When can we realistically expect new iMac / Leopard??

[autechre]

Ok, my situation is pretty much identical to Bongolo's situation: I wish to buy an iMac (a 24") and would prefer to get it shipped with Leopard. However, I'm not holding out for any major revision; I'm happy with the iMacs as they are right now. But, one question that I would like to have answered is, if I were to get an iMac in, say, a month's time (because I'm way too impatient), what would be the chance that it would get an "Express Upgrade" to 10.5, like PCs with the Vista upgrade?

And since there's reason to believe that Santa Rose won't be included in the Macs until later in the year, what revisions (major or minor) might be done to the iMacs specifically within the Leopard ship period? I'm hoping they'll maintain the actual design/'frame' of the iMacs.

 

[QCassidy352]

There's nothing to upgrade the iMac to currently, the next upgrade point will be the Santa Rosa platform revision around April.

This is a great point, and one that people waiting for updates need to understand. Apple can only update when there are chips available that improve on what's in there now. That or just upgrade other components (RAM, HD, graphics, screen etc.), but that's not likely. An update without a processor bump/change is quite rare, and since apple's offerings are fine now, there's really no reason to do it.

For one, Robson Flash Caching? Also 800MT/s FSB, and the GMA X3000 for the integrated graphics models. Also this thing called WWAN internet but i'm not sure how that might be implemented.

mmm, GMA x3000. I've got high hopes for that. Supposedly it's a significant advance in integrated graphics, and if so, it'll make both minis and macbooks a lot more appealing.

one question that I would like to have answered is, if I were to get an iMac in, say, a month's time (because I'm way too impatient), what would be the chance that it would get an "Express Upgrade" to 10.5, like PCs with the Vista upgrade?

If you buy once leopard's actual release date has been announced but before that date arrives, you'll get an upgrade coupon for leopard. If you buy before the release date is announced, you pay full price for the update. At least, that's how apple's done it in the past.

 

[dirtleg]

I can't imagine that Apple would roll out a major OS upgrade without some shiny new hardware piece to sweeten the deal for those looking to upgrade their desktop computer. I have been reading on the threads for months that folks are waiting for Leopard before upgrading to a new iMac. There must be at least as many folks waiting for a hardware bump before upgrading their OS.

In other words, because I'm not sure the above made sense, the upgrade of both will enhance the sales of each other. Some are waiting for OS upgrade, some are waiting for hardware upgrade in order to get both in one purchase.

I think I need to sit down and figure out what I just said.

 

[kinchee87]

Had a look at the Apple site:

Get ready, get set, get Leopard
All these features and more are delivered to you in one universal, fully accessible, 64-bit operating system. Coming mid-2007.

It sounds as though they are talking about Leopard as a whole instead of some parts of it.

 

[zblaxberg]

I'm holding out for an imac (yes, i posted the same thing this time last year, still waiting - upgraded the ibook instead). this time i'm just holding out for tiger/ilife07 as soon as it comes out i'm in line for it.

Are you still living in last year cuz buddy leopard is coming out, not tiger.

 

[ready2switch]

Recently there was info to suggest that both the Santa Rosa chipset will be delayed. Instead of April, think late August to September....

I missed this info. Link please?

 

[whawhat]

i agree with most posts - sometime in april '07 with leopard sounds just about right.

maybe we will see a BLACK iMac as well (???)

the black macbook, black ipod, black ipod nano all sell extremely well.

 

[youngestchild]

hah zblaxberg, nice one... yeah I noticed my mistake but never got around to fixin' it. yeah, i mean leopard

so what are the chances of 2gig of ram being standard? or will it just be bumped to 1.5?

 

[bldgengineer]

I'm pretty much in the same boat as most people right now wanting to buy.

I really want to replace my dinosaur and am getting tired with the high maintenance of a windows system and after about an hour of playing around with the systems in the Apple store, I decided to switch to a mac. What I want to know is what is the feasibility of any hardware upgrades this year? I don't need much but I would like to get the 24" mac with the faster processor and 2g of ram. I just don't want to spend the money on it right now or after leopard comes out and 6 months down the road all of the sudden you can get a 3 gig processor, 8 series graphics card, DVI input and 2g of ram now comes standard(story of my life ).

