The removal of the mains power circuitry from the computer body is likely a very forward looking design choice, something Apple is noted for. Now that the computer is fully solid-state (albeit with cooling fans) and thin and light, iMacs will appear in new, unfamiliar settings where lower voltage supplies might be preferred, such as in RVs. Apple might release further power options such as low-voltage conditioning modules for such applications. I can imagine the screen in an Apple car looking very much like my new iMac.
Think they are looking towards a DC power distribution system. They'll roll it out in house, then when USB-c or PoE specs that all greater power roll out in to the market they'll start offering alternative e cables in to the market.
DC works better for local power creation and storage. A lot of commercial building systems are going DC, especial lighting with smart controls.
Even laptops don’t have power bricks that lay on the floor. Neither does the iPhone or iPad. At the very least, an external power supply that plugs directly into the outlet instead of littering the floor should be in place.
So is that why it only comes with 2/4 USB-C ports?
The ports are my biggest/only real complaint with the new iMac. I’ve never thought that having all of the ports on the back was a good idea. Put at least one or two on the side so they’re accessible. aAnd limiting the low end Mac to just 2 ports??? It’s not a laptop; you can’t even make a half-assed space or power excuse. I’d also like to see at least one USB A port. Even 6 years after Apple declared ‘USB C is the future’ USB A is still incredibly common. My new Apple TV came with a USB A charging cable last week.
Market pressure. Companies still selling devices with USB-A are only looking at the here and now, not the longer-term longevity of the devices. USB-C supports USB-A (via an adapter), but not the other way around, so it makes sense to provide USB-C and let consumers downgrade if they need to.
USB A supports USB C with an adapter. iPhones come with USB A cables. So is Apple only looking at the here and now? Or is Apple not wanting to piss off iPhone customers who mostly have USB A everywhere, and don’t care about Mac users?
So is that why it only comes with 2/4 USB-C ports?
The ports are my biggest/only real complaint with the new iMac. I’ve never thought that having all of the ports on the back was a good idea. Put at least one or two on the side so they’re accessible. aAnd limiting the low end Mac to just 2 ports??? It’s not a laptop; you can’t even make a half-assed space or power excuse. I’d also like to see at least one USB A port. Even 6 years after Apple declared ‘USB C is the future’ USB A is still incredibly common. My new Apple TV came with a USB A charging cable last week.
Market pressure. Companies still selling devices with USB-A are only looking at the here and now, not the longer-term longevity of the devices. USB-C supports USB-A (via an adapter), but not the other way around, so it makes sense to provide USB-C and let consumers downgrade if they need to.
USB A supports USB C with an adapter. iPhones come with USB A cables. So is Apple only looking at the here and now? Or is Apple not wanting to piss off iPhone customers who mostly have USB A everywhere, and don’t care about Mac users?
I would find it very difficult to believe that Ive had anything to do with this piece of turd. It’s so fugly that a first year industrial design student wouldn’t design this.
So you're saying it's got Ive's fingerprints all over it then.
I was hoping his leaving would help. But Apple keeps making the same mistakes, and doubling down making them worse.
A power brick on a desktop computer is the kind of half-done garbage that you expect from sub-$300 low end PCs, not in a computer that costs over $1k. But Ive values thinness over function, so we get this abomination.
I would find it very difficult to believe that Ive had anything to do with this piece of turd. It’s so fugly that a first year industrial design student wouldn’t design this.
So you're saying it's got Ive's fingerprints all over it then.
I was hoping his leaving would help. But Apple keeps making the same mistakes, and doubling down making them worse.
A power brick on a desktop computer is the kind of half-done garbage that you expect from sub-$300 low end PCs, not in a computer that costs over $1k. But Ive values thinness over function, so we get this abomination.
You have zero cred.
On a prior thread, you stated that M1 Macs were slower than Intel-based models. With multiple people asking you to state proof, you disappeared like a fart in the wind.
I would find it very difficult to believe that Ive had anything to do with this piece of turd. It’s so fugly that a first year industrial design student wouldn’t design this.
As an industrial designer of sorts myself - bang on! There are so many flaws, I’m shocked this is actually an Apple product.
I would find it very difficult to believe that Ive had anything to do with this piece of turd. It’s so fugly that a first year industrial design student wouldn’t design this.
As an industrial designer of sorts myself - bang on! There are so many flaws, I’m shocked this is actually an Apple product.
Let’s hope they don’t botch the real iMac’s.
