Will there ever be a new large iMac (Pro)?

[DrRadon]

Maybe something could happen in two weeks. Say...by the 28th of July?

If these shipping times are bouncing around so dramatically. It usually indicates the imminent arrival of a new model. And usually last minute rumours indicating that.

September and RDNA2 (would be my preference if it meant getting access to that gpu tech'...) is painful to wait for.

Azrael.

Shipping times still suggest a imminent refresh as the shops are, for now, still fully sold out. If the machine is back in stores like the 21,5 this is going to be September or October i guess.

Next week makes sense. I'll find a way to talk myself in up to the 29th as well (WWDC lasted a full week after all).

If both don't happen the most useful leaks left would make it September or later.

To be honest, if this ends up in October i would have preferred to have bought 4 month ago and just have the software experience by using Premiere Pro/Final cut for 8 months with the videos i want to produce. It's a really painful experience right now.

 

[pldelisle]

Shipping times still suggest a imminent refresh as the shops are, for now, still fully sold out. If the machine is back in stores like the 21,5 this is going to be September or October i guess.

Next week makes sense. I'll find a way to talk myself in up to the 29th as well (WWDC lasted a full week after all).

If both don't happen the most useful leaks left would make it September or later.

To be honest, if this ends up in October i would have preferred to have bought 4 month ago and just have the software experience by using Premiere Pro/Final cut for 8 months with the videos i want to produce. It's a really painful experience right now.

I’m still crunching data on a 4-core Haswell MBP15 with swelling battery.

this is painful. 😂

 

[Azrael9]

I heard Final Cut was 'easier' to learn than Premiere? I'll probably buy Final Cut at some point. For video work? A no-brainer. £299. I remember when it cost alot(!) more than that...

Aye. The shipping times still suggest 'imminent.'

I'd have said, common sense wise, that iMac in July was a nailed on given the components suggested by the rumours.

A month after WWDC seemed fine. eg. July 28th. Inventory building?

The one component hold up could be the RDNA1+ or RDNA2 BTO? (A 'Mac' 6600m variant has turned up...see my videocardz link earlier in this thread...) This would peg it at September.

But if it goes to Big Sur in October. Wouldn't surprise me...as I'm sure the iPhone 12 will hog September.

Azrael.
[automerge]1594904463[/automerge]

I’m still crunching data on a 4-core Haswell MBP15 with swelling battery.

this is painful. 😂

I wonder if it will give birth to an iMac...

Azrael.

 

[The_Lord_of_Apple]

I heard Final Cut was 'easier' to learn than Premiere?

what is Premiere? Da Vinci Resolve all the way!!!

 

[Azrael9]

Apple could just be waiting until October to announce whatever Macs (Intel and/or AS) they intend to release this year because that is when Big Sur is ready. Which would mean you can't get an Intel Mac now because parts are not available and/or factories are not available to assemble said parts. And we should therefore see shipping dates start to shorten in the coming weeks as either constraint is relieved.

I'm pretty confident the Mac Pro will hang around for the "Intel-only" crowd, but you're going to pay to stay in that game. But the commercial interests who need it can afford it, so...

Ming-Chi Kuo Archives - 9to5Mac

9to5mac.com

there would only be room in the pipeline for the redesigned iMac as the last new Intel machine (aside some possible spec bumps to existing models in the fall).

Kuo says the new Intel iMac is set to be released in Q3 (i.e. July, August, September) and the ARM version will follow around Q1 2021. Kuo does not address the future of the MacBook Air, Mac mini, iMac Pro or Mac Pro in this report.

Kuo confirms that an all-new design iMac is launching imminently, and it will apparently be Apple’s last new Mac featuring an Intel CPU.

Imminently. Time is relative.

Azrael.

 

[DrRadon]

I heard Final Cut was 'easier' to learn than Premiere? I'll probably buy Final Cut at some point. For video work? A no-brainer. £299.

You can even get it cheaper. Here in Germany it is 330€ and often enough there are 20%+ offers on gift cards. So you buy 300€ worth of gift cards, end up with 360€ in your account and essentially got Final Cut for 270€

 

[Azrael9]

Apple Silicon Macs to really take off in 2nd half of 2021 – TSMC - 9to5Mac

Apple chipmaker TSMC says that while we're expecting to see the first Apple Silicon Macs before the end of this year, there will be a big boost ...

