Is iMac likely to be updated with new chips?

[AubreyL]

I know Intel announced their next generation of chips coming out in January. I'm sure this is likely to make it to the iMac. Will these chips (I think it's Penryn) make it to the new iMac or are they going to work in that type of machine? Also, will they be quad core or is that something that will come out later in 2008? Any ideas of any other changes likely to come to the iMac?
I decided to buy a Mac Mini instead of the iMac this year. I want one of the current generation iMac's very much but with it being a new design I figured it's best to wait until the first update. I'm hoping also that maybe there is a matte screen option.

 

[Eidorian]

Why not?

It'll just take time until the mobile variants of Penryn are available for the Santa Rosa Refresh. You might see a quad-core iMac next summer or later.

 

[Sped]

The iMac will get Penryn, but I don't think it will be until Montevina sometime in Q2 08. It would be unlike Apple to update the processor after only 3-4 months even though it is technically feasible. I believe this has to do with margins. Because Apple is a relatively low volume vendor, they need to maintain higher margins. In order to make higher margins, you need to, among other things, keep your production process stable. Additionally, Apple makes higher margins the longer a given design is in production because the component costs decrease. Apple has to weigh these improvements against customers' desire to own older hardware at the same price point.

 

[imacdaddy]

It would be unlike Apple to update the processor after only 3-4 months even though it is technically feasible.

Anything can happen. I had bought my iMac G5 with iSight when it was announced in Oct'05. Three months later, they announced the transition to Intel in Jan'06 at MW. It was MAJOR!

 

[0007776]

the iMac will eventually get these chips, right now though I'm guessing that MBPs will be at Macworld and we will see updated iMacs a month or two later. Quad core in the iMac unless they do another complete design change to use actual desktop chips would be Q3 of 2008 but probably will actually be in iMacs more toward the end of the year.