Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
Can we expect a Redesigned iMac or a Limited Edition because of this year's Anniversary?
- Thread starter KensaiMage
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
The iMac is overdue for a redesign, so, I think we could expect a redesign soon.
But, due to possible cannibalization of sales of the iMac Pro, which is still pretty new, I think that Apple could put off a redesign iMac for a little bit.
Another point for a delay, is I have read that there is not a suitable GPU upgrade for the iMac besides the iMac Pro’s GPU.
Also, there has been heat-related issues with the i7 iMacs, which could adopt the iMac Pro’s thermal dissipation design. This could be ideal for a redesign, but is it too soon in Apple’s eyes?
But, due to possible cannibalization of sales of the iMac Pro, which is still pretty new, I think that Apple could put off a redesign iMac for a little bit.
Another point for a delay, is I have read that there is not a suitable GPU upgrade for the iMac besides the iMac Pro’s GPU.
Also, there has been heat-related issues with the i7 iMacs, which could adopt the iMac Pro’s thermal dissipation design. This could be ideal for a redesign, but is it too soon in Apple’s eyes?
The iMac hasn't seen any redesign since 2012, so it is way overdue for one.
The iMac Pro however was a massive internal redesign. Most speculate that it was originally the replacement for the Mac Pro, but now since Apple has reversed course no one knows if they will update the iMac Pro and keep it alongside the new Mac Pro next year.
There's also questions on if the iMac Pro is ready to be updated at all, not sure if there are any chips or graphic card upgrades our there for it yet.
Apple lately has been increasing prices and separation between the "Pro" models of their products and the consumer versions.
Apple sometimes honors anniversaries, but they don't really do anniversary models anymore. Since Coffee Lake chips are still 14nm, they might wait another year before the redesign. They would get plenty of sales just doubling the core count this year.
New screen sizes into the 32 range for the iMac Pro also seem like something they might lean toward if they are keeping that in the lineup but it won't be cheap.
***NOTE: The Foxconn insider from last year that was right about the iPhones stated this year the iMac was getting redesigned***
The iMac Pro however was a massive internal redesign. Most speculate that it was originally the replacement for the Mac Pro, but now since Apple has reversed course no one knows if they will update the iMac Pro and keep it alongside the new Mac Pro next year.
There's also questions on if the iMac Pro is ready to be updated at all, not sure if there are any chips or graphic card upgrades our there for it yet.
Apple lately has been increasing prices and separation between the "Pro" models of their products and the consumer versions.
Apple sometimes honors anniversaries, but they don't really do anniversary models anymore. Since Coffee Lake chips are still 14nm, they might wait another year before the redesign. They would get plenty of sales just doubling the core count this year.
New screen sizes into the 32 range for the iMac Pro also seem like something they might lean toward if they are keeping that in the lineup but it won't be cheap.
***NOTE: The Foxconn insider from last year that was right about the iPhones stated this year the iMac was getting redesigned***
Last edited:
Possibly a CPU bump to to the i7 Hex core for at least the top end iMac configurations with no formal announcement like the 2018 MacBook Pro. Just enough tech to keep up sales but not compete with the iMac Pro.
Keep your expectations low.
I feel you, though. Remember this quote?
https://www.macrumors.com/2018/05/06/imac-20th-anniversary/
Now, 20 years later, Tim ...
I feel you, though. Remember this quote?
https://www.macrumors.com/2018/05/06/imac-20th-anniversary/
Now, 20 years later, Tim ...
I would spend an ungodly amount of money to get a 31.5" 6K iMac (same PPI as 5K). Please redesign (or please don't, for my wallet's sake?).
So the first gen 5K iMac seemed like it had some problems driving that many pixels and would get a little laggy or stuttery. Do you guys think that GPUs have advanced enough that a first generation theoretical 6K iMac wouldn't have this same sort of issue?
So the first gen 5K iMac seemed like it had some problems driving that many pixels and would get a little laggy or stuttery. Do you guys think that GPUs have advanced enough that a first generation theoretical 6K iMac wouldn't have this same sort of issue?
Unique anniversary desktop computer models under Tim Cook's management? I seriously doubt it.
The iMac is already struggling with thermal throttling, when getting the most powerful CPU og GPU components. The last thing Apple should do is "modernising" the iMac, which we all know means thinner and smaller. If anything, Apple should make the iMac thicker and more desktop-like, or doing something like the Corsair One. Changing the current highly successful iMac design just for the sake of it, makes no sense to me.
What we really need is Thunderbolt 4, which would give Apple much more freedom in terms of building modular desktop computers - and could be the reason Apple hasn't released the Mac Pro yet.