 

[iW00t]

I missed this info. Link please?

Yeah I never read about that too, all I read about is how Intel has been making revolutionary breakthroughs, and that IBM stole that tech from them!

 

[autechre]

I'm pretty much in the same boat as most people right now wanting to buy.

I really want to replace my dinosaur and am getting tired with the high maintenance of a windows system and after about an hour of playing around with the systems in the Apple store, I decided to switch to a mac. What I want to know is what is the feasibility of any hardware upgrades this year? I don't need much but I would like to get the 24" mac with the faster processor and 2g of ram. I just don't want to spend the money on it right now or after leopard comes out and 6 months down the road all of the sudden you can get a 3 gig processor, 8 series graphics card, DVI input and 2g of ram now comes standard(story of my life ).

Yeah, we're kind of stuck to 2GB if we can't afford another 900 bucks for the 3GB. Unfortunately, I'd rather have 3GB of memory over the 2.33GHz processor, but I just can't justify the price.

Let's cross our fingers and hope that when leopard arrives, 2 will be standard and 3 wont be a major expense. (Or maybe we're just wishful thinking here)

 

[mccldwll]

My bet is Leopard and new form imacs very soon--before April. An announcement could come as early as the SuperBowl. PC users have been waiting for Vista and now that it's out and ho-hum, and getting compared to OSX, its a good time to consider switching to Mac. Apple will be right there with an even better OS, and an irresistible new vehicle to run it on. This is the prime time for a release.

 

[bldgengineer]

I just hope the superbowl announcement isn't just for the beatles collection. If there is something else announced, I hope its not for an 80 gig red ipod or something along those lines. Otherwise, I guess we'll be waiting for the end of the month or 3 months later, if we don't hear anything on the 20th. I'm willing to bet the latter (again, my luck )

 

[autechre]

My bet is Leopard and new form imacs very soon--before April. An announcement could come as early as the SuperBowl. PC users have been waiting for Vista and now that it's out and ho-hum, and getting compared to OSX, its a good time to consider switching to Mac. Apple will be right there with an even better OS, and an irresistible new vehicle to run it on. This is the prime time for a release.

Hmm, I'm actually hoping they don't change the form before I get my iMac. I quite like the design as is, but I'm sure any form change would look just as cool as it does now. Just so long as Apple doesn't remove the 24in from its product line - man, I love that thing.

 

[shikimo]

My bet is Leopard and new form imacs very soon--before April. An announcement could come as early as the SuperBowl. PC users have been waiting for Vista and now that it's out and ho-hum, and getting compared to OSX, its a good time to consider switching to Mac. Apple will be right there with an even better OS, and an irresistible new vehicle to run it on. This is the prime time for a release.

While your comment on the Vista release is spot-on (it really is getting the big SO WHAT?? that it deserves for looking too much like OSX and thus not offering much folks haven't seen), and the market really is ripe, the evidence seems to suggest that Leopard simply isn't done, and after the iPhone it would be a bad move to announce another product that won't ship for months. I like the late-March announcement predictions, with shipping approx. 4-6 weeks later. As far as the iMac, I like what an earlier poster said about the new design waiting for Santa Rosa...but now that looks like late summer-fall, which is too long between updates for Apple's biggest consumer machines, so there's gonna have to be a non-proc. refresh before then.

Hmm, I'm actually hoping they don't change the form before I get my iMac. I quite like the design as is, but I'm sure any form change would look just as cool as it does now. Just so long as Apple doesn't remove the 24in from its product line - man, I love that thing.

That would be shocking: they're killing with that machine! Considering it's pricepoint and (I assume, I don't know the exact production cost) mad profit margin and status as newest coolest most uber-exciting iMac, I think it will be around awhile, probably as-is until a complete form-factor revision.