Apple 'likely' to launch low-cost iMac soon, Retina MacBook Air still on track for 2014 debut

Posted:
in Future Apple Hardware edited May 2014
Apple is reportedly gearing up to launch a new low-cost iMac as soon as this quarter, while a completely redesigned thinner and lighter 12-inch MacBook Air with Retina display is expected to launch before the end of the year.

rMBP


Ming-Chi Kuo with KGI Securities, who has accurately forecast Apple's product lineup in the past, said in his latest research note on Wednesday that he believes Apple's redesigned MacBook Air and low-priced iMac will be "bright spots" in the company's 2014 lineup.

Kuo was the first to reveal Apple's plans for a redesigned MacBook Air with Retina display last year. On Wednesday, he reaffirmed that the new notebook expected to sport a fan-less design with fewer inputs and outputs, and a new click-less trackpad.

Though the new MacBook Air will apparently be minimalist, it will continue to offer a physical keyboard in addition to a modified trackpad, Kuo said. And the 12-inch model, sandwiched in between the 11.6- and 13.3-inch sizes Apple current offers in its MacBook Air lineup, is expected to feature a high-resolution Retina display "thanks to advanced panel technology."

iMac


On the desktop front, Kuo said Apple is "likely" to release a new, low-priced version of the iMac --?something his forecast calls for the company to unveil this quarter. That would make the new all-in-one Mac a potential candidate for introduction at Apple's annual Worldwide Developers Conference, scheduled to kick off June 2.

Kuo said the new, cheaper iMac will allow Apple to better compete with other all-in-one desktop makers HP and Lenovo, giving the Mac maker a better opportunity to compete in growing markets like China. He thinks this new model will help iMac shipments grow 23 percent this year to 4.8 million units.
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 123
    alienzedalienzed Posts: 393member
    And the race to the bottom is on!
  • Reply 2 of 123
    red oakred oak Posts: 1,087member

    Apple is going to drop the hammer in the 2H.  Great to see.  Get aggressive Mr. Cook!

  • Reply 3 of 123
    adonissmuadonissmu Posts: 1,776member
    Im holding out for this.
  • Reply 4 of 123
    bregaladbregalad Posts: 816member
    Seriously?!? Two articles in a row based on the ravings of Ming-Chi Kuo?
  • Reply 5 of 123
    solipsismxsolipsismx Posts: 19,566member
    bregalad wrote: »
    Seriously?!? Two articles in a row based on the ravings of Ming-Chi Kuo?

    I think there are now 5 or 6.
  • Reply 6 of 123
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Bregalad View Post



    Seriously?!? Two articles in a row based on the ravings of Ming-Chi Kuo?



    More like based on the accurate information that Ming-Chi Kuo has predicted in the past....

  • Reply 7 of 123
    danoxdanox Posts: 2,804member
    Low cost iMac not likely.
  • Reply 8 of 123
    deegee48deegee48 Posts: 66member
    Great, but for Heaven's sake, somebody ask Ming-Chi about the freakin' Mac mini! This wait is getting OLD!!
  • Reply 9 of 123
    kkerstkkerst Posts: 330member
    I just hope we don't see a situation where we have too many models with barely a difference between them other than size. This will confuse customers. I remember one of the first things Jobs did was kill off all that were all too similar. Granted we don't have this problem now, just sayin.
  • Reply 10 of 123
    radarthekatradarthekat Posts: 3,842moderator
    kkerst wrote: »
    I just hope we don't see a situation where we have too many models with barely a difference between them other than size. This will confuse customers. I remember one of the first things Jobs did was kill off all that were all too similar. Granted we don't have this problem now, just sayin.

    I'm guessing that 12" Retina MBA replaces both the existing MBA models, maybe after a three month phase out period during which those remain available at discount clear-out-inventory prices.
  • Reply 11 of 123
    tallest skiltallest skil Posts: 43,388member
    Originally Posted by alienzed View Post

    And the race to the bottom is on!

     

    Which proves that it isn’t.

  • Reply 12 of 123
    irelandireland Posts: 17,798member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by alienzed View Post



    And the race to the bottom is on!

     

    Apple's low-cost iMac will be $999. That's a tall bottom.

  • Reply 13 of 123
    irelandireland Posts: 17,798member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Lord Amhran View Post

     

    More like based on the accurate information that Ming-Chi Kuo has predicted in the past....


     

    Exactly, just like the thinner Retina MacBook Pros he predicted for last year's WWDC? Oh wait, yeah, they never arrived.