The iMac is already struggling with thermal throttling, when getting the most powerful CPU og GPU components. The last thing Apple should do is "modernising" the iMac, which we all know means thinner and smaller. If anything, Apple should make the iMac thicker and more desktop-like, or doing something like the Corsair One. Changing the current highly successful iMac design just for the sake of it, makes no sense to me.
What we really need is Thunderbolt 4, which would give Apple much more freedom in terms of building modular desktop computers - and could be the reason Apple hasn't released the Mac Pro yet.
I feel like with all the extra space in the iMac (https://d3nevzfk7ii3be.cloudfront.net/igi/pYHRZpMG6v3p6uIL.medium) you could easily move some things around, add new features (Face ID??) and not have to overhaul the design that much. Plus allow it to be ordered in space gray! And you can call it anniversary computer.
The biggest redesign as some mention is the thermal and cooling system. I am no hardware engineer by any stretch, but I feel like that is entirely possible to mimic the iMac Pro (https://d3nevzfk7ii3be.cloudfront.net/igi/tVjjCFAnJ5Sddp6y.medium). Stop offering harddrives in the iMac and you get even more space.
The biggest redesign as some mention is the thermal and cooling system. I am no hardware engineer by any stretch, but I feel like that is entirely possible to mimic the iMac Pro (https://d3nevzfk7ii3be.cloudfront.net/igi/tVjjCFAnJ5Sddp6y.medium). Stop offering harddrives in the iMac and you get even more space.
No, in my view we should not expect a redesigned iMac or Limited Edition because of this year's anniversary. Here's my view of why:
- Despite all the talk about how the iMac is overdue a redesign, the fact that Apple launched the iMac Pro with the existing chassis design (albeit with a color change) tells us that Apple is okay with the current chassis design.
- I think it's unlikely that Apple would launch the iMac Pro - a very expensive computer - and then shortly afterwards launch a redesigned non-Pro iMac and risk angering the "pro" customers that bought the iMac Pro, especially at a time where there is increasing negativity towards Mac from the "pro" community.
- I don't see why there would be a business case from Apple's perspective for doing the work to redesign the iMac and retool the manufacturing process, as I don't think the iMac design as it is would be damaging iMac sales. (Or to put it another way: there is no need to redesign it.)
- If the iPhone - which is by far Apple's biggest and most successful product - didn't warrant any celebration of its anniversary, or a Limited Edition, then I don't see why the iMac, which plays a comparatively minor role in Apple's line-up, would warrant it.
- Despite all the talk about how the iMac is overdue a redesign, the fact that Apple launched the iMac Pro with the existing chassis design (albeit with a color change) tells us that Apple is okay with the current chassis design.
- I think it's unlikely that Apple would launch the iMac Pro - a very expensive computer - and then shortly afterwards launch a redesigned non-Pro iMac and risk angering the "pro" customers that bought the iMac Pro, especially at a time where there is increasing negativity towards Mac from the "pro" community.
- I don't see why there would be a business case from Apple's perspective for doing the work to redesign the iMac and retool the manufacturing process, as I don't think the iMac design as it is would be damaging iMac sales. (Or to put it another way: there is no need to redesign it.)
- If the iPhone - which is by far Apple's biggest and most successful product - didn't warrant any celebration of its anniversary, or a Limited Edition, then I don't see why the iMac, which plays a comparatively minor role in Apple's line-up, would warrant it.
Traditional iMac is likely a much more important product than iMP (or MP) ever will be. How much do iMac outsell the iMP? 1:100? If so, it is very questionable if it is good strategy to limit iMac to give iMP room and thereby not stepping on the "Pro" toes.
iMP is soon a year old and uses a different set of CPU and RAM than iMac. Workstation class of components has almost always lagged behind consumer chips in performance (except number of cores) because for the intended usage, slower, correct and steady is faster that quick and dirty (I am simplifying a bit now).
They could give iMac Vega 54/64, up to i9 and the same SSD solution as MBP in the thermal enclosure of iMP. If these top end iMac systems than results in 10X sales than lower end iMP due to lower price points, that must be good business.
There are rumours of a Polaris 30 with 15% better performance coming later this year. That+Coffee lake i7/i9+possibly new SSD options+true tone display will be a good enough update.
iMP is soon a year old and uses a different set of CPU and RAM than iMac. Workstation class of components has almost always lagged behind consumer chips in performance (except number of cores) because for the intended usage, slower, correct and steady is faster that quick and dirty (I am simplifying a bit now).
They could give iMac Vega 54/64, up to i9 and the same SSD solution as MBP in the thermal enclosure of iMP. If these top end iMac systems than results in 10X sales than lower end iMP due to lower price points, that must be good business.