9to5mac.com

The foundry house reportedly is also making Arm-based processors for Apple’s next-generation Macs to be launched by year-end 2020p.

However, when it comes to Apple Silicon Macs specifically, the site says the chipmaker is expecting to see a big boost in orders from the middle of next year.

TSMC to see orders increase for Arm-based Macs in 2H21: TSMC is expected to see orders for Apple’s Macs based on its Arm-based silicon ramp up and contribute substantially to the foundry’s wafer sales starting the second half of 2021, according to industry sources.

Apple’s former head of Mac development recently argued that higher-end Windows PCs will also have to switch from Intel to ARM chips in order to keep up with the performance improvements expected from upcoming Macs.

Azrael.
[automerge]1594905755[/automerge]

You can even get it cheaper. Here in Germany it is 330€ and often enough there are 20%+ offers on gift cards. So you buy 300€ worth of gift cards, end up with 360€ in your account and essentially got Final Cut for 270€

Thank you. Noted. It's certainly on my shopping list.

Azrael.

 

[pldelisle]

Imminently. Time is relative.

When was that? In April ? Damn.
[automerge]1594906399[/automerge]
Apple’s former head of Mac development recently argued that higher-end Windows PCs will also have to switch from Intel to ARM chips in order to keep up with the performance improvements expected from upcoming Macs.



LOL

Yeah right.

No other company in the world except Apple has the money, resources and will to make this.

 

[DrRadon]

So theres two options right now.

iMac was delayed from WWDC because Apple did not want to mix it with ARM.

Intel is the supply bottleneck and Apple just communicated with them to use next Gens Chips coming in September to be released in September or October.



We got leakers to make sense of both of these options.

 

[pldelisle]

DigiTimes: Arm-Based 13-inch MacBook Pro and MacBook Air to Ship By End of 2020

Apple will release its first Arm-based 13-inch MacBook Pro and MacBook Air by the end of 2020, according to a new DigiTimes report today. Taiwan's supply chain will begin shipping backlit units (BLUs) and other components for the next-generation MacBooks in the third quarter of the year...

forums.macrumors.com

I don’t think we will see any AS iMac by the end of 2020...

 

[Manfredi]

DigiTimes: Arm-Based 13-inch MacBook Pro and MacBook Air to Ship By End of 2020

Apple will release its first Arm-based 13-inch MacBook Pro and MacBook Air by the end of 2020, according to a new DigiTimes report today. Taiwan's supply chain will begin shipping backlit units (BLUs) and other components for the next-generation MacBooks in the third quarter of the year...

forums.macrumors.com

I don’t think we will see any AS iMac by the end of 2020...

me too!!

they will introduce iMac Intel and that's all.

meanings that latest MAc of transaction will be iMac in the next 2 years...

 

[CWallace]

I don’t think we will see any AS iMac by the end of 2020...

If the Apple Silicon SoCs are ready, I think we will see a 13.3" MacBook Pro and/or MacBook Air with it around Big Sur's release.

I expect Apple for PR reasons would want to launch the MacBook Pro model to showcase the power of the chip and not set the expectation in people's minds that Apple Silicon is only for "light duty" tasks that Air's are (primarily) used for.

But I could see them also launching a MacBook Air, as well, to hit a lower price point via de-contenting (maybe less cores, less RAM/storage, etc.).

 

[Azrael9]

Apple to release new MacBook Pro and MacBook Air, powered by Apple silicon, by the end of this year

Apple is set to release new 13-inch MacBook Pro and 13-inch MacBook Air models, powered by Apple silicon, by the end of this year…

macdailynews.com

...and the same link at Macdailynews.

The planets coming into alignment?

Azrael.
[automerge]1594911764[/automerge]

If the Apple Silicon SoCs are ready, I think we will see a 13.3" MacBook Pro and/or MacBook Air with it around Big Sur's release.

I expect Apple for PR reasons would want to launch the MacBook Pro model to showcase the power of the chip and not set the expectation in people's minds that Apple Silicon is only for "light duty" tasks that Air's are (primarily) used for.

But I could see them also launching a MacBook Air, as well, to hit a lower price point via de-contenting (maybe less cores, less RAM/storage, etc.).

With projected Mac laptop shipments of 17-20 million. That's the way to 'instantly' kickstart the Mac ARM installed base.

