Apple expected to offer more affordable 'budget' iMac next year

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  • Reply 61 of 200
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by 1983 View Post

     

    Is that why they haven't updated the mini to Haswell - instead phasing it out for a new budget iMac next year? Or will there be a completely redesigned  mini resembling a shrunken version of the new Mac Pro coming out on the 22nd? I suspect the former, we'll see in just over a week...


     

    Patience...The mini will get the newer chips. Updating the form factor of the Mac mini to something else isn't going to make it sell more. Unless its a package that appeals to customers then it will continue to sell like it currently is. 

     

    In all honesty, the Haswell chips most likely won't do much for the Mac mini anyways. There isn't much for performance to be gained by them. The Mac mini doesn't have any concerns about battery life. The graphics will probably be better if it uses the Iris Pro graphics and it could gain 802.11ac but other than that its the same Mac mini at the same prices.  

     

    I agree with TallestSkill...unless there's some kind of $699-799 iMac the Mac mini isn't going away. That would leave Apple's cheapest desktop at $1299...$700 more than the previous lower priced Mac. 

  • Reply 62 of 200
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by macxpress0660 View Post

     

    Crazy idea of the day (possibly stupid too)....What if Apple made a 21.5" iMac that ran on iOS 7 with the new 64-bit A7 chip and a touchscreen??? 


    Why would iOS work any better on a desktop than Windows 8 metro is working right now? A full-screen calculator app makes sense on a phone or tablet where there is limited screen space, but not on a 21+ inch display. 

  • Reply 63 of 200
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by jakeb View Post





    I don't think you're recalling apple history very well. Apple has always had a range of products that weren't all bleeding edge tech. IPod nano, MacBook, eMac, even iMac wasn't originally as high end as it is now. But the difference is rock solid design in each one.

    Well said. My first laptop was the white iBook. I thought it was so beautiful.

     

    At the time, the shiny white case with the new "candied" OSX was so refreshing compared to Windows and a choice of either a "Funeral black" or "Pallbearer gray" of the PC laptop offerings. Ugh!

     

    Did I covet the titanium PowerBooks? Yep! :)

  • Reply 64 of 200

    As much as I would like to just have an iPad Mini, a 5s and iCloud for all my computing needs, I still think of my iMac as the digital hub of my tech, photos, movies, sw, etc. And probably will for a few more years.

     

    It's hard to spend $1,200-$2,000 on a new iMac.

     

    Getting an 11" MBA to replace my aging original intel, white 20" iMac doesn't seem to fit the bill.

     

    Probably will end getting a new iMac and an MBA.

  • Reply 65 of 200
    Kuo of all people should know that Apple's definition of budget isn't everyone else's. Case in point, the budget iPhone 5C.

    This budget iMac will be maybe $200 less than the 'full' priced one

    Who knows it might even be a school only one. Wait until next year, soup up the iMac and put 'this' years model on sale to schools only in bulk orders. Or some similar game
  • Reply 66 of 200
    ascii wrote: »
    The low-end iMac is already pretty budget. Integrated graphics, HD instead of SSD, 21" screen only. And it's very reasonably priced. I don't really see how they can go much cheaper without going to a plastic case. But heck, that's exactly what they just did with the iPhone.

    Rather makes me wonder if 'they did it with the iPhone' is the source of this rumor.
  • Reply 67 of 200

    I understand the entry-level rationale behind the Mini.

     

     

    But, I always thought it went against Apple's ethos. Here you have a Mini running the most sophisticated OS, iLife, etc., and yet it can have a crappy keyboard and mouse and crappy non-Apple monitor attached to it. Which just makes it look ugly. Very un-Apple like.

     

     

    Better to discontinue the Mini and make a less expensive iMac with an elegant design for out in the wild than crappy cobbled together systems.

     

    I think Apple will do this now, especially since desktops sales are declining.

  • Reply 68 of 200
    brlawyer wrote: »
    And once more Cook, the former world's best COO and nothing else, comes up with one of his "budget" ideas destined to fail just like the irrelevant iPhone 5C. Why does this remind me more and more of the late 90s?

