Chances of iMac update when Snow Leopard releases?

[iSamurai]

Hi, I'm wondering what's the chances that the iMac would be updated when the new OS comes out in September. It would be like 1/2 a year since they've updated, and I think usually they only do it at least 3/4 year... I think it would be a small specs bump or a price drop (the last iMac rumour a few months ago)...

I think it's time for me to get it now... with the new OS

 

[Hellhammer]

I doubt it. Only thing Apple can update is GPUs (again). Price drop is possible, though. I can see Apple lowering the price when Snow Leopard is out.

 

[zedsdead]

I agree with Hellhammer. There has been a rumor of a price drop and that would stimulate some sales for Christmas. There simply are no components for an iMac update, unless Apple decides to add the Quad-Core Clarksfield chips (but that is highly unlikely because of the lower clock rates).

 

[Hellhammer]

Quad-Core Clarksfield chips (but that is highly unlikely because of the lower clock rates).

+ Price

2GHz Clarksfield costs over 1000$ which means price wouldn't drop, it would go up. I agree with clock speed thing, Apple doesn't want high clocked duals vs low clocked quads battle

 

[Icaras]

Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; U; CPU iPhone OS 3_0 like Mac OS X; en-us) AppleWebKit/528.18 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/4.0 Mobile/7A341 Safari/528.16)

I doubt it. Only thing Apple can update is GPUs (again). Price drop is possible, though. I can see Apple lowering the price when Snow Leopard is out.

That and LED screens, no?

 

[ag55]

Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; U; CPU iPhone OS 3_0 like Mac OS X; en-us) AppleWebKit/528.18 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/4.0 Mobile/7A341 Safari/528.16)



That and LED screens, no?

No, it would increase costs for Apple.

PROS OF WAITING

* Get latest hardware
* Preinstalled with snow leopard


PROS OF BUYING NOW

* Education discount will be greater than any price drop
* Free iPod touch
* Start playing with your new mac now


Up to you, but i would say that if your waiting for a price drop dont, the current education discounts will be more than any price drop. Plus an ipod touch to sell reduces it further.

The update probably wont be that big, no major new hardware available.

 

[thatdarnfish]

All of the above is true... unless they change the form factor of the iMac, thus opening up possibilities for different CPUs.

 

[londonmystery]

So what are the chances???

All of the above is true... unless they change the form factor of the iMac, thus opening up possibilities for different CPUs.

So what are the chances of a hardware upgrade and price drop as they did with the MBP in June.

I'm waiting to see, as from what I understand in the UK we can get the education discount all year long. I would just lose out on the ipod touch if I don't get it before Sept 30th.

Got my MBP on june 21st, with free ipod touch, applecare and iworks, worked out at just over £700. Once I sold the ipod.
Now thats a bargain.

 

[iMacmatician]

AppleInsider says update by fall…such an update would probably be more of a "speed bump" and price drop than anything else.

 

[iSamurai]

No, it would increase costs for Apple.

PROS OF WAITING

* Get latest hardware
* Preinstalled with snow leopard


PROS OF BUYING NOW

* Education discount will be greater than any price drop
* Free iPod touch
* Start playing with your new mac now


Up to you, but i would say that if your waiting for a price drop dont, the current education discounts will be more than any price drop. Plus an ipod touch to sell reduces it further.

The update probably wont be that big, no major new hardware available.

wow. you guys get free ipod touches. in Oz we get a rebate so in total you pay about A$30. and educational discounts i think that's about $150 here off an iMac and the semester has just started this week. i'll ask the apple store on campus tomorrow if the promotion lasts till september.

i hope there will be a price drop if no specs are changed.

 

[ag55]

wow. you guys get free ipod touches. in Oz we get a rebate so in total you pay about A$30. and educational discounts i think that's about $150 here off an iMac and the semester has just started this week. i'll ask the apple store on campus tomorrow if the promotion lasts till september.

i hope there will be a price drop if no specs are changed.

yeah we get a rebate too, it cuts the cost down to £20. then selling it basically makes you a profit so i call it free

 

[iSamurai]

yeah we get a rebate too, it cuts the cost down to £20. then selling it basically makes you a profit so i call it free

I visited the UQ apple store today and the 24" iMac boxes are piled up to the front door... makes me so want to get one immediately.

the apple guy that educational discounts are continuous for students, which shaves $100 off the 20" iMac and $200 off the 24" iMacs.

printer rebate up to A$130 lasts until 19 October.

up-to-date programme for snow leopard upgrade is $15 between now and december.

there is no ipod rebate currently for semester 2. if there is, it would be A$179 off an ipod nano or touch, so you pay $20 for the cheapest ipod nano.