With your previously muted idea of a Macbook Air (ideal machine...) and the 13 inch Macbook Pro (pretty much the 'same' thing...) if they both have the AS14 12 core.

Your point about the prestige of a Macbook 'Pro' AS. And that of a Macbook Air (perennial consumer favourite...) satisfies 'alot' of the Mac user base.

Marketing semantics but it covers a broad base of Mac user. To get that 'installed' base of Mac ARM they need to make this transition 'affordable' and appeal to the dual personality of Mac user.

Anything more powerful than an A12z in the Macbook Air is going to be impressive. The AS14 should really upset the ultrabook market by BLOWING AWAY the 'Wintel' competition.

Azrael.

 

[iPadified]

DigiTimes: Arm-Based 13-inch MacBook Pro and MacBook Air to Ship By End of 2020

Apple will release its first Arm-based 13-inch MacBook Pro and MacBook Air by the end of 2020, according to a new DigiTimes report today. Taiwan's supply chain will begin shipping backlit units (BLUs) and other components for the next-generation MacBooks in the third quarter of the year...

forums.macrumors.com

I don’t think we will see any AS iMac by the end of 2020...

Digitimes...
I doubt this because it suggest the same design. In my ears, dropping a new AS into the same body as the current Mac is a missed opportunity to shine light on the dramatic turn for Macs. What speak for these two product is that they are similar in performance so one AS is sufficient. Completely uninteresting products for me if this is the case. I better liked the rumour about 24 inch iMac and just because iMac is not mentioned here does not mean it will not be released in the autumn. What is more troubling is that TSMC said that they expect a boost of Mac AS chip in the second half of next year suggesting the most Mac comes late 2021. If so, it will be a long wait.

 

[pldelisle]

Yeah I would at least come out with a 14”, slimmer-bezel MacBook Pro. The rest of the laptop line up is perfect. Air as ultraportable, AS letting it having 2-day battery life. Pro 14 for more demanding users but still portable enough. AS Pro 16 will come out fall 2021 with high performance AS and better GPU performance. This is pretty much the roadmap I think. Physically, except the Pro 13 which will likely become 14”, the laptops are perfect. I don’t know how, with today’s tech, they could make it even better. Yeah, still improvement for the display with MiniLED, but except better display technology, design-wise, I don’t know how they can make them better.

With AS, the laptop line up, once transition completes, will be the best laptop line up in the industry ever made.

• Custom, low-power, high performance Apple Silicon tailored specifically for the operating system.
• MiniLED Display for low power yet incredible Retina quality display for the entire line up, including MacBook Air (Less likely, but please Apple...)
• The perfect, reliable keyboard
• Touchbar for simplified human—machine interface
• Slim, portable, lightweight design across the entire line up.
• Thunderbolt 4 for high speed connectivity and charging. I really like the one-port-rule-them-all. And with AS we might see 4x thunderbolt 4 ports on the Air.
• Higher performing GPUs than anything Intel might come out with in the next 5 years.

What I would want is a unified laptop line up. They must share the same platform, but with different form factors. Don‘t let the user say ”damn, I need portability, but also want the great display, but MiniLED is only available on Pro models”. No ! Don‘t let this happen. Propose the same frame, the same platform, with different internals, but the same physical features. Same display, same Facetime camera, same keyboard, same number of Thunderbolt 4 ports, but change the SoC inside and let the Air be slimmer And lighter. This is the only thing Apple has to do. The quadrant. Don‘t let the user make compromise with the products you sell. When clients have to make compromises they are unhappy. It slowly ruins your business.

I really wish this can translate to Apple‘s desktops. Really.

• A beautiful iMac 24 with mid-range performance.
• A same-design iMac 30-32 with alllllmost Mac Pro performance.
• The same great Display technology, the same internal cooling, the same ports, the same everythiong, even the same motherboard in them. But you change the SoC in the 30-32 to make it a compute powerhouse. And you make the mac Mini a BTO option for the same high end AS SoC as the iMac 30-32.