There are rumours of a Polaris 30 with 15% better performance coming later this year. That+Coffee lake i7/i9+possibly new SSD options+true tone display will be a good enough update.
No... The vega 56 is optimized for 1440p let alone 5 or even 6 k...
The display is the main drawback for this machine, it makes normal tasks sluggish and as ive said time and time again pushing 15mp at 60fps needs something far more powerful than whats on offer. RX580... Vega 56... just not powerful enough to drive these displays properly.
I want a headless mac for this reason the UI of most programs stutters like mad just because of the screen resolution. Try final cut moving the display window, or any of the sliders in lightroom. None work optimally. So frustrating as the iMac is the only desktop thats relatively new...
Anyway what exactly will you do with a 6k display? There is no content available for it, you cant even watch netflix 4k on a 27" imac currently.
Its hilarious people asking for 120hz refresh rates and 6k. The iMac is a mid range machine and apple has never put anything but sub par mid range cards in them. Would be such a cr*p experience.
A powerful machine with a much more powerful GPU fair enough but it aint going to happen.
[doublepost=1532676875][/doublepost]
Its all well and good there being room but if apple put an i9 in with the iMac pro cooling it would perform almost the same as a base iMac pro. If looking at pcs with similar hardware they perform better.... Server grade hardware is already slower and ECC etc makes them far more expensive for 90% of users isnt more useful than the i series.
Even with an i9 and 32gbs of ram your looking at top end current iMac money so £3300? Thats a £1600 difference, competing with the base iMac pro and be faster for some people depending on application. I just cant see apple doing it, unless they dont bother with the thermals which again will gimp a processor like the i9 and like the macbook pro make it an expensive upgrade for what the thermals of the machine allow it to do.
I think this may be the reason Apple havent updated the iMac because it will compete at a much lower price to the iMac pro.
It is 6 years since a design update to the iMac, just be careful what you wish for. It will only get thiner, ram will no longer be up gradable... etc etc
Last edited:
I’ve just revisited that thread on Reddit where the Foxconn insider gave out information and he was right about a lot of things, the most recent one being that the 15” MacBook would get 32GB Ram in 2018, the design of the iPhone X, iPhone 8 and even the HomePod (which he called Siri speaker).
What’s very interesting is that he states there will be an iMac redesign for 2018 along with “Smart keys” whatever that is.
Last edited:
No idea i'm only going off what the Foxconn insider posted a year ago.
Attachments
i check back the username at the reddit.. the info like graphic card intel are correct. but the e-inc or smart key are awful, if even they redesign it i don't it worth.
** i'm still typing in original plastic magic keyboard imac 2017..
Not that i know too, the thread is still there now (here is the link https://www.reddit.com/r/apple/comments/6ezhwm/iama_foxconn_insider_with_information_on_next_12/) The leaker mentions the Siri speaker being late 2017 which was correct (in that Apple originally have the HomePod a December 2017 release date initially) also mentions the 32GB Ram for the 15" MacBook Pro only, which has turned out to be true just this year.
Obviously we don't know 100% if all this information is correct, but for rumours sake we can wait and see what Apple announce later this year. From what is described about the new iMac it sounds a lot like the iMac Pro so i wonder if that is what was described instead of the standard iMac, or could it be that the iMac will get the same look later this year? i just don't know.
EDIT: also the Mod's on the Reddit page verified it and also it was the same guy who leaked the Touch Bar in 2016. "The user did last year however reveal a video of the upcoming Touch Bar. This video turned out to be true alongside his various other releases of information. Make of that what you will" is what the Reddit mod had to say.
Last edited:
I swear, if they bring the touch bar to the iMac keyboard that will be the end. So unnecessary and wasteful.
I don't think it's the Touch bar if it was wouldn't it say Touch Bar and not "Smart Keys" from what i can gather it seems to relate to this as it's the link that the Foxconn insider posted https://www.theguardian.com/technol...-quest-magic-keyboard-reports-tim-cook-sonder
What can they do with iMac at this point? Yes make the bezels thinner, but can they really make the chin smaller? The iMac is too thin imo, and I can't see them making a major or drastic change to the iMac when they just released the iMac Pro, that would have a negative affect on the iMac Pro, i.e., people are visual and it will look dated compared to the iMac.
If that is what we are getting, I will take a hard pass. Might appeal to some, but I do not see the point? Maybe someone can explain its purpose to me. Backlit keys would be nice, but I doubt even that. They have had that technology in MacBooks/MacBook Pros for years and never brought it to the external keyboard.