We are all anxiously awaiting your design then and may I suggest you send your CV to Cupertino, since according to some of you anonymous geniuses here at AI, those bozos over there have absolutely no idea what they're doing.
So is that why it only comes with 2/4 USB-C ports?
The ports are my biggest/only real complaint with the new iMac. I’ve never thought that having all of the ports on the back was a good idea. Put at least one or two on the side so they’re accessible. aAnd limiting the low end Mac to just 2 ports??? It’s not a laptop; you can’t even make a half-assed space or power excuse. I’d also like to see at least one USB A port. Even 6 years after Apple declared ‘USB C is the future’ USB A is still incredibly common. My new Apple TV came with a USB A charging cable last week.
Not sure if you’re old enough to remember when the original iMac came out and all it had was USB for connectivity. Apple pushed the industry to adopt a brand new technology and eventually they did. Same game with USB C, Apple is pushing the industry to go USB C/Thunderbolt for connectivity, as they should. One port to do everything? No brainer. For all those complaining about not having USB A, there are plenty of USB A/3/etc to USB C cables available to purchase on Amazon. Again, it’s a mostly non issue.
I am old enough to remember, but to say that USB became a universal standard because Apple pushed it is a gross overstatement. Apple was recovering from near bankruptcy at that time and was a very minor player in the computer industry. USB became a universal standard because it sold itself. I was still using PCs at that time and actually built my own computer. USB was universally considered to be better than what it replaced and was the clear preference even before it became the universal standard. USB A has been the standard for more that 20 years. USB C has advantages for some applications, but in many cases it has none and USB A is more than adequate while USB C has the disadvantage of being new and less common. USB C also has the disadvantage of being a bit of a mess since the connector is standardized but the protocols/capabilities of a USB port and USB Cables are not.
USB A has been in use as a standard probably longer than any other connector/interface in the computer industry with the possible exception of VGA. There's nothing wrong with moving forward with USB C, but to ignore the fact that USB A will continue to be used for a significant time is a bit naive and forcing people to buy adapters to use their existing equipment simply forces an inconvenience on them for the sake of ideals.
Apple pushed it because they were the only computer company to have only USB I/O on their brand new consumer machine, which happened to sell very well for Apple and helped adopt USB peripherals.
It's about progress. If Apple had not dropped SCSI on the iMac, people would still be trying to use it today. In order to progress in life we need to adopt with what's new so the longer people lull over an old and dated technology, the longer it will take for us to move forward with USB C.
I have three MacBooks. One Pro from 2015, one 16" Pro from 2019 and one M1 MacBook Air. I have hard drives and peripherals that I am constantly using interchangeably and I have no issues. Why is this such a large issue for people? Adapters? I do not own any adapters, just different cables, which again are super cheap on Amazon.
I would find it very difficult to believe that Ive had anything to do with this piece of turd. It’s so fugly that a first year industrial design student wouldn’t design this.
As an industrial designer of sorts myself - bang on! There are so many flaws, I’m shocked this is actually an Apple product.
Let’s hope they don’t botch the real iMac’s.
Somehow, I question your chops as an "indudstrial designer".
It's a beautiful machine inside and out. You think you guys are better, then you're more than welcome to come up with something better and sell it. Fear not, we won't wait.
My money is that these machines will sell well, and you'll still be complaining about how badly they're designed.
I hope the 30” comes with some USB-A, ports, six TB4s, and room for internal expansion like blade ssd.
But I know it won’t.
So basically you want a Mac Pro.
Of course it won't because that's not where the market is going. I think Apple has proved time and time again that its pointing its Mac offerings in the right direction. They're not exactly hurting for sales. The lack or ports or expandability doesn't seem to be hurting Apple's sales of Macs very much, if any. Its only techie people who really seem to care and make the most noise about this. If you don't like it, then go find a product that suits you better whether its a better Mac, or another brand computer. If then, Apple starts to hurt for sales it will go back to the drawing board and see why its failing.
I hope the 30” comes with some USB-A, ports, six TB4s, and room for internal expansion like blade ssd.
But I know it won’t.
So basically you want a Mac Pro.
Or an iMac with a TB3 dock like the Caldigit TS3+ which is what I have. One single cable coming out of the iMac into a dock under my desk with all the USB-A, TB3, SD-Car, Headphone jack, and power. All the cables are neatly tied underneath my standing desk with no clutter, and no reason to reach behind my Mac to plug/unplug devices.
I’ve no doubt had a hand in the overall shape amd thinness.
But there is no way he signed off on the power brick.