Consumer laptop : MacBook Air. They could even make a 15 inch model of the Air. Why not have a 13 Air, 15 Air, 14 Pro, 16 Pro ? If someone likes the confort of having a 15 inch laptop but likes the slimer and lighter design for the Air, why not propose a 15 inch ?! Yeah, it adds a model to the portfolio, but the Air line is still the best seller line at Apple. Make a 15 inch Air with half the power of a Pro 16 for half the price, this will sell like hot bread (We say this in french).
Pro laptop : MacBook Pro 14, 16.

Consumer desktop : iMac 24
Prosumer desktop : iMac 30-32
Pro desktop : Mac Pro. And yeah, I dare to place the mac mini here.

Why mini in Pro desktop ?

Because this is the only truely customizable hardware platform Apple ever created.

”But the Mac Pro is upgradable, the Mac Pro has slots, etc”

97% of people don‘t care at all.
97% of people want a freaking computer that just works.

The Mac mini can have, if the customer wants, the lowest power Apple SoC they make. Great. Perfect low-power computer for basic task. It can even be passively cooled. Totally silent computer. Isn‘t the quest of Apple since the Apple II ? I don‘t remember his name, but there was an engineer trying to make a silent power supply for the Apple II without any fan !
But the Mac Mini could also have a top of the end 12-16-name-it cores SoC in it to make it a great powerhouse computer for demanding tasks. Even for CAD tasks.

Let the customer decide in the Mac mini what he wants in it. Propose a mac Mini with every SoC Apple makes. It’s only a matter of changing a freaking chip on a motherboard ! Ok, keep the highest performing for the Mac Pro (to let him a reason to even exist), but let the mac Mini be what it deserves to be : the best Mac ever created for those who bring macOS alive.


Isn’t it freaking complicated Apple ?

 

[xgman]

I expect Apple for PR reasons would want to launch the MacBook Pro model to showcase the power of the chip and not set the expectation in people's minds that Apple Silicon is only for "light duty" tasks that Air's are (primarily) used for.

Good point.

 

[Kjs100]

DigiTimes: Arm-Based 13-inch MacBook Pro and MacBook Air to Ship By End of 2020

Apple will release its first Arm-based 13-inch MacBook Pro and MacBook Air by the end of 2020, according to a new DigiTimes report today. Taiwan's supply chain will begin shipping backlit units (BLUs) and other components for the next-generation MacBooks in the third quarter of the year...

forums.macrumors.com

I don’t think we will see any AS iMac by the end of 2020...

I think Apple will release a 24" AS iMac this year. The absence of evidence in that particular article is not evidence of absence. That article just deals with predictions for laptops. Kuo previously reported the 24" ARM iMac for Q4.

Whilst it might not be wise to conflate laptop releases with the iMac, Digitimes have the MacBook Air releasing this year, while Kuo said either Q4 or 1Q21. So AS devices are sounding on track for releases this year. TC stated AS "device" this year, but I'm not taking that as intending to mean singular; probably just being cautious with his words.

 

[Azrael9]

Digitimes...
I doubt this because it suggest the same design. In my ears, dropping a new AS into the same body as the current Mac is a missed opportunity to shine light on the dramatic turn for Macs. What speak for these two product is that they are similar in performance so one AS is sufficient. Completely uninteresting products for me if this is the case. I better liked the rumour about 24 inch iMac and just because iMac is not mentioned here does not mean it will not be released in the autumn. What is more troubling is that TSMC said that they expect a boost of Mac AS chip in the second half of next year suggesting the most Mac comes late 2021. If so, it will be a long wait.

Continuity 1st.

Dramatic redesign later.

If previous transition history is anything to go by.

eg. The iMac 24. The 21 inch is slated to be binned on the transition. So a maximised footprint design is an obvious go to. And it just ties in with the fact that the iMac is 'next' up to get a significant redesign.

Any 'redesigns' probably already slated eg. iMac. It's the only thing that hasn't been significantly redesigned in 12 years.

Once the dust settles on the chip and gpu transition the dramatic ARM designs will come. But for now, they can use the space from the Intel hot cake designs to give them plenty of room to push performance and efficiency and give Intel the boot.

'Same machine. But look here...AS 'Inside' buries them.'

Azrael.
[automerge]1594915541[/automerge]

I think Apple will release a 24" AS iMac this year. The absence of evidence in that particular article is not evidence of absence. That article just deals with predictions for laptops. Kuo previously reported the 24" ARM iMac for Q4.

