The 27-inch Apple Inc. iMac computer with a 5K retina display is displayed after the product announcement in Cupertino, California, USA, on Thursday, October 16, 2014.
Photographer: Noah Berger
Photographer: Noah Berger
Apple Inc. is planning the first redesign of its iMac all-in-one desktop computer since 2012, part of a change to Intel Corp. processors. for its own silicon, according to people familiar with the plans.
The new models will reduce the thick black edges around the screen and do away with the large metal area of the chin in favor of a design similar to Apple’s Pro Display XDR monitor. These iMacs will have a flat back, moving away from the curved back of the current iMac. Apple plans to launch two versions – code-named J456 and J457 – to replace existing models of 21.5 and 27 inches later this year, people said, asking not to be identified because the products have not yet been announced.
Apple Pro Display XDR
Source: Apple Inc.
The next products are part of Apple’s radical overhaul of its personal computer line. The Cupertino, Calif.-Based company is replacing the Intel chips that have powered generations of MacBooks and iMacs with its own Arm processors, which it named Apple Silicon. An Apple spokeswoman declined to comment.
The new models will use versions of the next generation of Apple Mac processors, such as the next 2021 MacBook Pros. The redesign of the iMac will be one of the biggest visual updates for any Apple product this year, according to people familiar with the company’s roadmap.
Read more: Apple plans updated MacBook Pros with magnetic charge return
Although much of the computer industry focuses on laptops, the iMac remains an important part of Apple’s portfolio. The first iMac, launched in 1998, was credited with helping Apple escape bankruptcy and pave the way to becoming the most valuable company in the world. The multifunctional line of desktops is also essential for professionals and consumers looking for large screens at relatively affordable prices.
Steve Jobs presents new iMacs at the MacWorld Expo on July 19, 2000.
Photographer: RICK MAIMAN
Apple is also working on a pair of new Mac Pro desktops, its most expensive Mac machines that don’t come with a screen included, people said. One version is a direct upgrade from the current Mac Pro and will continue to use the same design as the version released in 2019. Apple discussed continuing to use Intel processors for this model instead of switching to its own chips.
Read more: Apple prepares the next Mac chips with the goal of surpassing the next generation PCs
The second version, however, will use Apple’s own processors and will be less than half the size of the current Mac Pro. The design will feature a mostly aluminum exterior and can evoke nostalgia for the Power Mac G4 Cube, a smaller, short-lived version of the Power Mac, an earlier iteration of the Mac Pro.
As part of its renewed efforts with the Mac desktop, Apple began the initial development of a low-cost external monitor to sell alongside the Pro Display XDR. Apple’s current monitor was launched in 2019 and costs $ 5,000 – before counting the $ 1,000 booth.
The cheapest monitor would present a screen geared more towards the consumer than for professional use and would not have the brightness and contrast ratio of the first line offer. Apple last launched a consumer monitor called the Thunderbolt Display in 2011 for $ 999, but discontinued it in 2016.