  • Reply 14 of 123
    irelandireland Posts: 17,798member
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by kkerst View Post



    I just hope we don't see a situation where we have too many models with barely a difference between them other than size. This will confuse customers. I remember one of the first things Jobs did was kill off all that were all too similar. Granted we don't have this problem now, just sayin.

     

    I'd love to see Apple drop the hammer and replace the existing Air models with a 12" Retina model and a 14" Retina model while maintaing current prices.

  • Reply 15 of 123
    irelandireland Posts: 17,798member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by RadarTheKat View Post



    I'm guessing that 12" Retina MBA replaces both the existing MBA models, maybe after a three month phase out period during which those remain available at discount clear-out-inventory prices.

     

    I don't know about a discounted phase out, but perhaps it will replace both the current Airs. The 11" is too small anyway. If it does replace both current models they need to make it 16:10 though. But the main reason I think you could be right is after holding the 13" Retina MacBook Pro up the other day it felt almost as light as my 13" Air. So much so in fact I'll probably switch up the one of them over the next year for editing my FCPX projects via an external display, as I need to continue to write on the road on a notebook, I need the extra power for FC and I can't afford a second Mac right now.

  • Reply 16 of 123
    juoojuoo Posts: 1member
    I've been reading through old AppleInsider.com stories, and it takes a bit of searching to find a case where Kuo was over 50% correct. You always introduce him with such praise as "a reliable source of information on unannounced Apple products", but he ends up being wrong as much as he is right.

    For example, on June 8 2012 he predicted that Apple would add new 13- and 15-inch models between the Air and Pro (false) and that the Air/Pro suffixes would disappear in favor of the name "new Macbook" (false). This mythical Macbook, which was never produced, would be priced at $1199 for a 13-inch model with Retina display, have no optical drive, and have either a SSD or a HD.

    In the same report, he also predicted that Apple would discontinue the 17-inch Macbook Pro (true). Then again, that same day he predicted that all Macbook Pros would be "gradually phased out, but remaining on shelves until 2013" (false).

    You give him an awful lot of credit for somebody who is wrong at least as much as he is right. He's a lot better at predicting that poor-selling Apple products will be discontinued (not exactly a difficult task), than at predicting what new Macs will appear.
  • Reply 17 of 123
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Ireland View Post

     

     

    Exactly, just like the thinner Retina MacBook Pros he predicted for last year's WWDC? Oh wait, yeah, they never arrived.




    Where did I ever say his predictions were 100% accurate?

  • Reply 18 of 123
    curtis hannahcurtis hannah Posts: 1,833member
    deegee48 wrote: »
    Great, but for Heaven's sake, somebody ask Ming-Chi about the freakin' Mac mini! This wait is getting OLD!!
    Mac mini is apples least used Mac, for its only one under $1,000; meaning that it gets updates same as Apple TV, so late this year would be my guess.

    kkerst wrote: »
    I just hope we don't see a situation where we have too many models with barely a difference between them other than size. This will confuse customers. I remember one of the first things Jobs did was kill off all that were all too similar. Granted we don't have this problem now, just sayin.
    The goal of a 12 inch is to kill 11 and 13 inch sitting at a single price point, hopefully $1000, but since retina looking towards what 13 inch was at $1100-1300
    ireland wrote: »
    I'd love to see Apple drop the hammer and replace the existing Air models with a 12" Retina model and a 14" Retina model while maintaing current prices.
    I don't see the current models simply getting 1 inch upgrades, as for apples for a long time, 5 years? Has had the most used market screen sizes with 11,13,15,17; with the 17 getting kicked in 2012, they would likely simplify 12 and 15 inch, for it seems iPads and possibly iPhones will get the varied screen sizes now with them right now(excluding iPods):4(3.5), rumored this year 4.5-5.5, 8, 10, hopefully 12 inch.
  • Reply 19 of 123
    bdkennedy1bdkennedy1 Posts: 1,459member
    I think that's going to be an iMac with an A8 chip. That alone would shave hundred of dollars off the price.
  • Reply 20 of 123
    ws11ws11 Posts: 159member

    Retina MBA is something a lot of people have been waiting for.  I'm surprised Apple has taken this long when the competition has already been filling in that segment. 

     

    ASUS UX301:


    • 2.60 lbs

    • 0.60 " thick

    • 13.3 " 2560 x 1440 display

     

    Lenovo Yoga 2 Pro:


    • 3.01 lbs

    • 0.61 " thick

    • 13.3 " 3200 x 1800 display

     

    Apple MBA:


    • 2.96 lbs

    • 0.68 " thick

    • 13.3 " 1440 x 900 display

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