Apple planning on releasing 23-inch iMac, 11-inch iPad Air in 2020

Posted:
in General Discussion edited June 2020
Apple is reportedly planning on releasing a new 23-inch iMac and an 11-inch iPad Air in 2020 as part of a broader lineup of more affordable devices in 2020.

A new 23-inch iMac and 11-inch iPad Air may be coming in the second half of 2020.
A new 23-inch iMac and 11-inch iPad Air may be coming in the second half of 2020.


The iMac, last updated in March 2019, is currently available in 21.5-inch and 27-inch variants. Apple revived the iPad Air lineup in September 2019 with a third-generation model packing a 10.5-inch display.

On Tuesday, a new report from The China Times, spotted by Mac Otakara, indicate that lower-cost refreshes for both of those products are coming in the second half of 2020.

The report claims that the 2020 iMac will have a 23-inch display and could ship early in the fourth quarter of 2020. It's said to be a replacement for the smaller 21.5-inch iMac, and may be more affordable.

This would not be the first time Apple has used a display similar to the purported 23-inch version in the report. In 2007, Apple created a 24-inch version of the iMac.

Apple is also planning a lower-cost iPad Air with an 11-inch display, The China Times reported. Beyond claiming that mass production will ramp up in the third quarter, the report is relatively light on details.

In March, however, a Twitter account with a short history of accurate leaked information suggested that Apple was planning a new iPad Air for 2020 with a mini-LED display, no notch and Touch ID underneath the screen.

The China Times says that ongoing production issues due to the coronavirus may have disrupted plans to produce mini-LED backlighting en masse, suggesting that mass production for new backlighting may not materialize until 2021.

Notably, the publication notes that the rumored 23-inch iMac and 11-inch iPad Air are part of a broader wave of affordable devices that kicked off with the iPhone SE in April.
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 50
    thttht Posts: 5,450member
    Hmm...

    $500 iPad Air 10.5"
    $650 iPad Air 11"?
    $800 iPad Pro 11"

    The iPad Air 10.5 has an A12. The iPad Pro an A12Z. Not much differentiation for a new iPad Air to squeeze into the lineup.

    And, an iMac 23 will be cheaper than the current iMac 21.5? Strange. It will be cheaper than the iMac 4K? It starts at $1300. So, it will slot in at $1000?

    Strange rumors all around.
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 2 of 50
    If they were to make the bezels thinner, they could easily make 23" fit into the dimensions of the current 21.5". I do wish they would have some ports on the front, or at least the side like they used to, there is no reason to have the sides be so thin. Repairing the current iMacs is a big pain.
    elijahgdewmechristopher126d_2MisterKit
  • Reply 3 of 50
    Was hoping the refreshed iMac would be 27", bummer.
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 4 of 50
    Was hoping the refreshed iMac would be 27", bummer.
    I don’t think this rumor precludes an updated 27” iMac, just that there may be a 23” iMac added to the line up. To be honest, a 23” iMac doesn’t even mean that there won’t be a 21” iMac anymore, although that is the model that the new model seems likely to replace. 

    The rumor does make me wonder if Apple will use the screen size as a differentiator between a normal iMac and an iMac Pro. 

    Regardless, I give 50/50 odds that any new enclosure will allow for user-upgradable RAM. 
    d_2muthuk_vanalingamdoozydozenwatto_cobra
  • Reply 5 of 50
    crimguycrimguy Posts: 124member
    Why 23?  Why 21.5?  There must be some wonderful source of these sizes when the rest of the industry had 20" and 24" monitors. 

    This is a genuine quesiton btw.  Not trying to be snarky.
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 6 of 50
    mjtomlinmjtomlin Posts: 2,673member
    tht said:
    Hmm...

    $500 iPad Air 10.5"
    $650 iPad Air 11"?
    $800 iPad Pro 11"

    The iPad Air 10.5 has an A12. The iPad Pro an A12Z. Not much differentiation for a new iPad Air to squeeze into the lineup.

    And, an iMac 23 will be cheaper than the current iMac 21.5? Strange. It will be cheaper than the iMac 4K? It starts at $1300. So, it will slot in at $1000?