So if I buy later I hope there would be a price drop of about $150... otherwise there's not much of a difference if I buy now.

 

[NiVleK]

I just order a imac on sat. Waiting for it to be delivered probably tomorrow. Bought it with edu discount + Free Ipod Touch and printer rebates. Selling the ipod touch and the printer once I get the rebates credited to my account.

I could wait any longer for the snow leopard to be released. Buying now means more playing time.

 

[sthursby]

Surely the benefits of Snow Leopard do not outweight getting a Mac now, when you can just pre-order it now and get it in a month's time at a still-decent price?

 

[londonmystery]

Personally I'm not waiting for snow leopard but for the bump/price cut. It would mean that if rumours are true a 20" imac would cost me less than £800 and the 24" around £900.

 

[ElPinko]

I too am waiting for the price cut / speed bump - I have access to a company discount that gives me the same amount as the education discount.

I think that saying the 24" will drop to £900 is one hell of a drop though, so not likely, especially not in the UK, even with the strengthening £££.

Probably see a £50 - £100 drop MAX, but I'm looking at the £1500 iMac (mid range - 2.93Mhz) With my discount it comes out at £1400, add a price reduction and it could be £1300. Since I have a currently working laptop I'm gonna sit it out and wait for September...

 

[MacFanUK]

I too am waiting for the price cut / speed bump - I have access to a company discount that gives me the same amount as the education discount.

I think that saying the 24" will drop to £900 is one hell of a drop though, so not likely, especially not in the UK, even with the strengthening £££.

Probably see a £50 - £100 drop MAX, but I'm looking at the £1500 iMac (mid range - 2.93Mhz) With my discount it comes out at £1400, add a price reduction and it could be £1300. Since I have a currently working laptop I'm gonna sit it out and wait for September...

I think your company discount is the same as 'Education Discount' not 'HE Discount' which I guess is what londonmystery is talking about.

With HE discount, the 20" iMac is currently £834.90 and the 24" is currently £1055.70 so I don't think a drop to around £900-£950 is out of the question.

In fact, with the HE discount, the iMac you're looking at is currently £1319.05.

I too am waiting for the bump/price drop. The iMacs shot up in price when they were last updated so I'm hoping they will drop to their previous prices.

 

[ElPinko]

Wow the HE discount is much better than the standard work discount. How annoying is that! for £1300 I'd seriously consider taking the plunge early - but not if I didn't have to, when exactly does the HE discount end? I'm guessing approximately 1 day before Snow Leopard and the updates...

 

[MacFanUK]

Wow the HE discount is much better than the standard work discount. How annoying is that! for £1300 I'd seriously consider taking the plunge early - but not if I didn't have to, when exactly does the HE discount end? I'm guessing approximately 1 day before Snow Leopard and the updates...

The HE discount is all year round but it's only for university students/staff. The website can only be accessed from a university campus, however, the times I've wanted to check the price of something from home, I've used the chat option in the store and they send me a link to the HE store and just ask if I'm a uni student...just say 'yes'.

 

[londonmystery]

I'm due to start Uni in September as a mature student. When I got my MBP I didn't have any proof so once in store they said I could just log into the UCAS website and show them that way. Now whenever I go back to get something they don't even ask.

If there is as predicted 10% price drop then the base model 24" would be £10.. With the HE discount as well, which is 13%, a base model 24" should be around the £938.. mark after said price drop and HE discount. If the bump/price drop happens before the 18/9/ then the ipod touch offer is still there which means it could be as low as £790 or so after rebate and selling of ipod touch. Now that really would be a bargain, at that price might get 2, lmao.
Just checked the refurb store and this cheap as well.

http://store.apple.com/uk/browse/home/specialdeals/mac/imac