Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Hardware, Rumors, iMac, MacBook
New iMacs, MacBooks in the fall Apple fashion lineup?
It looks like the new Mac rumor mill is starting to grind again, as several web sites are reporting that Apple is close to releasing updates to several parts of the product line. Joachim noted the rumors on the 24th, and here's an update.The first rumor is something I've personally been waiting for -- an update to the iMac line. French Mac site Mac4Ever [translation] is citing tips indicating that a new iMac, possibly quad-core powered, is in the works for a possible release before the holiday season. Like the MacBook Pro line, the new iMac would feature an SD card reader. There's also the thought that a high-end iMac could even pack in a Xeon processor. AppleInsider also thinks an iMac boost is in the works, although they're not speculating on quad-core or Xeon processors, and even reports that a new, slimmer design has been churning off Taiwanese assembly lines for the past two weeks.
While a bump to the iMac line would be nice, I personally think that Apple would concentrate on reducing the cost of manufacturing to maintain their margins while making it possible to reduce prices to consumers. This could help Apple's share of the personal computer market continue to climb while keeping Wall Street analysts happy.
The second rumor, also from AppleInsider, points to a less expensive and slimmer white polycarbonate MacBook. If Apple is able to reduce the price of the low-end laptop below its current US$999 level, it could stem the tide of sales of low-cost Windows and Linux netbooks.
Regardless of what actually happens, design updates to these two lines are long overdue. The iMac has essentially been the same since August of 2007, while the MacBook has remained unchanged since May of 2006. It should be fun to see what Jonathan Ive, Steve Jobs, and the tireless Apple engineers who design this equipment have in store for us.
[Original photo credit: © Glenn Francis, www.PacificProDigital.com, through Wikimedia Commons]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Burke Hamblin said 3:33PM on 9-26-2009
The general iMac design is really 5 years old now, though. The thing is, barring some kind of far-flung, futuristic change, there isn't a ton of ways they can go with a redesign.
The only thing I can see them doing is making it look like the LED Cinema Display from the front, with the side profile and back resembling an iPhone 3G/3GS.
Glossy-only is probably here to stay.
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Greenie said 3:35PM on 9-26-2009
This is all new territory for us since this is the first time Apple may showcase big changes BEFORE Christmas. With no showing at Macworld, they won't have to wait this year.
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Ben Y said 3:48PM on 9-26-2009
The lack of a quad core option other than the Mac Pro is absurd, particularly now that 10.6's multi-core support has shipped. If Apple wants to juice up its holiday sales, it would be wise to make everyone's Macbook Pro seem obsolete by shipping a quad-core laptop. It's been a long time in the coming, and it might actually make that price tag a little more reasonable.
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Joanna D said 4:16PM on 9-26-2009
Come on guys, we already know you've hit the bottom of the barrel with regards to finding people to write stuff for you, but duplicating your own news posts?
http://www.tuaw.com/2009/09/24/new-redesigned-imac-models-could-be-coming-shortly/
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SIP said 6:41PM on 9-26-2009
Are you always so f***ing miserable. Every post of yours has negativity oozing out of it. You appear to be an Apple-hater; if you are, WTF are you doing here, anyway.
Go bother someone else!
Joanna D said 6:42PM on 9-26-2009
There is no harm in asking the people responsible for the site to do a better job. It used to be really good, but standards seem to have slipped recently.
mentalsticks said 1:57AM on 9-27-2009
SIP: I thought a 'comments section' was for making 'comments', and as far as I can see this is most clearly a 'comment'. If you don't like people's right to make 'comments', please go bother someone else, preferably in North Korea where there is no such thing as a 'comment'. Were you hoping for an easy three stars?
Cam said 6:51PM on 9-26-2009
Would be nice to get a BlackBook back. but y'know. what are the odds?
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illpresidente said 7:39PM on 9-26-2009
"If Apple is able to reduce the price of the low-end laptop below its current US$999 level, it could stem the tide of sales of low-cost Windows and Linux netbooks."
I thought the long-rumored tablet was supposed to be Apple's response to the netbook phenomenon (and let's be honest, the Linux-installed models are not the ones flying off the shelves). I don't see how an $799-899 MacBook helps Apple in that regard; few people who are considering a sub-$400 netbook are going to be persuaded to purchase a MacBook instead, at double the cost, even if Apple manages to shave a bill or two off the current price. What it would do, however, is sharpen the edges between Apple's MacBook and MacBook Pro lines, which the introduction of the aluminum unibody models blurred, as well as even further solidify its position in the consumer laptop market. And as everyone and their mother has noted over the past few months, the polycarbonate MacBook is nearly as popular as ever, giving Apple all the more reason to keep it fresh.
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Bernard Ramsey said 9:09PM on 9-26-2009
This week when I went to the Apple store, a few techs mentioned tablets in December. But really, what do they know? They're only geniuses.
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slackero+engadget said 2:23AM on 9-27-2009
Xeon in iMac? Never! New Apple iMac and MacBooks will have Intel Core i5 and/or Core i7 CPUs (I think i7 only). It is logical. There are desktop and mobile versions of those CPU types available (Mobile Core i7 Clarksfield was released this month: i7-720QM, Core i7-820QM). And as last years - Apple will be the first that sell those to the mass market.
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Ashraf Tawakkol said 2:50AM on 9-27-2009
If Apple really goes after a thinner cheaper white polycarbonate MacBook, this would definitely cause trouble to the existing so-called netbooks. But on the other hand, doing so would make releasing a tablet more unlikely?! After all if the rumored -much wanted & awaited table - is also after netbooks, then this doesn't make sense??
My belief is yes, Apple would release a faster, thinner cheaper and may be smaller (remember the old iBook) as their answer to the current netbooks and postpone / delay the release of the tablet which would be more of a MBP line complement as an extension to the Air.
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Andy said 6:13AM on 9-27-2009
I think that a cheaper MacBook will definitely induce a lot of new customers to do the switch, especially if they already own an iPhone or iTouch. I don't believe they're going to unveil a Tablet right now, maybe next year. And I'd like to see the black MacBook again too!
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macuache said 8:19AM on 9-27-2009
Why there is a strong need of making desktop iMac to be thinner ?!
I think it will be much better if they remove that bottom brick and make iMac to be lower to the table surface like Cinema.
Who cares how thinner it is ? It is not a notebook!
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LerxstFan said 9:38AM on 9-27-2009
TUAW is supposed to stay above the rumor fray, at least a little. I can see posting this once, be rehashing and reinforcing completely unsupported speculation seems... unnecessary.
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Doofdar said 3:43PM on 9-27-2009
What about people posting the same comment others have already posted? Even more unnecessary.
EL said 6:51AM on 9-28-2009
"indicating that a new iMac, POSSIBLY quad-core powered, is in the works for a POSSIBLE release before the holiday season. "
Why even run things like this? These Apple refresh articles always have COULD, MAY, POSSIBLE strewn throughout (sometimes more than once per sentence!).
MAYBE they will include cameras! Remember how that one turned out?
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