Whilst it might not be wise to conflate laptop releases with the iMac, Digitimes have the MacBook Air releasing this year, while Kuo said either Q4 or 1Q21. So AS devices are sounding on track for releases this year. TC stated AS "device" this year, but I'm not taking that as intending to mean singular; probably just being cautious with his words.

He did. Oscillating between fall this year to early 2021 for the iMac 24. But we will be getting 'a' Mac ARM product 'later' this year because Tim Cook himself said so. The last transition can give us clues where Apple's priorities where then...and sales figures of Macs will tell us where Apple's priorities for Mac ARM releases lay now.

With the Mini, Air, MB 13, iMac24. They're pretty much the same product, consumer wise. Performance wise. Graphics wise. Not a great deal to separate them. So an AS14 will probably under pin their release...likely tuned to form factor perhaps higher clock for the iMac 24 vs the MB13.

No reason why all of them couldn't land this fall.

But my bet is marketing will beat the drum of a steady roll out over the 7 months from the 1st AS Mac dropping in the fall.

By this time next year...we'll probably just be waiting on the Mac ARM Pro' products.

Azrael.

 

[Mr. Warbles]

If we are getting a spec bump, old chassis, I would imagine that’s coming in the next two weeks.

If the September/October dates are really true that must be a redesign iMac with intel Chip. In that case I think Apple will play it like “here’s our all new design line up featuring the first models with AS technology“. I think they’ll play it real vague, talk about the models that got the upgrade and gloss over the ones that didn’t. “Here’s our newly designed iMac, and it’s the most powerful we’ve built yet...”

Again, I think Apple know the higher powered AS chips are a ways off. They will come up with a creative way to spin it so that they talk up the new AS chip meanwhile the new intel stuff looks refreshed to sell with upgraded internals. If they do it right most people won’t even notice what’s going on under the hood but the small percentage like us here on sites like this.

I believe Apples theory here is that the new design IS the new line and they’ll swap the chips in when ready over the next two years.

and yes, an intel design will also work as a AS design. It might just mean keeping the same overall look but swapping the back panel on the iMac design. Just think how they’ve done that for 12 years with the iMac. It’s gotten thinner, the iMac Pro got a vented back panel for cooling. They’ll adjust it.

I just can’t see that old chassis around while totally redesign new stuff is coming out. It won’t sell.

 

[Azrael9]

Yeah I would at least come out with a 14”, slimmer-bezel MacBook Pro. The rest of the laptop line up is perfect. Air as ultraportable, AS letting it having 2-day battery life. Pro 14 for more demanding users but still portable enough. AS Pro 16 will come out fall 2021 with high performance AS and better GPU performance. This is pretty much the roadmap I think. Physically, except the Pro 13 which will likely become 14”, the laptops are perfect. I don’t know how, with today’s tech, they could make it even better. Yeah, still improvement for the display with MiniLED, but except better display technology, design-wise, I don’t know how they can make them better.

With AS, the laptop line up, once transition completes, will be the best laptop line up in the industry ever made.

• Custom, low-power, high performance Apple Silicon tailored specifically for the operating system.
• MiniLED Display for low power yet incredible Retina quality display for the entire line up, including MacBook Air (Less likely, but please Apple...)
• The perfect, reliable keyboard
• Touchbar for simplified human—machine interface
• Slim, portable, lightweight design across the entire line up.
• Thunderbolt 4 for high speed connectivity and charging. I really like the one-port-rule-them-all. And with AS we might see 4x thunderbolt 4 ports on the Air.
• Higher performing GPUs than anything Intel might come out with in the next 5 years.

What I would want is a unified laptop line up. They must share the same platform, but with different form factors. Don‘t let the user say ”damn, I need portability, but also want the great display, but MiniLED is only available on Pro models”. No ! Don‘t let this happen. Propose the same frame, the same platform, with different internals, but the same physical features. Same display, same Facetime camera, same keyboard, same number of Thunderbolt 4 ports, but change the SoC inside and let the Air be slimmer And lighter. This is the only thing Apple has to do. The quadrant. Don‘t let the user make compromise with the products you sell. When clients have to make compromises they are unhappy. It slowly ruins your business.

I really wish this can translate to Apple‘s desktops. Really.

