“In a meeting with a handful of tech journalists in early April at Apple headquarters, a new version of the Mac Pro was promised. But it won’t arrive this year, and the speculation as to when assumes it’s 2018,” Gene Steinberg writes for The Tech Night Owl. “Another Mac mentioned was the iMac. Now the existing models haven’t been updated since 2015, when the 5K Retina display received a wider color gamut refresh and a tad more power. There’s even an entry-level version for $1,799. In other words, no 27-inch iMac comes without that magnificent 5K display.”
“So Apple is now promising a ‘great’ iMac update later this year that would include configurations focused on pros,” Steinberg writes. “What pro features would the iMac inherit, and there are certainly potential answers now that Intel has introduced a new Core X-Series processor family. So we have a Core i9 that starts at four cores but there are versions of the chip with 8, 10, 12, 14, 16 and a whopping 18 cores! …No doubt the iMac’s cooling system would have to be beefed up to handle such beasts, and that may present the biggest obstacle to putting such powerful silicon in an iMac, which has traditionally sported notebook-grade parts.”
Much more in the full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: As Gene reminds, the iMac will turn 19 years old on August 15th! Holy crap.
‘Tis true: Time sure flies when you’re having fun!
SEE ALSO:
Intel unveils X-series platform: Up to 18 cores and 36 threads – May 30, 2017
No new 32″ iMac what is the point? The screen size has to be bigger.
The point is that the Apple product managers for Macs are clueless.
Time’s fun when you’re having flies.
The iMac is the least embarrassing of the desktops Apple sells. But that doesn’t mean pros want all-in-one computers for their work. Update the rest of the lineup already!!!!!!!!!!!!!
As posted a moment ago, this is the antiquated Apple desktop lineup right now:
– Mac Pro: last horrid redesign Dec 2013, still sporting Thunderbolt 2 and two rockin’ GPUs that were outgunned 4 years ago
– Mac Mini: last neutering Oct 2014 – less user friendly, also sporting quaint Thunderbolt 2 connections but with really exciting Haswell processor and wimpy integrated GPU
– iMac: last modest refresh Oct 2015, the freshest desktop Apple offers.
If Apple had a clue about pros, they would offer a mini tower, a full scale workstation like the cheesegrater, and server models, all without integrated displays. Apple would sell a lineup of premium displays in 3 sizes that are actually kept up to date, and to promote them, Apple would offer bundle pricing such that a Mac Mini + Apple display doesn’t cost twice what the equivalent competitor setup costs.
“But that doesn’t mean pros want all-in-one computers for their work.”
Many pros just want something that can do the job. Remember Pro’s do more than crunch huge amounts of data. They photograph weddings. They compose music. They write software… and the vast majority of them are well suited with the hardware Apple currently makes.
Apple WILL be making something for those that want more, but I don’t see them coming out with “an iMac with no screen”. I also don’t see them coming out with a wide range of price points as anyone targeting the LOW end are likely already being served. No, I think what’s in consideration is a BEAST of a costly machine starting above all current price points for those that need POWER! If your needs aren’t met by some future upmarket iMac, you’re going to have to consider if those features you need are worth the considerable jump in price.
I know a few photographers who use iMacs for their work. But it definitely wasn’t their first choice. They all said the Mac Pro was too expensive. None of them say the all-in-one design was preferred. Most just shrug and accept that that is all that was available.
And with the demise of Aperture, how many of those photographers migrated to OS-agnostic Adobe Lightroom and then their hardware over to Windows?
And therein lies the rub with Apple losing the puck.
This is very simple: we don’t need our desktop machines to be razor-thin, ultra-lightweight devices.
IMac–given the size of the screen, there no reason the iMac couldn’t house two HDs
Mac-mini–there is no reason this machine couldn’t be a litter larger and use cheaper/bigger/faster 3.5″ HDs
Otherwise just make it easy to swap out HDs and RAM–you shouldn’t have to lift off the screen to swap out the HD in the iMac–that is stupid ridiculous.
And can’t we get a wireless keyboard with a numeric keypad fer cryin’ out loud.
Since Apple’s too stupid to make them someone else has stepped in: http://matias.ca/products/
When the Apple bean counters look at Macs, they see a niche product for the company. Their focus (money) is now – phones, phones, phones 😒
They better wake up, unless they want Windows to be the development platform for iPad’s, iPhone’s.
All these features you guys are bitching about are basically old news in the Windows world. Now doesn’t that just piss you the hell off about Apple? Oh well, you can just wait and hope and wait and hope some more forever.
I have to wait till 2018 to be disappointed yet again by Apple? The mac team over there are idiots.
I don’t want a razor thing glorified laptop that has to be replaced when a memory stick goes bad or the hard drive dies as they all do.
My first every windows purchase is looking more and more like a HP z2 workstation. Something I can easily add memory to or change a bad hard drive.
I’m sure it’s a lot longer wait from 1998 where you’re living. It’s 2017 Apple uses quality components. Both their memory and flash drive have longer life spans then computers do. Yes it sucks having to commit to such thing when you buy but the reality is integrated components have far lower failure rates because they require fewer parts. MS hates the fact that half of their developers show up running windows on a Mac because its the best built PC made.
Face facts you whiny Boomers: Apple is targeting the future which means Generation Y, you know, where the puck is projected to go, not the past populated by screeching, overeducated, nearly-retired old timers who are wagging their canes and crutches at the generation wearing rings and tattoos who, if you stay in the workforce, will be your bosses and thought leaders.
I think most people here are Mac users due to its OS. While not perfect, it’s by far the best of a somewhat mediocre bunch.
If Apple haven’t learnt their lesson from their frankly pathetic efforts in the last several years, then it’s clear that they are not the best people to own and maintain the macOS. I’m all in favour for Apple to split the Mac division off to a nestled company a la FileMaker if it means regular updates to hardware. It’s not like the Mac division loses Apple money.
Oh, so you mean whiny boomers like Steve Jobs would’ve been if he were still around? And you’re quite happy about new so-called “thought” leaders ƒü¢k¡ng up what he created?
All my work depends on my Mac. But guess what? It’s a 5 year old Mini running Sierra with 2 32inch monitors (gonna have to pick a third to make it symmetrical) and has the same performance as Apples lowliest current model. The fact is an average computer has reached the limit of the needs of 90% of users. And the fact is I haven’t seen a failed Apple memory module in 20 years or a bad hard drive that was less than 6 years old. Sure they happen but 99% of the time its right away when still under warranty. Yes there is way to big of a gap between the mini and the pro, but it doesn’t mean they’re not both ideal for the markets they’re intended for. I just means a markets been missed.
I have owned a couple of iMacs over the years and if they work for you, good. I however am most interested in Mac Pro and Mac mini and have no interest in an all in one desktop.
Release a decent Mac mini and I will buy one TODAY. Stop crippling the damn thing with old processors and weak GPUs.