“Internal configuration files in Mountain Lion make apparent references to yet-unreleased new generations of Apple’s iMac (iMac13,0) and Mac Pro (MacPro6,0), both in the context of USB booting options that indicate the new Mac desktops could, for the first time in nearly 20 years, lack built-in optical drives,” Daniel Eran Dilger reports for AppleInsider..
“The discovery, made by an AppleInsider source, appears in a configuration plist file used by Boot Camp Assistant to designate the Mac model versions capable of supporting either a optical boot disc, or alternatively, a USB flash drive volume capable of installing Windows to a Boot Camp partition,” Dilger reports. “While all modern Macs can boot OS X from a USB drive, Apple’s Boot Camp Assistant references the plist to display a listing of newer Mac models with EFI-level support for booting a legacy operating system from a USB flash drive. The primary advantage to using a USB flash drive to create a bootable Windows 7 volume from an ISO (disc image file) is if you lack an optical drive burner.”
Dilger reports, “The appearance of new Mac Pro and iMac models in the USB booting support list doesn’t definitively mean the models won’t have optical drives, as it also lists MacBook and MacBook Pro models that do incorporate an optical drive. At the same time, Apple has clearly indicated in the newest Mac mini and Retina Display MacBook Pro that it plans to get rid of optical disc drives as soon as possible across the board, providing an external USB drive as an option for users who need one.”
Much more in the full article here.
Imagine an iMac as thin as an Air – no CD/DVD drive and SSD instead of HDD – what a mac!!!
I can understand the case for a thin, light laptop. But my iMac just sits on my desk. I don’t give a crap how thick it is, especially if now I have to pay more for an external optical drive. If this is truly the future, I want to by one BEFORE the redesign.
Of course, I also carry around a 17″ MBP and have absolutely no desire for anything smaller or lighter, so perhaps I’m an edge case. 🙂
iCommentsif had a 17″ laptop. Then I got tired of the bulk and went with the 13″ MacBook. It’s more than enough for Anything except running windows. But then why would I do that????
13″ MacBook “It’s more than enough for Anything”
except:
-editing HD video and dozens of other pro tasks
Same goes for the current 15″ non Retina models arguably the Retina Display model as well.
Given that optical drives tend to become unreliable over time (more than half of the Macs I’ve had ended up with an unusable internal drive), it is always a good idea to keep a recent external USB optical drive around. You can plug into any computer and it provides support to the latest optical drive formats and speeds.
Just replaced the optical drive in my 2008 Mac Mini. Now wondering about the drive in my 2007 iMac.
You’re not alone in your thinking. Too many of the Kool-Aid drinkers just follow along. Good for you.
U think an external DVD drive is an issue? Lol. Wait until u see how much they will charge u 4 ram and SSD upgrades. Ram and SSD prices have dropped significantly and are predicted to drop even further. But guess what? Apple dont recognized current market prices for ram and SSD Products. They only recoognize……the Apple price. Apple dont care that an 512gb SSD can be had for $379 , or that 8gb of Ram(single module) can be had for $52. They will charge you close to $700 for the SSD and $200 for the 8gb of Ram. How they get away with this?
WE AS THE CONSUMERS LET THEM.
Hey, if you cant pay Apple’s prices without bitchin you either cant afford it or not a true Apple fan.
From the title, I was expecting aliens. “The Truth is Out There.”
who’s that cigarette smoking man standing behind MDN as he types?
“who’s that cigarette smoking man standing behind MDN as he types?”
Kolchak, The Night Stalker!
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0071003/
Perry White.
I have like a 5 or 6 years I never use a CD or DVD in my Mac. If a restore is need, I use a USB drive or External Hard Drive. For movies and music I use iTunes, Nexflix or Hulu.
I used once a CD to restore a Windows computer, but Windows is so last century tech that is why they still need CD/DVD rom.
Cool story bro!
I ripped some CDs from The Spooky Men’s Chorale. Not yet available in the ITMS. Haven’t reloaded Mac OS in years, just upgrades.
I use a Mac at work. I could deal with spending $90 on an external drive..but wouldn’t want to.
eric above has it right. The iMac will be extremely thin without the optical drive and if you need one you can buy one from Apple or use third party. I would hang such an 27″ iMac on the wall and with a wireless keyboard and track pad watch tv, YouTube videos and still use it as a computer. A great all around appliance for home entertainment and information.
I believe Macrumors updated saying the files were in place since 2011.
I wonder if the super-slim iMac might be the prototype for the new Apple TV? As Michael K noted, it would be easy to hang on a surface (if there hinge/base was detachable…) and your iMac would become yr new Apple TV mega-media screen…
With no tray loading discs they can make the pro horizontally mountable and rack space wide and voila, xserve mac pro all in one replacement!!
I certainly hope that there are more design changes, additional features, and improved functions than just removal of the optical drive.
Deleting Optical Drives is NOT any mac user has been screaming for. Frankly while U are using the Imac it doesn’t make a damn bit of difference how think it is. This is a solution looking for a problem. The Apple Staff people have gone off the edge…why not update programs that have been not been updated since OS 7 such as copy and paste? How about adding the ability to change, enlarge and color fonts in Addressbook and Apple Mail…? Stick with the basics.
So you’re saying they should have the hardware engineers programming instead. Brilliant.
That is something Phil Schiller would say.
Copy/Paste, font changes, OS changes are software changes, and here, we’re discussing Apple hardware (as monolithic as Apple is, two different groups are responsible for hardware and software).
Since the inception of the iMac, the goal of Apple’s industrial design team (with Jonathan Ive at the helm) has been to create sleek, thin design. As LCD panels became a viable option for display, the iMac went through several iterations (desk lamp, white plastic, several alu versions), each thinner than the previous. Even though iMac sits there on the desk, we should NOT understimate the importance of the thin design.
Apple likely knows very well how many people need (or use) their optical drive. I have no doubt that, among iMac owners, this number has dropped down to below 5%. They likely also have reliable data on how often this drive is used, and I am pretty sure this is less than once per year for most of those remaining 5%.
So, putting an optical disc into a device, knowing that vast majority will never use it, and of those that will, it sill happen no more than five times in the life of the computer, makes little sense economically.
I have always thought that I need an optical drive in my Macs. I never bought a MBA because it didn’t have an optical drive. A month ago, I have replaced my two-year old iMac with a new one. Before selling the old iMac, I had ti make sure all works, so I tested the optical drive, realising that it was the first time in its lifetime that I have actually tried to use it.
Over the past six years, I have used optical discs twice. And I have three Macs. After this realisation, I decided that my next portable will be a MBA, and I’ll be happy that Apple eliminated an unnecessary piece of hardware from the iMac line (if they actually decide to do it), that I won’t ever bother using anyway.
I use an optical drive once a month and am glad that it’s external as it saves on weight and size.
Now I wish my iPhone and iPad had an optical drive 😉
+1
I bought a 15″ MBP retina without the optical drive, and now I wish I had waited for the version with the optical drive. It’s a nuisance not having an internal drive. Other than that complaint, I love the new MBP!