Malcolm Owen
A prominent leaker has cast doubt on rumors that a 2020 iMac update will take place this week, instead suggesting that the product refresh is more likely to take place in August, though without any major redesigns.
Over the weekend, a tweet from a relatively unknown leaker started circulating, putting forward the claim that Apple was preparing to launch a new iMac "this week." The tweet from @Soybeys also went further, suggesting the launch itself could happen earlier in the period, on the Monday.
A second tweet from another leaker, @Jioriku, added to the iMac rumors by writing "The iMac redesign is not coming for this 10th-generation Intel refresh. They are saving it for their own silicon," referencing Apple Silicon.
Late on Sunday, prominent leak reporter Jon Prosser dismissed the claimed launch this week with a single word attached to a screenshot of a headline reporting on the supposed launch: "Nope." In a second tweet, Prosser goes on to suggest it will be later, advising "If you want the new iMac, keep an eye out for August."
If you want the new iMac, keep an eye out for August.
— Jon Prosser (@jon_prosser) July 26, 2020
No redesign.
While there is some dispute over timing, there does seem to be a general belief that some form of product launch is on the way. On July 19, fellow prominent leaker @L0vetodream suggested "some products are ready to ship," without saying exactly what, while a mid-June DigiTimes report claimed new iMac and iPad models were destined for release in the second half of 2020.
Despite being negative about the first of the two tweets, Prosser does seem to have backed up the second, ending one of his tweets with "No redesign." This seems to be fairly logical to deduce, as it would be expected for Apple to withhold any major design changes for a major update, such as the introduction of Apple Silicon.
Icons found in an alleged iOS 14 build in June offered the suggestion Apple was redesigning the iMac to include a design that is reminiscent of an iPad Pro, complete with thinner bezels.
Marko Zivkovic
Christine McKee
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Andrew O'Hara
28 Comments
Whoa, battle of the leakers. I suggest a full steel cage match to determine who is the master leaker. They can wear masks if they want to protect their identities, and of course comply with Covid-19 mandates. They’d better have good quality pictures, supporting documents, and proof of their insider sources. Bring it on you silly savages. No social distancing for you.
The difference between "next week" (as of the time of that report) and "August" pretty much boils down to a weekend. That seems a little pedantic for something it seems like all of these guys basically agree is imminent.
Whenever an update dated iMac will appear, I just hope the great minds in Cupertino haven't decided to reduce screen acreage. Those of us with less than perfect eyesight need large screen monitors. I'm no fan of "Design over Usability." IMO, the present 27" iMac configuration is what I need to be able to use it for both work and surfing.
Disclaimer: I'm not a Gamer, so I can't appreciate their needs. .
We ordered a new 27" 5K iMac last week. When I had checked price/delivery the previous week, it was showing as 3-4 weeks. I normally expect iMac delivery in a week or so (we have quite a few of these in our office). However by the time the order was placed, the lead time had extended to late September/early October.
This strongly suggests that an iMac refresh is going to happen fairly soon, to the point that I don't necessary expect to end up with the exact configuration we ordered. Either the newer model will be substituted, or we'll cancel the pending order and place a new one, or possibly we'll use the 30-day return privilege.
Either way I'm expecting an Intel refresh, not a brand new Apple Silicon model. The initial Apple Silicon benefits — lower power consumption, extended battery runtime, reduced cooling needs, smaller SoC — are going to be much more apparent in a laptop than a desktop, so I'm expecting the MacBook Air/Pro to come first.