The next iMac (now the NEXT next iMac)

[AlexisV]

I'm not sure it will change at all in the next few years. The original iMac, and emac which is virtually the same, ran in effect from 98-06.

I think the design lost its way slightly a few years ago, with the interesting but clumsy G4 iMac and G4 Cube. Now they've got a real consistent style thing going with today's Macs.

 

[thugpoet22]

I'm not sure it will change at all in the next few years. The original iMac, and emac which is virtually the same, ran in effect from 98-06.

I think the design lost its way slightly a few years ago, with the interesting but clumsy G4 iMac and G4 Cube. Now they've got a real consistent style thing going with today's Macs.

Although i do agree with you with Cube but i doubt the imac is going to stay the same. But i think its going to be hard to top the imac. I think the best guess is that they will give people color options and they will make the imac a lot thinnner. Maybe taking out the power supply and using a more advanced hard drive the 2.5 hard drives that still deliver the 7200 rpm. But what ever the case may be we should almost know for certain that its going to be one unit. I think that at least is going to be a constant.

 

[roland.g]

Although i do agree with you with Cube but i doubt the imac is going to stay the same. But i think its going to be hard to top the imac. I think the best guess is that they will give people color options and they will make the imac a lot thinnner. Maybe taking out the power supply and using a more advanced hard drive the 2.5 hard drives that still deliver the 7200 rpm. But what ever the case may be we should almost know for certain that its going to be one unit. I think that at least is going to be a constant.

No WAY!!

They are not going to put in 2.5" drives,

a. because they cost more
b. because this is Apple's Desktop AIO - designed to be what a consumer, not prosumer or power user needs, and quite attractive to switchers. That said they are not going to sacrifice all that storage space for a slightly thinner form factor. 250, 500, and 750 GB drive options vs. what 100-200GB, no way, ESPECIALLY with TIME MACHINE in Leopard, people need space just for that.

Colors yes, Santa Rosa sure, CPU bumps to whatever Intel has in the C2D pipeline, I think they can or will go to 2.4 or so, not much more, I doubt anything else will change before Penryn 45nm based iMacs next year. If Apple can put off this revision till May or June you won't see any major change until Jan 08. Still then it might be the same just upgrading to Penryn and waiting till Summer 08 to go multi-touch.

Power supply, maybe but I doubt it. The chin gives them somewhere to put the logo, isn't that obtrusive on the 20 or 24, just the 17 really and that thing is such a bargain basement model. I don't see them doing that. It makes them much less mountable and all that.

 

[waynergy]

I would love it if they bring back the lamp design. If not, at least they should be able to increase the base model screen size from 17" to 19".

 

[Mgkwho]

...Maybe taking out the power supply...

But what ever the case may be we should almost know for certain that its going to be one unit. I think that at least is going to be a constant.

If it's going to be one unit, why would they take out the power supply?

-=|Mgkwho

 

[joelmejiaganan]

I think they will make it like the current Cinema Displays. Slimmer, with a narrower bezel, aluminum enclosure and maybe an option for VESA mounting on the wall (perhaps it will make it difficult to reach).

It will make the iMac look more pro for those who don't like white stuff like iMacs.

 

[Mgkwho]

Yeah, now I'm thinking it will just be a screen- no bezel more than a case to hold it in. Where did the iSight go? Well, look behind the pixels!

-=|Mgkwho

 

[Treehead]

I'd like to see something that is either completely new and unlike anything they've ever done before, or go to some variation of the "Lamp" design.

Yeah, I want a ceiling lamp with an integrated HD Video projector, a virtual laser keyboard and the mouse should work similar to the wireless sensor bar on the Wii

 

[puckhead193]

i don't see whats wrong with the current design, although once they show the new design i'm gonna say the old one sucks

 

[zim]

A cup holder would be nice

 

[Treehead]

A cup holder would be nice

The next mini should have a much stronger CPU connected via heatpipe to a metal plate on the top that could be used as a cup warmer.

 

[Shaduu]

I'd buy that Mini.

iMac-wise, I'm going to agree with the ACD-esque design. Slimline aluminum body, iSight mounted in the usual place and a processor boost. That makes sense to me.

Actually, that's given me an idea. Maybe we'll see integrated iSight in next revisions of the Apple Cinema Displays.

 

[thugpoet22]

If it's going to be one unit, why would they take out the power supply?

