Will the iMac die this year?

[Dont Hurt Me]

I think we all can agree that Imac has lots of issues and apple needs a computer made for consumers and priced for consumers. Im not sure they interested in what we want.

 

[mklos]

I was in aim chat room: panther

and someone said that they bet the imac will fizzle out this year... sales are down, and apple will scrap it before years end.

I dont agree with it, but it got me thinking....

could this happen? will apple scrap the imac soon? And move on to something else????

discuss.

I don't think the iMac will die. Apple needs the iMac. I said this in another resonse... I think Apple should remarket the iMac as a high-end consumer level desktop machine. That being said it should have a G5 in it, and be headless. Apple really, really needs to make a headless consumer end desktop. People want choices, expandability, etc... This is especially true if you want to get more switchers. PC users are used to have choices and expandability. They look at the eMac/iMac and see no expandability so they think its crap. We all know its not and that you'll probably never use those PCI slots, but it still has to be there in order to get people to switch.

I think the new iMac should have the following specs: (2 models)

High-End iMac G5:

1.8 GHz G5
900 MHz FSB
120 GB SATA Drive (2 HD Bays)
512 MB PC2700 DDR RAM (Exp to 4 GB) (2 Banks of 2)
4x SuperDrive (1 Optical Bay)
4x AGP Graphics
ATI Radeon 9600 Pro Graphics Card (64 MB DDR VRAM) (opt. ATI 9800)
10/100 Ethernet
56k Modem
(3) FireWire 400 Ports (1 on front)
(5) USB 2.0 Ports (1 on front)
(2) Headphones Port (1 on front)
(1) Microphone Port
AirPort Extreme Ready (Card needed)
Optional Built-in Bluetooth

$1599 w/o Display Give a $200 discount on any Apple Display you choose

Low-End iMac G5

1.6 GHz G5
800 MHz FSB
80 GB SATA Drive (2 HD Bays)
256 MB PC2700 DDR RAM (Exp to 4 GB) (2 Banks of 2)
32x Combo Drive (1 Optical Bay)
4x AGP Graphics
NVIDIA GeForce FX 5200 Ultra (64 MB DDR VRAM) (opt. ATI 9600 or 9800)
10/100 Ethernet
56k Modem
(3) FireWire 400 Ports (1 on front)
(5) USB 2.0 Ports (1 on front)
(2) Headphones Port (1 on front)
(1) Microphone Port
AirPort Extreme Ready (Card needed)
Optional Built-in Bluetooth

$1299 w/o Display Give a $100 discount on any Apple Display you choose

Apple has to make this iMac that you can buy the tower and the display for under $2000. I think they learned that with the G4 Cube. The specs above are what I expect Apple to do with the next generation iMac G5.

 

[stoid]

I think that the 'i' prefix is spent. Totally and completely. I think that when Apple throws out a new Jon Ive beauty, it'll sport a catchy new name of some sort that will set the technology trend for the next 5 years, just like the iMac did in '98.

 

[flyfish29]

I would suggest that Apple know that the time of the PC as a standalone home device is now over.

I hope and dream that the next iMac will be something new, something that really justifies the name digital hub, something that is a computer FOR the home, not just a computer IN your home.

Something that is as disruptive a technology as the original Macintosh was.

I see a device that is a flatscreen that is removable and has the ability to wirelessly talk with the computer base (cube or whatever form factor they want) You could also write on the screen like a tablet to enter data, surf, etc from anyplace in the house, but it is very lightweight and gives many of us the benefit of a laptop to carry it from room to room, but not he weight, etc of a laptop. One could easily take the screen to another room to show someone something they found on the web without having to unhook anything as the screen would dock with the base computer. It might even have small devices that would allow you to hook it up to a stereo, TV, etc to digitally connect the house together. Another thing that would be cool is to be able to make this screen go from horizontal to vertical by simply twisting the lcd screen for those long web pages or portrait pictures you want to view or edit. There was a monitor a while back for professional designers that could do this...really cool!

For example...you make a slide show on the computer at the desk, you take it the living room TV and can edit that slide show (movie, or whatever) looking at the larger TV screen which is recieving the signal from the base computer which is receiving the signal from your removable screen tablet.

Just trying to think outside the box a bit.

 

[lucasraggers]

So if Apple replaces the current look of the iMac, what will they be replacing? What's the problem with the current models? Too little room to pack all the hardware?
I'd say keep the model as it is, maybe a bit bigger.

 

[aftk2]

Live in Japan (my house is the size of one bedroom) or/and want to move house.

Steve got it wrong - the new imacs are crap !!! I would rather have a cube !!

So, you'd rather buy a computer that requires a separate monitor, than an all-in-one? And you cite space reasons?

There was a post earlier in this thread that mentions the iMac/eMac relationship. I happen to agree. I think Apple wanted to do something radical to the iMac, and underestimated the amount of people who still wanted a simple, rugged, cheap, integrated, CRT Mac. The iMac G4 really should have been a separate, completely new product (lampMac? macShade, maybe?)

 

[stoid]

With a new design change, I hope they put the power button back where you can find it. I don't know how many times I've overheard someone saying, "These stupid Macs! How the hell do you turn them on?!?" Regarding the FP iMacs we have in the media production building.

 

[Dub]

The trouble with the iMac is that two of the three models are more expensive than the cheapest G5 tower. For the same money you could either have a g5 and get a good quality 19" crt to go with it or go for an iMac. Sure the iMac is really nice, but anyone who is serious is going to want a computer they can upgrade. It's a big investment to have tied up in a 17 or 20" lcd you can't replace or take with you to another computer.

I say bring back the cube! Yay! Small and stylish but you can change your screen and upgrade it a little. Best of both worlds.