    Once again, some blog reader posts a message bashing something that is a rumor created by an analyst for attention and posted by a website for page hits. Which could prove to be totally false.

    The FAIL, it seems to me, is yours
  • Reply 69 of 200
    rogifan wrote: »
    Since Apple doesn't disclose shipments or sales by Mac model this analyst has no way of knowing if fewer than expected iMac's shipped.

    Actually I believe they do. They don't break down sizes etc but I recall they have given out iMac only sales before.

    They key question is whose expectation. Were there fewer units sold than Kuo et al expected or fewer than Apple expected. Because analysts are notorious for overly lower or high numbers, especially regarding Apple.
  • Reply 70 of 200
    lkrupplkrupp Posts: 10,557member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by xZu View Post

     

    In a little over a week, Apple's entire line up of computers that will not include one computer you can add an additional internal hard drive nor video card. Really, a mini with non-descreet graphics? iMacs with mobile graphics and a Mac Pro with fixed pro graphics.... What happened to the desktop computer? Reinvented or completely ignored? I built a hackintosh for $1800 with great graphics, multiple drives, and plenty of ram... It looks like crap but I have given up on Apple desktops after 7 iMacs... I will never buy and all-one-computer again.... it is so 1999. Their portables are amazing... but how about a small tower, two drive slots, and 3 pci slots? And really give us a choice of some monitors... 24", 27", 30" + 42" with a tv tuner.


     

    Where did you get your time machine because you are living in the past. There is NO market for the device you "built." Why does the poser geek crowd think they are the majority?

  • Reply 71 of 200
    andysolandysol Posts: 2,506member
    I can't see Apple introducing a new iMac with last years specs.

    Except that's what they did with the 2013 refresh. Haswell offered zero performance benefits over ivy- it was clearly designed for laptops- but doesnt help the desktop at all. Yes, it has wireless AC and ummm. Uhh. Well, that's it. So a year goes by and we get AC only. Thanks.
    I'm just a little bitter ;) - fusion should be standard by now if they aren't going to do any other updates of substance.

    Loved the rest of your post btw- well said.
  • Reply 72 of 200
    andysolandysol Posts: 2,506member
    brlawyer wrote: »
    1 - It has, no matter how much you try to spin it otherwise;

    2 - It is the worst kind of budget, in fact - with a clear goal of reaching "emerging markets" even though it is as expensive as the iPhone 5 for them;

    3 - I did - if you can't see it that's a different matter.

    1- All the carriers have already declared it a success as it's the 2nd best selling smartphone they carry (3rd for either TMobile or Verizon- I forget which)- 2nd only to the iPhone 5S. So that means every other phone company would love to "fail" like apple has with the 5C.

    2- $550 isn't budget. And they're still selling the 4 overseas for $300-$350. That's the budget iPhone.

    3- I obviously argued and proved that what you said is wrong. Factually- not just a "hunch". Can you admit you're wrong?
  • Reply 73 of 200
    Why Apple 'slimmed down' a big honking desktop machine that NO ONE looks at from the side is beyond me. I can understand removing the CD/DVD drive from the portables, but it's a frickin' imac and people still need to read CD/DVDs, especially on these desktop models.
    Apple's tendency towards crippling the specs of their machines over form factor isn't always a desirable thing and although I have a 2 year old imac, I can say right now that I won't be upgrading to another iMac. If I wanted laptop components and laptop specs, I'd buy a laptop, stop skimping on the power, some of us need it!
  • Reply 74 of 200
    rogifanrogifan Posts: 10,669member
    charlituna wrote: »
    Actually I believe they do. They don't break down sizes etc but I recall they have given out iMac only sales before.

    They key question is whose expectation. Were there fewer units sold than Kuo et al expected or fewer than Apple expected. Because analysts are notorious for overly lower or high numbers, especially regarding Apple.