    Strange rumors all around.

    The iPad Pro with the A12Z is a stop-gap until the A14X SoC is ready later this year.
    Wgkruegerwatto_cobra
  • Reply 7 of 50
    sflocalsflocal Posts: 6,096member
    Still waiting on a new 27" (or higher) 2020 iMac.  Waiting to push that button if Apple makes the updates worthwhile!
    lkruppsunman42doozydozenwatto_cobra
  • Reply 8 of 50
    We have over $3500 burning a hole in our pocket for a new iMac.
    Want:
    1. larger size than 27
    2. double the resolution
    3. SSD only
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 9 of 50
    Yes! ^^^^ The 21.5 iMac was the budget option, but 23" with a refreshed frame is a great move. Work out the kinks, and bring on the 30" iMac i9 at affordable artist prices asap after working ut the kinks on the budget upgrade.
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 10 of 50
    BeatsBeats Posts: 3,073member
    I love iMacs. Would love to see 1TB SSD standard now. And retina on all models. Maybe smaller bezels but not important.


    We have over $3500 burning a hole in our pocket for a new iMac.
    Want:
    1. larger size than 27
    2. double the resolution
    3. SSD only

    Larger than 27" and double the resolution? We already have 5k iMacs, doubling the resolution won't make a difference unless you mean very large screens when you mentioned larger than 27".
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 11 of 50
    XedXed Posts: 2,568member
    We have over $3500 burning a hole in our pocket for a new iMac.
    Want:
    1. larger size than 27
    2. double the resolution
    3. SSD only
    We've only had 2 iMacs with a 5K display but you expect a 10K display now? How many 10K displays do you think are available? Have you even looked at the prices for 8K displays that would be suitable for an iMac display over 27"?
    edited April 2020 Beatsfastasleepqwerty52watto_cobra
  • Reply 12 of 50
    thttht Posts: 5,450member
    mjtomlin said:
    tht said:
    Hmm...

    $500 iPad Air 10.5"
    $650 iPad Air 11"?
    $800 iPad Pro 11"

    The iPad Air 10.5 has an A12. The iPad Pro an A12Z. Not much differentiation for a new iPad Air to squeeze into the lineup.

    And, an iMac 23 will be cheaper than the current iMac 21.5? Strange. It will be cheaper than the iMac 4K? It starts at $1300. So, it will slot in at $1000?

    Strange rumors all around.
    The iPad Pro with the A12Z is a stop-gap until the A14X SoC is ready later this year.
    Yes, I hope so. I'm really hoping for a miniLED iPad Pro 12.9 with 8 GB of RAM to replace my 2017 iPad Pro 10.5. I'd get 16 GB RAM and 2 TB NAND if available. Fine with LTE.

    The rumors swirling for this new iPad Air gets even stranger with under-display fingerprint sensor too. Seems Apple has a lot of hardware components circulating the supply chain and it all hasn't shaken out just yet on where all the parts are going, if they actually ship in a product in the first place.

    My 2013 iMac 27 is also getting old. Holding out for a new industrial design.
    muthuk_vanalingamwatto_cobra
  • Reply 13 of 50
    lkrupplkrupp Posts: 10,557member
    Beats said:
    I love iMacs. Would love to see 1TB SSD standard now. And retina on all models. Maybe smaller bezels but not important.


    We have over $3500 burning a hole in our pocket for a new iMac.
    Want:
    1. larger size than 27
    2. double the resolution
    3. SSD only

    Larger than 27" and double the resolution? We already have 5k iMacs, doubling the resolution won't make a difference unless you mean very large screens when you mentioned larger than 27”.
    Why do you care if an iMac is not SSD only? People are always harping about choice so why force something you want on a user who doesn’t want or need what you do? Of course you can order an SSD only iMac today so what’s the problem? And double the resolution? The iMac is 5K but you want 10K? How does that even work?
    pscooter63qwerty52watto_cobra
  • Reply 14 of 50
    seanismorrisseanismorris Posts: 1,624member
    lkrupp said:
    Beats said:
    I love iMacs. Would love to see 1TB SSD standard now. And retina on all models. Maybe smaller bezels but not important.