-=|Mgkwho

The power supply can be built into the power cord kinda like what Sony did with the new PS2. If you take out the power supply your taking size, weight and heat away from the system. This will allow for the system as a while to be made thinner with out suffering from heat issues.

 

[tinydancer]

Haven't read all these posts, but is the popular opinion that the "next revolutionary iMac" will appear within the next few months (when some were expecting a revision anyway) or are we still a ways away from seeing this change?

 

[Sped]

I don't expect to see Santa Rosa based iMac's before July although I'd love to be wrong. I am starting to get the itch to buy a new one as my old Luxo lamp is getting long in the tooth. Mind you it still does mail, surfing, finances, and word processing like a champ, but a 15" screen just isn't enough workspace.

I expect WWDC to focus on Leopard and Mac Pro. After that, the mini will be upgraded to C2D quietly. Then, new iMacs will be released later in the summer - maybe in Paris like the first gen G5 iMac.

 

[GanleyBurger]

Timing

I can't see waiting until September or something get Santa Rosa, etc., in the Imac.

this would suck...

So many people are ready to buy now...

 

[Grasbak]

sorry if this has been mentioned before... anyone think the iMac will start shipping with 2 hard drives? Then time machine would work 'straight out of the box'....

 

[anti-microsoft]

Retro style...

I can't see waiting until September or something get Santa Rosa, etc., in the Imac.

this would suck...

So many people are ready to buy now...

I'd like a G4 styled iMac, with a 20", 24" and 32" display (drop the 17" display, it's too small) Intel Core 2 Duo or Intel Xeon options, for both professionals and home users. I think the'll ship it in June next to the iPhone.
Aluminum would be nice, but I really like the traditional Apple white.

 

[thugpoet22]

sorry if this has been mentioned before... anyone think the iMac will start shipping with 2 hard drives? Then time machine would work 'straight out of the box'....

Or at least create space for a hard drive to be added to the system. But in my opinion i would opt for a external backup anyway, it seems more secure, and all your important files become portable.

 

[FF_productions]

sorry if this has been mentioned before... anyone think the iMac will start shipping with 2 hard drives? Then time machine would work 'straight out of the box'....

That's what I've been thinking about. Especially with the 24 inch iMac, there is so much space inside of it, it wouldn't hurt to have more expansion inside.

 

[dhc]

That's what I've been thinking about. Especially with the 24 inch iMac, there is so much space inside of it, it wouldn't hurt to have more expansion inside.

That makes so much sense to me. I'm in the market for a new desktop and have been bouncing between 20"/24" iMac or refurb Mac Pro; putting 2 HD's in the iMac would be enough to sign on the line for me.

 

[Tenex]

AppleInsider have been touting a redesign rumour - that it will be more "industrial". Running with that idea I guess they could make the iMac surround match the ACD range?

 

[flyinmac]

AppleInsider have been touting a redesign rumour - that it will be more "industrial". Running with that idea I guess they could make the iMac surround match the ACD range?

Industrial is such a vague term.

Does it mean ugly?

Does it mean more durable?

Does it mean metallic?

I could go on. It's just too vague to get much of an impression. They should have given some specific design elements if they had much to go on.

The only thing that I could imagine being more vague would be if they said it would look more "homey"

That could mean a lot of things.

 

[GanleyBurger]

New Design?

.

Why not an American Chopper imac... with glossy black sides and a skull on the back... for the Xtreme consumer... with highly detailed flame pin-striping.... and the front of the imac can be covered with that stuff they put in the floor in hot-rod trailers... that chromed stuff with the little X pattterns on it... and the stand can look like dual chrome exauhst pipes.... But it's got to include a genuine leather mouse pad or something... When it boots up, it can play Born to be Wild...

Next Tuesday... it's... killing... me...

 

[Jasonbot]

.

Why not an American Chopper imac... with glossy black sides and a skull on the back... for the Xtreme consumer... with highly detailed flame pin-striping.... and the front of the imac can be covered with that stuff they put in the floor in hot-rod trailers... that chromed stuff with the little X pattterns on it... and the stand can look like dual chrome exauhst pipes.... But it's got to include a genuine leather mouse pad or something... When it boots up, it can play Born to be Wild...

Next Tuesday... it's... killing... me...

That sounds pretty rugged, can't wait! The exhausts can be used for heat dissapation and maybe then we can get some Conroe processors into the thing!