Next-gen iMacs to bundle new Apple keyboard

Posted:
in Future Apple Hardware edited January 2014
An overhaul to Apple Inc.'s popular line of iMac computers, now due in a matter of weeks, will see the company's latest industrial design efforts extend beyond the systems themselves, AppleInsider has learned.



The new all-in-one signature desktops, expected to be available only in 20- and 24-inch configurations, have been described as both slimmer and sleeker than the 17-, 20- and 24-inch models they will replace.



The streamlining, however, won't stop with the iMac enclosure. Each new model will come dressed to impress, bundling a snazzy new Apple keyboard of similarly slender proportions, people familiar with the project say.



Tapping the wizardry of industrial design chief Jonathan Ive and his team, the Cupertino-based Mac maker has reportedly crafted a super-slim external keyboard for the new Macs. It's said to draw upon the aesthetic and feel of the low-profile keyboard which was first integrated with the company's 13-inch MacBook portables in May of 2006.



On its website, Apple explains that MacBooks "features a unique keyboard design that sits flush against the bed for a sleeker, lower profile."



"YouÂ?ll also find a firm touch when typing," the company adds. "That ought to make your fingers happy."



As was exclusively reported by AppleInsider back in March, Apple plans to carry the new iMac and keyboard design over to the 20- and 24-inch models exclusively. The 17-inch model -- which has fallen out of the firm'sÂ* high-quality, high-definition media strategy --Â* is expected to become the subject of considerable neglect, withering away alongside similar underachievers like the 12-inch PowerBook and soon-to-be-sacrificed Mac mini.



A close-up of the MacBook's low-profile keyboard.



When they arrive later this month or early next, the new iMacs should help maintain the flow of foot traffic at Apple's international retail chain, which during the recently-ended June quarter combined to sell more Macs than any other quarter in the segment's history, AppleInsider has been told.



A close-up of the MacBook's low-profile keyboard.



The iMacs may also have some company in the software department. According to a separate series of unconfirmed reports, the company recently began preparing some of its high-level suppliers for the next iteration of its iLife digital lifestyle software suite, due sometime in the August - September time frame.



Given the more than half-year delay beyond the suite's traditional January update cycle, Apple may elect to change the name of the software bundle from iLife '07 to iLife '08, those people say.
«13456710

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 185
    glossgloss Posts: 506member
    Thank goodness. Can't stand the current Apple keyboards. Anything closer to the Macbook keyboard can only be a good thing.
  • Reply 2 of 185
    scotty321scotty321 Posts: 313member
    There are some real concerns here, such as what price point these new iMacs will be offered at.



    I know many people who could barely afford the $999 iMac, but if Apple is going to eliminate the 17" iMac altogether, then what are they going to sell at the $999 price range?



    Similar problem with the elimination of the Mac minis -- this is the ONLY entry-level computer that Apple offers, and it makes it financially easy for users with existing hardware to add a Mac into their lives. Even though the Mac minis are incredibly overpriced & horribly underpowered, it's still a low price of entry.



    If all these pending changes to Apple's product line are to come true, then Apple would be showing once again that they have an incredible knack for COMPLETELY IGNORING customers who are on a limited budget, and that Apple caters only to the rich and famous.



    Hasn't Apple learned anything with the iPod Shuffle? That the LOW END of the market is an incredibly important one to play in?
  • Reply 3 of 185
    MarvinMarvin Posts: 15,310moderator
    This is great news. *prepares for the thread link to go red in color*



    The current keyboards are terrible and I have waited so long to get a slimline Mac keyboard. Some media buttons would be nice but I think I could give those up on my current slim PC keyboard for a sturdy, lightweight Apple one with a Macbook style. I love typing on the Macbook keyboards.



    I do wish you'd stop saying that the Mini's going to die though without suggesting there will be a replacement of sorts. It makes people afraid for no good reason. Apple simply can't leave the sub-$1000 desktop slot empty. But I don't want to get into that again in this thread as this is about the awesome news that new keyboards are coming.



  • Reply 4 of 185
    Am I the only one disappointed in this news? I have played with the new MacBook keyboards and found I didn't like them. They felt like a next-generation version of the old TRS-80 keyboards from the '80s, if anyone remembers them. Horrible.



    I was looking forward to getting a new iMac, but I may be forced to purchase an older keyboard now.
  • Reply 5 of 185
    citycity Posts: 522member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by scotty321 View Post


    There are some real concerns here, such as what price point these new iMacs will be offered at.



    I know many people who could barely afford the $999 iMac, but if Apple is going to eliminate the 17" iMac altogether, then what are they going to sell at the $999 price range?




    Just put it on your credit card. Apple is a permium brand like Lexus!
  • Reply 6 of 185
    glossgloss Posts: 506member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Gandalf the Semi-Coherent View Post


    Am I the only one disappointed in this news? I have played with the new MacBook keyboards and found I didn't like them. They felt like a next-generation version of the old TRS-80 keyboards from the '80s, if anyone remembers them. Horrible.



    I was looking forward to getting a new iMac, but I may be forced to purchase an older keyboard now.