    Look at Apple's last 10Q. iMac not mentioned anywhere. And not in their summary data with their press release either. They only list Macs in total.

    http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/320193/000119312513300670/d552802d10q.htm

    http://www.apple.com/pr/library/2013/07/23Apple-Reports-Third-Quarter-Results.html

    This analyst is guessing how many iMacs shipped. And he's either comparing to his own estimate or what he thinks Apple's internal estimates were (and both of those are guesses).
  • Reply 75 of 200
    rogifanrogifan Posts: 10,669member
    lkrupp wrote: »
    Where did you get your time machine because you are living in the past. There is NO market for the device you "built." Why does the poser geek crowd think they are the majority?
    They are the majority....that bitch and complain on sites like this. Go over to Android land where the geeks refuse to buy the HTC One because it doesn't have removable storage and replaceable battery.
  • Reply 76 of 200
    jexusjexus Posts: 373member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by alienzed View Post



    Why Apple 'slimmed down' a big honking desktop machine that NO ONE looks at from the side is beyond me. I can understand removing the CD/DVD drive from the portables, but it's a frickin' imac and people still need to read CD/DVDs, especially on these desktop models.

    Apple's tendency towards crippling the specs of their machines over form factor isn't always a desirable thing and although I have a 2 year old imac, I can say right now that I won't be upgrading to another iMac. If I wanted laptop components and laptop specs, I'd buy a laptop, stop skimping on the power, some of us need it!



    Then don't.

    Build or Buy a Boutique PC from the likes of Maingear/Origin/Voodoo/ect...

     

    Problem solved. I highly doubt Apple investors will be losing sleep over you not purchasing an iMac, while millions of others continue to do so.

  • Reply 77 of 200
    rogifanrogifan Posts: 10,669member
    alienzed wrote: »
    Why Apple 'slimmed down' a big honking desktop machine that NO ONE looks at from the side is beyond me. I can understand removing the CD/DVD drive from the portables, but it's a frickin' imac and people still need to read CD/DVDs, especially on these desktop models.
    Apple's tendency towards crippling the specs of their machines over form factor isn't always a desirable thing and although I have a 2 year old imac, I can say right now that I won't be upgrading to another iMac. If I wanted laptop components and laptop specs, I'd buy a laptop, stop skimping on the power, some of us need it!

    How many people really need to use DVD drives on a regular basis? I haven't touched one in years. And for people that need one, they sell at best buy for under $50. We keep hearing about how tablets are eating away at the PC market (and it shows in sales figures) yet we're supposed to assume Apple is doomed because they're phasing out DVD drives from their computers?
  • Reply 78 of 200
    andysolandysol Posts: 2,506member
    rogifan wrote: »
    How many people really need to use DVD drives on a regular basis? I haven't touched one in years. And for people that need one, they sell at best buy for under $50. We keep hearing about how tablets are eating away at the PC market (and it shows in sales figures) yet we're supposed to assume Apple is doomed because they're phasing out DVD drives from their computers?

    The only tablets that sell well are the ones with DVD drives though.

    /s
  • Reply 79 of 200
    xzuxzu Posts: 139member
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by lkrupp View Post

     

     

    Where did you get your time machine because you are living in the past. There is NO market for the device you "built." Why does the poser geek crowd think they are the majority?


    Great personal insult, thank you for your insight. The point I was trying to make, perhaps not very well, in my opinion a desktop in the $1000 to $2000 range may see more popularity then a sub $1000 iMac. I don't think we will ever see a mini tower from Apple, but I am dissappointed that there is not one expandable tower left, perhaps the price for moving technology forward. I think the Mac Pros will be great, well worth the cost to some, but perhaps the same form factor with i7's instead of xenons to fill the gap. Apples market share of desktops is abysmal and falling. I think the Mac Mini addresses the under $1000 market, and iMacs, while perhaps the one of most beautiful computers made today, share the same market with their portable line.

  • Reply 80 of 200
    jexusjexus Posts: 373member

    You'd think after a decade of demolishing companies from a profit standpoint, the "BUT MARKET SHARE" example would stop coming up at least a decent amount of the time...

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