iMac) in the same quarter as Intel's next-gen chip would launch.

 

[forg0t]

That is of course assuming Intel doesn't hold back Skylake.

I'm not telling anyone to wait, just thought about it earlier. Up until recently Apple was very predictable with updates of their main product lines (Air, MBP, iMac) in the same quarter as Intel's next-gen chip would launch.

Yeah just like the Mac Mini disaster :/. Be careful, wait too long and Apple will find a way to solder the display.

 

[inhalexhale1]

New CPU's will obviously come. I'm wondering if the entire iMac line will be moving to AMD and what the options will look like. Will the non-retina high end 27" have the same GPU options as the retina model? Will there even be a non-retina high end 27"?

I'm thinking the new retina 27" will take the place of the higher end 27" model in the near future. Maybe even the next refresh. Similar to how the 15" rMBP moved in and became the sole options at that size.