• A beautiful iMac 24 with mid-range performance.
• A same-design iMac 30-32 with alllllmost Mac Pro performance.
• The same great Display technology, the same internal cooling, the same ports, the same everythiong, even the same motherboard in them. But you change the SoC in the 30-32 to make it a compute powerhouse. And you make the mac Mini a BTO option for the same high end AS SoC as the iMac 30-32.

Consumer laptop : MacBook Air. They could even make a 15 inch model of the Air. Why not have a 13 Air, 15 Air, 14 Pro, 16 Pro ? If someone likes the confort of having a 15 inch laptop but likes the slimer and lighter design for the Air, why not propose a 15 inch ?! Yeah, it adds a model to the portfolio, but the Air line is still the best seller line at Apple. Make a 15 inch Air with half the power of a Pro 16 for half the price, this will sell like hot bread (We say this in french).
Pro laptop : MacBook Pro 14, 16.

Consumer desktop : iMac 24
Prosumer desktop : iMac 30-32
Pro desktop : Mac Pro. And yeah, I dare to place the mac mini here.

Why mini in Pro desktop ?

Because this is the only truely customizable hardware platform Apple ever created.

”But the Mac Pro is upgradable, the Mac Pro has slots, etc”

97% of people don‘t care at all.
97% of people want a freaking computer that just works.

The Mac mini can have, if the customer wants, the lowest power Apple SoC they make. Great. Perfect low-power computer for basic task. It can even be passively cooled. Totally silent computer. Isn‘t the quest of Apple since the Apple II ? I don‘t remember his name, but there was an engineer trying to make a silent power supply for the Apple II without any fan !
But the Mac Mini could also have a top of the end 12-16-name-it cores SoC in it to make it a great powerhouse computer for demanding tasks. Even for CAD tasks.

Let the customer decide in the Mac mini what he wants in it. Propose a mac Mini with every SoC Apple makes. It’s only a matter of changing a freaking chip on a motherboard ! Ok, keep the highest performing for the Mac Pro (to let him a reason to even exist), but let the mac Mini be what it deserves to be : the best Mac ever created for those who bring macOS alive.


Isn’t it freaking complicated Apple ?

Excellent post.

I agree with your 'Power house' Mac Mini AS SoC option. Con' SoC. Pro' SoC. (Eg. iMac 24 SoC or the iMac 30/32 SoC...)

A much more simplified quadrant echoing a better and clearer deal for the consumer. A happier Mac client.

Azrael.

 

[fokmik]

meanings that latest MAc of transaction will be iMac in the next 2 years...

No. Next year we will have both sizes on arm...the last mac will be the mac pro...that it will get arm, probably mid-late 2022

 

[Homy]

 

[pldelisle]

This guy has put in words everything I had in my mind.

I‘m no good at communications (I‘m software engineer after all!). but this guy has it. And he is totally right about everything he said in this video.

 

[Azrael9]

A worthy summation for any one who doesn't quite 'get it.'

Power. Performance. Products. Profit (margins.)

That's why Apple is doing this. Manifest destiny.

Mac OS and the AS hardware will be the bedrock of Apple products. For a customised user experience. (As opposed to the generic Intel or even ARM hardware that will be offered by other vendors...even if eg. Dell make the trip over to ARM land.) This unique alchemy will be very difficult to match from the competition.

The Mac will have the flag ship of Apple Silicon. More cores. Cooler running. Greater efficiency. Greater speed. With innovative approaches to graphical efficiency as well as controlling their own Metal API...which will see the user experience punch well above it's weight class from apps to games. (Imagine consumer Macs that can actually game and run 'pro' apps!)

The iPad is just a real sexy preview of the experience to come.

'We're not even trying.' Craig Fed' on the A12z.

Azrael.

 

[Cassandle]

What I would want is a unified laptop line up. They must share the same platform, but with different form factors. Don‘t let the user say ”damn, I need portability, but also want the great display, but MiniLED is only available on Pro models”. No ! Don‘t let this happen. Propose the same frame, the same platform, with different internals, but the same physical features. Same display, same Facetime camera, same keyboard, same number of Thunderbolt 4 ports, but change the SoC inside and let the Air be slimmer And lighter. This is the only thing Apple has to do. The quadrant. Don‘t let the user make compromise with the products you sell. When clients have to make compromises they are unhappy. It slowly ruins your business.

This is Tim Cook's Apple though. They will leave features out to tempt people to pay more.