New Imacs

smartzsmartz
Posted:
in Future Apple Hardware edited January 2014
I have heard through industry contacts that the new Imac may be an interesting hybrid of desktop PC and tablet. I have seen designs floating around suggestng that an upcoming Imac concept is to have a panel screen with all of the inards which also has a battery that can then be simply lifted from its stand and be used like a panel. It appears som recent patent work showing conductive power supplies are for this exact application. Dependant on different people i seem to speak to, some say that the optical drive woul be based in the stand and some say it would be in the rear of the screen base, but lots of people are saying that you could have multiple base stands in one location and dock the unit whereever. I also presume that the Imac would need a mobility processor for energy efficiency to do this and that i can only guess it would come from the latest MacBook Pro's. One guy who had been given more information did think that unit might be the 2nd coming iteration not the most immediate imac replacement but i dont know.

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 16
    irelandireland Posts: 17,798member
    Radical!
  • Reply 2 of 16
    tednditedndi Posts: 1,921member
    That would be something!!



    A portable and a desktop all in one!!
  • Reply 3 of 16
    fishafisha Posts: 126member
    that would be pretty neat, i must admit.



    i reckon it'd be best if the optics where on the base and not in the unit.
  • Reply 4 of 16
    psychodoughboypsychodoughboy Posts: 133member
    That sounds like it would be amazing. I hope it comes out sooner than later, though - I have an old 700 MHz iMac G4 and am ready to replace, but I don't want to buy one before the real 'next-gen' iMac comes out and get left a generation behind.
  • Reply 5 of 16
    @homenow@homenow Posts: 998member
    Multi-touch, pen or hybrid. As a designer if I can't use a stylus then it is a feature that has extra cost that I would prefer not to have. A stylus and a mouse are more accurate and better suited for writing and drawing than you finger is, and multi-touch won't change that. It might be good for gestures and interface control but for anyone to write or draw with it I can't see it being great, you just don't have the pinpoint accuracy with the tip of your finger.
  • Reply 6 of 16
    dutch peardutch pear Posts: 588member
    Hmmm, my iMac has a 20 inch screen I love, but that would be WAY too big for a tablet and the 24 inch screen would be more of table than a tablet! There is no way i see apple reducing the screen size so if anything like this is coming out, I suspect it will be separate tablet that might pair wirelessly to your iMac.
  • Reply 7 of 16
    rickagrickag Posts: 1,626member
    Well, this certainly fits Apple's targeting desktop niche markets. And this would be a very small niche to fill.
  • Reply 8 of 16
    onlookeronlooker Posts: 5,252member
    If that were true it would be a huge coup for Apple. I for one have never even considered buying an iMac, I always go with the PowerMac, but I may possibly be interested in this design in my home along with the PM (or Mac Pro I mean) if this was in fact the new design.



    I'm guessing it would be much like a regular flat Panel display, but you could just unmount it? Sounds quite intriguing. Although I still think it would have been better to just convertible-ise the laptop.
  • Reply 9 of 16
    japplejapple Posts: 91member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by onlooker View Post


    I for one have never even considered buying an iMac, I always go with the PowerMac, but I may possibly be interested in this design in my home along with the PM (or Mac Pro I mean) if this was in fact the new design.



    I'm not I completely understand the OP's description, but regardless, your sentiment raises an interesting thought. If Apple can find some way to make an iMac something more than a AIO "trap" (a monitor stuck to a tower) then Apple might be able to draw in some new customers. Furthermore, it may (emphasis on "may") be able to create space in its line-up for a less expensive proMac tower.



    I don't mean to hijack this thread with the midMac tower madness, but I was struck by your post.
  • Reply 10 of 16
    onlookeronlooker Posts: 5,252member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by jApple View Post


    I'm not I completely understand the OP's description, but regardless, your sentiment raises an interesting thought. If Apple can find some way to make an iMac something more than a AIO "trap" (a monitor stuck to a tower) then Apple might be able to draw in some new customers. Furthermore, it may (emphasis on "may") be able to create space in its line-up for a less expensive proMac tower.



    I don't mean to hijack this thread with the midMac tower madness, but I was struck by your post.





    Sorry my post did not mean to under emphasize the need for the Mac Pro. I would still need a full size Mac Pro. Lets stop the hijacking right there.
  • Reply 11 of 16
    pbpb Posts: 4,255member
    Why almost everyone here is excited about a detachable iMac panel, while I am not? I don't see the point to use a computer that way. I feel that a computer is too much complicated to be operated just touching its screen with the fingers. For most basic tasks (e.g. DVD settings and playback) it is certainly possible and probably more intuitive, but for others (e.g. whatever application needing text input) I believe not.



