Following Apple's "Peek Performance" presentation on Tuesday, when it debuted the Mac Studio and 27-inch Studio Display, the Intel-powered 27-inch iMac was quietly cancelled. This has some observers wondering whether we'll see a new bigger iMac soon, or if the current 24-inch iMac is the biggest and most powerful thing available for the foreseeable future.
Following the introduction of the Mac Studio and Studio Display at Apple's spring presentation, John Ternus, SVP of hardware engineering, stated that the transition of the Mac lineup to Apple silicon was nearly complete, "with only one more product to go: Mac Pro."
Some took the remark to mean that Apple regards the Mac Studio and Studio Display as logical successors for the 27-inch iMac. Indeed, in discussions with MacRumors, Apple has indicated that existing 27-inch iMac users intending to upgrade should investigate its separately marketed Studio products, while the 24-inch iMac is still accessible for those looking for an all-in-one experience.
And, in what may be interpreted as another nail in the coffin for Apple's 27-inch iMac, Apple purportedly revealed this week to Ars Technica that the machine has "reached end of life."
Despite these developments, not everyone has given up optimism that Apple would release a bigger iMac in the future, but possibly not as quickly as prior reports claimed. Over the past few months, persistent rumors from multiple sources have suggested that Apple is readying a bigger all-in-one desktop Mac.
Last month, well-known display analyst Ross Young predicted that an iMac Pro might be available as early as summer 2022. However, following Apple's March 8 unveiling of the Mac Studio and 27-inch Studio Display, Young no longer thinks this to be the case. Young claimed that his sources were unaware of the distinction between the iMac, Mac Studio, and Studio Display, which had thrown Apple's exact plans into disarray before to this week's spring event.
The misconception appears to have come from the Studio Display's inclusion of a camera and built-in Apple hardware, which caused it to appear in supply chains as an iMac when it was not. Young now feels that prior speculations regarding an iMac Pro debuting in June were referring to a Pro version of the Studio Display rather than a real iMac. Young now speculates that the 27-inch mini-LED screen Apple is currently producing might be a Studio Display Pro, which will be released in June alongside Apple's new Mac Pro.
Young's new remarks appear to confirm information revealed by Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, who predicted last week that a "iMac Pro" will not be released until 2023. This Thursday, well-connected Bloomberg writer Mark Gurman maintained his belief that an agreement will be reached.
Rumors say that a revamped larger-screen iMac will look comparable to the 24-inch iMac, the Pro Display XDR, and the Studio Display. It's reported to have black bezels, and if it does resemble the Pro Display XDR, the bezel size might be significantly smaller, and it could have less of a bottom chin, while being available in deeper colours than the 24-inch iMac.
In terms of what may power a future all-in-one, Apple could employ the same M1 Pro and M1 Max CPUs that were launched in the MacBook Pro, as well as one extra higher-end option for the machine.
In terms of what may power a future all-in-one, Apple could employ the same M1 Pro and M1 Max CPUs that were launched in the MacBook Pro, as well as one extra higher-end option for the machine.
Whether or not the 27-inch iMac rumours are true, those who can't wait that long and want a top-of-the-line, large-screen Mac may couple a $1,999 Mac Studio with a $1,599 Studio Display, but doing so will cost almost twice as much as the cheapest 27-inch iMacs.