 

[mklos]

With a new design change, I hope they put the power button back where you can find it. I don't know how many times I've overheard someone saying, "These stupid Macs! How the hell do you turn them on?!?" Regarding the FP iMacs we have in the media production building.

Another thing I wish they'd do is put a Power Button back on the damn keyboard. I have a flat panel iMac too and I shouldn't have to reach all the way in the back of the machine to turn it on. If they put the power button on the keyboard then they can have the option to leave the power button in the back of a machine.

 

[craigdawg]

Hmm...I feel like my iMac has given me the least "mileage" of any computer I've owned. I been able to get about 3 years of use out of the two Macs (Classic & 6100/66) and two PCs I've owned in the past. Yet after less than 2 years, I feel like I'm ready for a new machine. Dang GarageBand! And that's a good thing for Apple.

The iMac should continue to exist if only as a way for Apple to introduce folks (I'm not really a switcher, more like a switch-backerer) to the OS and their superior industrial design. The iMac has to be cheaper and less powerful than the flagship but still have enough soul to keep people stoked (sorry) on the brand.

My next Mac will most likely be a (higher margin) PowerBook. Until then I'll try to squeeze a few more months out of my iMac.

 

[mklos]

Hmm...I feel like my iMac has given me the least "mileage" of any computer I've owned. I been able to get about 3 years of use out of the two Macs (Classic & 6100/66) and two PCs I've owned in the past. Yet after less than 2 years, I feel like I'm ready for a new machine. Dang GarageBand! And that's a good thing for Apple.

The iMac should continue to exist if only as a way for Apple to introduce folks (I'm not really a switcher, more like a switch-backerer) to the OS and their superior industrial design. The iMac has to be cheaper and less powerful than the flagship but still have enough soul to keep people stoked (sorry) on the brand.

My next Mac will most likely be a (higher margin) PowerBook. Until then I'll try to squeeze a few more months out of my iMac.

What iMac do you have? My 1 GHz G4 iMac is great. GarageBand works pretty good on it, especially after the 1.0.1 update!

 

[miloblithe]

I could be completely wrong here, but I've always assumed that a good part of the reason for the relatively high cost of the LCD iMac was the LCD itself. When the transition was made from G3 CRT to G4 LCD, display costs had been dropping fairly steadily for a while and it was assumed that they were due to drop dramatically in the near future. They've continued to come down, but rather than a dramatic drop, it's been more of an unhurried amble. The early iMacs were expensive, as expected (and didn't the prices actually go UP at one point when Apple couldn't get displays in the quantities it required?), but the assumption at the time was that the displays would get cheaper and, as they did, so would the iMacs. Whoops.

That's absolutely my understanding as well. I agree with the above points that the iMac name, at least, is something Apple needs to keep.

I think that if the Powermac line goes all dual, the iMacs could be G5s with fairly high clockspeeds, less expandability, and so on and remain roughly in their current price range. Realistically, they aren't going to make any new iMac less impressive (in any way) than the old iMac. So I don't think a sub $1000 iMac is possible bacause they aren't going to go backwards to CRTs and Apple is not going to make them headless, as much as we all want them to.

For the low end, once the iMacs and Powerbooks go to G5, the eMac can get a nice big G4 jump.

All this by mid summer?

 

[Dont Hurt Me]

Appleinsider has just posted that Emac and Imac have gone to EOL status meaning end of life. This is for distributers, clearing the channels for those new models. Now what has Apple done to the Emac and what has it done to Imac or has it gotten rid of both for a new model?? I dont see them releasing these until powermac gets its next revision which could be next week. so we are a month or two away from a new IMAC?

 

[aswitcher]

Appleinsider has just posted that Emac and Imac have gone to EOL status meaning end of life. This is for distributers, clearing the channels for those new models. Now what has Apple done to the Emac and what has it done to Imac or has it gotten rid of both for a new model?? I dont see them releasing these until powermac gets its next revision which could be next week. so we are a month or two away from a new IMAC?

Everything is too old and too underpowered. I would say they will get it out now as soon as it is ready...

 

[aswitcher]

I don't think the iMac will die. Apple needs the iMac. I said this in another resonse... I think Apple should remarket the iMac as a high-end consumer level desktop machine. That being said it should have a G5 in it, and be headless. Apple really, really needs to make a headless consumer end desktop. People want choices, expandability, etc... This is especially true if you want to get more switchers. PC users are used to have choices and expandability. They look at the eMac/iMac and see no expandability so they think its crap. We all know its not and that you'll probably never use those PCI slots, but it still has to be there in order to get people to switch.

Yep. agree entirely. Bring back a G5 cube...

I think the new iMac should have the following specs: (2 models)

High-End iMac G5:

1.8 GHz G5
900 MHz FSB
120 GB SATA Drive (2 HD Bays)
512 MB PC2700 DDR RAM (Exp to 4 GB) (2 Banks of 2)
4x SuperDrive (1 Optical Bay)
4x AGP Graphics
ATI Radeon 9600 Pro Graphics Card (64 MB DDR VRAM) (opt. ATI 9800)
10/100 Ethernet
56k Modem
(3) FireWire 400 Ports (1 on front)
(5) USB 2.0 Ports (1 on front)
(2) Headphones Port (1 on front)
(1) Microphone Port
AirPort Extreme Ready (Card needed)
Optional Built-in Bluetooth

SNIP
$1299 w/o Display Give a $100 discount on any Apple Display you choose

Apple has to make this iMac that you can buy the tower and the display for under $2000. I think they learned that with the G4 Cube. The specs above are what I expect Apple to do with the next generation iMac G5.

I want this, with screen spanning! Apple need to stop artficially hampering their i line with this limitation.

Bluetooth should be standard I think.

Should the microphone also be on the front...?