    We have over $3500 burning a hole in our pocket for a new iMac.
    Want:
    1. larger size than 27
    2. double the resolution
    3. SSD only

    Larger than 27" and double the resolution? We already have 5k iMacs, doubling the resolution won't make a difference unless you mean very large screens when you mentioned larger than 27”.
    Why do you care if an iMac is not SSD only? People are always harping about choice so why force something you want on a user who doesn’t want or need what you do? Of course you can order an SSD only iMac today so what’s the problem? And double the resolution? The iMac is 5K but you want 10K? How does that even work?
    Non-SSD’s are only good for external storage.  
    Beatspscooter63muthuk_vanalingamGeorgeBMac
  • Reply 15 of 50
    jkmutahjkmutah Posts: 10member
    I would hope that if they're raising the screen size of the smaller iMac that they'll also increase the size of the 27" iMac.  I've been working on a MacBook Pro connected to an LG 34" widescreen display and have fallen in love with the extra real estate.  I almost considered a Mac that I could get a monitor that size but there is nothing powerful enough without spending a fortune.

    I'm not sure the timetable of the new iMac design but I doubt they would rollout the smaller size first.  I wish there was something with iMac power but you could add your own monitor to it.

    watto_cobra
  • Reply 16 of 50

    iPad - 300 usd

    iPad Air - 500 usd

    iPad Pro - 800 usd


    iPhone SE - 350 usd

    iPhone 12 - 650 usd

    iPhone 12 Pro - 950 usd


    iMac - 1000 usd

    iMac redesign - 2000 usd

    iMac Pro - 5000 usd


    Macbook ARM - 800 usd

    MacBook Air - 1100 usd

    MacBook Pro - 2000 usd


    Apple Watch Series 4 - 200

    Apple Watch Series 5 - 300

    Apple Watch Series 6 Redesign - 400


    AirPods - 100 usd 

    AirPods In ear - 150 usd

    AirPods Pro 250 usd

  • Reply 17 of 50
    If thinner bezels can make a 21.5" iMac into a 23"er. I'd epect the next iteration of the 27 to be in the neightberhood of 29-30" all within the same form factor.
    Was hoping the refreshed iMac would be 27", bummer.
    I don’t think this rumor precludes an updated 27” iMac, just that there may be a 23” iMac added to the line up. To be honest, a 23” iMac doesn’t even mean that there won’t be a 21” iMac anymore, although that is the model that the new model seems likely to replace. 

    The rumor does make me wonder if Apple will use the screen size as a differentiator between a normal iMac and an iMac Pro. 

    Regardless, I give 50/50 odds that any new enclosure will allow for user-upgradable RAM. 
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 18 of 50
    lkrupplkrupp Posts: 10,557member
    lkrupp said:
    Beats said:
    I love iMacs. Would love to see 1TB SSD standard now. And retina on all models. Maybe smaller bezels but not important.


    We have over $3500 burning a hole in our pocket for a new iMac.
    Want:
    1. larger size than 27
    2. double the resolution
    3. SSD only

    Larger than 27" and double the resolution? We already have 5k iMacs, doubling the resolution won't make a difference unless you mean very large screens when you mentioned larger than 27”.
    Why do you care if an iMac is not SSD only? People are always harping about choice so why force something you want on a user who doesn’t want or need what you do? Of course you can order an SSD only iMac today so what’s the problem? And double the resolution? The iMac is 5K but you want 10K? How does that even work?
    Non-SSD’s are only good for external storage.  
    Blathering nonsense. Internal spinning hard drives are perfectly fine for most people and it’s why Apple still offers them. You don't need blinding electronic speed to send an email, play some music, and store photos. Yours is the same false argument used by the 5G crowd. Most people don’t need 5G speeds any time soon, especially on a mobile phone.
    AI_liasBeatspscooter63macplusplusqwerty52watto_cobra
  • Reply 19 of 50
    macgizmomacgizmo Posts: 102member
    I smell a 32" iMac in the (somewhat) near future.
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 20 of 50
    It will have the same panel as the now 23 inch 4K LG 4K.

    Which is not all that good, by the way---the pixel density is sub 200.
    smack416
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