    Furthermore, I have the bad feeling that such a design would impose more strict constraints on what components the iMac could be built up from.
  • Reply 12 of 16
    b3ns0nb3ns0n Posts: 95member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by smartz View Post


    I also presume that the Imac would need a mobility processor for energy efficiency to do this and that i can only guess it would come from the latest MacBook Pros.



    The iMac already has the same processors as the MacBook Pros - it doesn't use desktop chips at the moment.



    Personally, I don't think there'd be any real market for this, and for most people it would serve as nothing more than a gimmick, which would probably come at a cost. If however they decide to finally make an xMac (a debate not for this thread) then I think moving the iMac in this direction could allow the two to live comfortably side-by-side in Apple's product lineup.
  • Reply 13 of 16
    aflaaakaflaaak Posts: 210member
    Ok, first of all I don't own a Mac yet and therefore know little about them from a user's perspective. I'm another one of those PC users lurking around here to find the "right time" to make the switch.



    Since this seems to be the place for wild speculation as to what Apple is or isn't going to release, how does this sound... An iMac that uses the new Airport feature to wirelessly sync up to a tablet or laptop type portable device. The portable device would have no computer, optical or hard drive inside, just Airport and a keyboard or touchscreen (therefore very light). It would function as an accessory computer that uses the processor inside the table top iMac, like a server. Charging would be acomplished via some kind of dock. I don't know if two people could use the two screens simultaneously. The laptop/tablet would be sold seperately as an accessory to the iMac, for around 1/2 the price of a Macbook. They could also do one for the MacPro. What do ya think? Probably a big Not since it would eat into Laptop sales too much, but wouldn't it be cool to have a lightweight Do Dad that you could use anywhere in the house but still had the power of an iMac? My wife would love it since our only computer is in a basement office and she quickly uses it when our 2 1/2 year old naps. Ahhh, specutations!
  • Reply 14 of 16
    dazabritdazabrit Posts: 273member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Aflaaak View Post


    Ok, first of all I don't own a Mac yet and therefore know little about them from a user's perspective. I'm another one of those PC users lurking around here to find the "right time" to make the switch.



    Since this seems to be the place for wild speculation as to what Apple is or isn't going to release, how does this sound... An iMac that uses the new Airport feature to wirelessly sync up to a tablet or laptop type portable device. The portable device would have no computer, optical or hard drive inside, just Airport and a keyboard or touchscreen (therefore very light). It would function as an accessory computer that uses the processor inside the table top iMac, like a server. Charging would be acomplished via some kind of dock. I don't know if two people could use the two screens simultaneously. The laptop/tablet would be sold seperately as an accessory to the iMac, for around 1/2 the price of a Macbook. They could also do one for the MacPro. What do ya think? Probably a big Not since it would eat into Laptop sales too much, but wouldn't it be cool to have a lightweight Do Dad that you could use anywhere in the house but still had the power of an iMac? My wife would love it since our only computer is in a basement office and she quickly uses it when our 2 1/2 year old naps. Ahhh, specutations!



    I have posted something similar before and I feel this would be the right direction for a portable tablet-like device. We just need a Wireless screen with basic functionality included that feeds from a central system. That would be amazing. It could work with any computer (including Portables) using a new version of XGrid and the features from N-Airports, Bonjour etc... Please let this be true. I'm eagerly awaiting that amazing (rumoured) new device to be released early 2008.
  • Reply 15 of 16
    rolorolo Posts: 686member
    I'm expecting Apple to come out with a redesigned iMac based on the Santa Rosa platform using 2.2 and 2.4 GHz Core 2 Duo chips, same as the MBP, but I sure don't think it'll be a tablet hybrid. I can't see anyone running around holding a 24" screen. Too damn heavy and too dangerous. I can see having it be so you could lay it down on a desk and use it with your fingers and even a pressure sensitive pen like the Wacom. It'd have to be tethered with either a power cable or video cable.



    If it simply had a detachable stand, it'd work. It'd have to have a different cooling arrangement, something similar to the MBP.



    It'd be a good idea for such a beast to have a metal shell. It could be thinner and lighter than the current iMac.



    It could be introduced in mid-May.
  • Reply 16 of 16
    steve666steve666 Posts: 2,600member
    When is the next macworld? I need to buy a computer by August and I am hoping that Apple makes the next iMac black or at least offer the option.
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