    I dunno. I love the MacBook keyboard, personally. Great feel.
  • Reply 7 of 185
    icibaquicibaqu Posts: 278member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by city View Post


    Just put it on your credit card. Apple is a permium brand like Lexus!



    y'know....many many people put things that cost less than 1000 dollars on their credit cards.
  • Reply 8 of 185
    able-xable-x Posts: 12member
    I'd just be happy to have a mac keyboard that doesn't show gunk and dirt the way the current one does. The white look is nice, until it gets dirty.
  • Reply 9 of 185
    g_warreng_warren Posts: 713member
    Sounds good, hopefully it will be bluetooth by default, saving me from having to pay extra to upgrade. New iMac, new keyboard, new Leopard and new iLife (although that is less exciting since I plan on moving to Aperture). Bring it on!
  • Reply 10 of 185
    allblueallblue Posts: 393member
    Interesting. I can't help thinking that the best application of multi-touch® (whatever) technology is on an input device, some sort of track-pad type thing sitting to the right of the keys. Unlikely I guess, but you should never underestimate the vision/implementation skills of Johhny Ives and the boys...



    The timing of iLife 07.5 (?) is a bit tricky as presumably some features, although back compatible, will require 10.5's Core Animation (not to mention 64 bitness and stuff) for full implementation, so it will be a bit odd to release it a couple of months before they let the Leopard out of the cage...



    All in all though, Apple looks brilliantly positioned to make month-on-month gains in market share, as one bit of superb technology and design after another are dangled before our jaded consumer eyes. Halos all round!
  • Reply 11 of 185
    robin hoodrobin hood Posts: 513member
    I don't consider myself rich in any way, but it always puzzles me that some people can't seem to afford even a $999 computer, or barely afford it. Get a better job or work harder!



    Stop being lazy. If you weren't so lazy, you'd have more money.
  • Reply 12 of 185
    charkocharko Posts: 84member
    Does anybody know date this month for the June quarter results?
  • Reply 13 of 185
    coolfactorcoolfactor Posts: 2,239member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Gandalf the Semi-Coherent View Post


    Am I the only one disappointed in this news? I have played with the new MacBook keyboards and found I didn't like them. They felt like a next-generation version of the old TRS-80 keyboards from the '80s, if anyone remembers them. Horrible.



    I was looking forward to getting a new iMac, but I may be forced to purchase an older keyboard now.



    I found the MacBook keyboard to be very comfortable and easy to adjust to. I was typing just as fast within a few minutes.
  • Reply 14 of 185
    benroethigbenroethig Posts: 2,782member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by gloss View Post


    I dunno. I love the MacBook keyboard, personally. Great feel.



    Not if you have small hands. I found the Macbook keyboard extremely difficult to type on.
  • Reply 15 of 185
    SpamSandwichSpamSandwich Posts: 33,407member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Gandalf the Semi-Coherent View Post


    Am I the only one disappointed in this news? I have played with the new MacBook keyboards and found I didn't like them. They felt like a next-generation version of the old TRS-80 keyboards from the '80s, if anyone remembers them. Horrible.



    I was looking forward to getting a new iMac, but I may be forced to purchase an older keyboard now.



    I agree. Give me a keyboard that feels like an old IBM Selectric and you've got a winner. Modern keyboards are too soft, or squishy... it's like the difference between playing a USB 44-key keyboard (non-weighted) and playing a real piano.
  • Reply 16 of 185
    benroethigbenroethig Posts: 2,782member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Robin Hood View Post


    I don't consider myself rich in any way, but it always puzzles me that some people can't seem to afford even a $999 computer, or barely afford it. Get a better job or work harder!



    Stop being lazy. If you weren't so lazy, you'd have more money.



    None of you people have dependents, do you?
  • Reply 17 of 185
    melgrossmelgross Posts: 33,510member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Gandalf the Semi-Coherent View Post


    Am I the only one disappointed in this news? I have played with the new MacBook keyboards and found I didn't like them. They felt like a next-generation version of the old TRS-80 keyboards from the '80s, if anyone remembers them. Horrible.



    I was looking forward to getting a new iMac, but I may be forced to purchase an older keyboard now.



    The MacBook keyboards looked cheaper to many people at first, and that influenced their feelings about using them. But, it's been found that they are among the best keyboards Apple has produced.



    As we will never see expensive keyboards again like the old "Pro" models, there is a limitation as to what any company can do.



    Even if this a smidgen better than the current mushy models, it will be an improvement.
  • Reply 18 of 185
    coolfactorcoolfactor Posts: 2,239member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Robin Hood View Post


    I don't consider myself rich in any way, but it always puzzles me that some people can't seem to afford even a $999 computer, or barely afford it. Get a better job or work harder!



    Stop being lazy. If you weren't so lazy, you'd have more money.



    Agreed. My first computer was a Mac SE and an ImageWriter dot-matrix printer.



    Price: $4000



    Today's computers are cheap price-wise. People shouldn't be afraid of anything less than $2K for a decent computer.
  • Reply 19 of 185
    SpamSandwichSpamSandwich Posts: 33,407member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Robin Hood View Post


    I don't consider myself rich in any way, but it always puzzles me that some people can't seem to afford even a $999 computer, or barely afford it. Get a better job or work harder!



    Stop being lazy. If you weren't so lazy, you'd have more money.



    It baffles me too, but "some people" have priorities beyond computers (if you can believe that ).
  • Reply 20 of 185
    melgrossmelgross Posts: 33,510member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Charko View Post


    Does anybody know date this month for the June quarter results?



    Probably mid, or late, next week.
Sign In or Register to comment.