Another rumor has hit the world of Apple just earlier, bringing some whispers that the company has a refresh of its iMac line all geared up and ready to be released. As usual, AppleInsider has the sources behind the headline, and they believe that the new model of the computer was finalized some time in September.The machines are said to have been in production for the last two weeks, bringing some aesthetic changes as well as packing some new features. It's expected the new iMac will look more Apple's LED Cinema Display, keeping in line with previous rumors that have said the machine will come with a thinner design. Aside from this, and the usual pricing decrease, Blu-Ray could very well be included with the machines; Apple CEO Steve Jobs infamously described the technology as a "bag of hurt" at a MacBook event a little while back. However, as eagle-eyed iTunes users have pointed out before, the software started giving copyright credit to 'Blu-ray Disc' a little while ago.
Adding fuel to the rumor fire, Apple's corporate and educational sales teams have apparently been offering volume amounts of current-model iMacs at a discounted rate, to help clear out inventory. To aid in getting things sold quicker, the discount offer was said to be only available for a week.
The new iMacs could be available next week, or even as late as mid-October; AppleInsider believes that it's just a matter of Apple's marketing team giving them the green light.
These refreshes are usually just minor updates like a new CPU or video chipset option. It's the kind of thing most people take care of with minor system upgrades.
I guess I'm biased though. I could never see the real appeal of these all-in-one systems. I get that they take up less room but it's so simple to keep a small tower under the desk or off to the side and they are ridiculously cheaper due to how much easier it is to work with a slightly larger form factor. The AIW requires you to trade off a lot of price and performance for the more svelte form factor.
Where is my xMac dammit! I know it's beating a dead horse but if they even put out an $1100 tower with the specs of a typical $900 PC I might even consider it just so I could run both OSX and Windows. My modest $900 machine has a quad core, 4GB RAM, a nice video card, dual tuner, terabyte hard drive, and a nice 22" monitor. I'd pay the $200 premium for the ability to run OSX on it without hacking. As it stands I've got to give up on specs and pay $1500+ for an iMac or jump all the way up to a $2500-3000 Mac Pro for a high end workstation. I don't want the AIW and I can't afford a $2500+ machine regardless of how nice.
Alas I don't think anyone in Cupertino is listening - apparently the market doesn't want it or, if they do, Apple doesn't think we need it.
It's because there's just one company behind something like 10% market share, and they aren't similar to other companies' setups. For example, Dell is big in the PC market, but when they refresh, they aren't deviating from the norm of PC setups.
Alas I don't think anyone in Cupertino is listening - apparently the market doesn't want it or, if they do, Apple doesn't think we need it.
Then why not just hackintosh from now on? no need to buy their overpriced hardware.
Besides, I want to give Apple my money if they make the products that I want. I had an iMac and loved it but it just wasn't quick enough and I wanted to upgrade it more than I actually could so it had to go. If they make an upgradeable xMac I'll reward them with my custom!
At the same time, if it were a news post on some other company's, such as DELL, product refresh I probably wouldn't have even clicked on it.
Maybe "Apple" news alone generates more clicks and more hype which contribute to news site ad-revenue and is why it is here.
I agree with you, though. I think Dell's new Core i7 Mobile XPS and Alienware systems are at least as significant a product roll-out as new iMacs, and the've gotten hardly any coverage at all.
And the bonus is that Apple computers have great resale value so if you sell your Mac on, the percentage you make back based on your original purchase price is normally pretty good
What do you mean? They can upgrade Mem, HDD, Video Card, and probably even CPU.
And anyway, they can sell their old system for 70% of what they paid for it. Macs are great at retaining their value, just as IBMs are.
I usually have to with PC's as well, when it isn't about RAM or drive space which Macs can also be upgraded with without upgrading an entire system. But if it's a major set up with a new CPU, it often needs new RAM types, and thus a new motherboard, etc, etc.
I've never owned a Windows PC for more than four years and NOT have to do this for any kind of worthwile upgrade.
And anyway, they can sell their old system for 70% of what they paid for it. Macs are great at retaining their value, just as IBMs are.
i know they can upgrade ram and hard drives, but i dont think its possible to chnage the cpu and the cost for upgrades is just crazy.
What upgrade costs? If I want to upgrade the HDD or memory in my Mac Pro I don't pay a cent more than any other PC user would... Next to that Macs use Intel CPUs now. There are multiple guides on the internet showing how you can, for example, replace your Mac mini's processor with a better one. I suggest you do some research before posting.
Most users out there, be it Mac or PC, probably don't upgrade their computers ever unless something breaks down prematurely. Instead they buy a new system every few years. And why do you feel sorry in the first place? Basically nobody is forced to buy a Mac, it's a choice you make.
And anyway, they can sell their old system for 70% of what they paid for it. Macs are great at retaining their value, just as IBMs are.
i know they can upgrade ram and hard drives, but i dont think its possible to chnage the cpu and the cost for upgrades is just crazy.
If you are dumb enough to buy the upgrade off Apple's store (off, or online), then yeah the upgrade costs are crazy. But IIRC most mac components are the same PC components that cost the same.
My wife sold small dolby surround sets for the PC for $40-$45 a piece (brand new), yet te same people could have checked the local Wal-Mart to see that they were actually on sale for $15. What I'm trying to say here is; you will always have dumb people paying way too much.
Last time I sold a Quad core PC for $200 more than I built it for 1 year ago... go figure.
Which is a super idea. So the dozen or so Mac users that wouldn't have bought Windows 7 anyway, will be wasting money on a new iAppliance instead.
Brilliant!
You need something... revolutionary!
Like mounting a camera on your mp3 player.
Exactly.
i8 doesn't exist
mistype
That is why...
and have 2-3 year old pc hardware inside.
tell me im wrong when you see what intel PC chipset these new macs will have lmao
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