There is so much room inside the new enclosure that the brick contents could be expanded and shielded. - especially since they decided to use a chin to house the SOC.
Steve Jobs would not have went with the brick littering the floor idea. Neither would I’ve.
It seems some questionable design choices have come along since Ive’s role changed.
Big Sur has some unfortunate design choices as does the new iMac.
One of the biggest pluses in Apple design is that they know when to say “no” to things.
The fact that there is now a brick that just literally plops unceremoniously on your floor, littering it, is a definite sign that this is being forgotten.
Hopefully they remember this and fix it. This is Apple. They have a rich heritage in figuring things out better than anyone else. But the whole brick thing just screens cheap, tacky, and very Microsoft or Dell-like.
Here’s hoping I’ve had more of a hand in the forthcoming iMac Pro amd MacBook Pro designs.
This is a great point and all you have to do is ignore all the products that came during the Job and Ive tenure that had power bricks. G4 Cube? Never existed, original AirPort? Completely fictional. AirPort Extreme? never heard of it. G4 Mac mini? What's that? Cinema displays? Fake news. Intel Mac mini? bullocks to that.
That would be a great point - if we were talking a decade or more ago. And if we weren’t talking about desktop computers instead of routers and monitors, but since you brought it up...
Even the Apple thunderbolt display moved to packing the power supply INSIDE the enclosure. It used a CABLE which plugged elegantly into the wall. Nothing to trash up the floor. The Apple AirPort Extreme you mention? Yep. Cable. Direct to outlet. For the last couple generations actually.
Oh. You want to talk about the original, ancient versions. Steve Jobs took those and put the power supplies inside, thanks.
In fact, the old AirPort Extreme using a power adapter was one thing many reviewers derided as just another thing to have to manage or figure a way to hide.
Apple ended up moving the power supply inside of that exact same enclosure in the time capsule.
Thanks for making my point that the power brick was the old way of doing things. Those products are all around 10-15 years ago or more.
And Jobs himself presided over the move to enclosed power supplies. It’s not to say he’d never use a brick. That’s just how things were forever ago. But he would not now. There is no need to. And it looks nasty.
And by the way, the G4 cube was a flop. A rare bundle of bad decisions from a guy who was usually right, but also merely human.
Power bricks suck. And do not belong in a 2021 Apple desktop.
Heck even the iPads external charger plugs neatly into the wall outlet and doesn’t litter the floor. MacBook Pro? Power adapter/charger plugs neatly into the wall.
Nobody wants a brick littering the floor. This isn’t 1990s or early 2000s. This is 2021 Apple. And power supply is an integral part of the computer. You literally cannot separate the two. The whole sleekness of the iMac is thrown off by the extension of it just plopped wherever you can find to put it.
Apple, please put the power supply back inside the enclosure. It’s the right thing to do.
Uhhhh.... I have to talk about a decade ago because we are talking about design decisions Steve Jobs signed off and and Steve passed away ..... wait for it .... wait for it.... ten years ago!
As for your rambling and largely irrelevant rant. To just about everybody that isn't you this is a non-issue. This is not the big deal you so desperately want it to be. No, go outside, take a deep breath and enjoy life.
I've kinda always thought the what would Steve do conversation is pointless. Nobody knows what Steve would do, or approve of with today's Apple. Steve isn't here and he isn't running Apple so what difference does it make? Also, its not like Steve couldn't be persuaded with decisions either. He was the ultimate flip flopper.
I hope the 30” comes with some USB-A, ports, six TB4s, and room for internal expansion like blade ssd.
But I know it won’t.
So basically you want a Mac Pro.
Or an iMac with a TB3 dock like the Caldigit TS3+ which is what I have. One single cable coming out of the iMac into a dock under my desk with all the USB-A, TB3, SD-Car, Headphone jack, and power. All the cables are neatly tied underneath my standing desk with no clutter, and no reason to reach behind my Mac to plug/unplug devices.
Seems like they want "Pro" features in a consumer device and yes, I would consider them Pro features based on Apple's existing desktop features. The iMac is a consumer device and should be treated as such, both by Apple and the consumer. You're not going to get expansion slots, many many ports, etc in a Apple's consumer lineup. If that's what you want then go find it elsewhere.
I've kinda always thought the what would Steve do conversation is pointless. Nobody knows what Steve would do, or approve of with today's Apple. Steve isn't here and he isn't running Apple so what difference does it make? Also, its not like Steve couldn't be persuaded with decisions either. He was the ultimate flip flopper.
Pretty much nailed it. The whole what Steve would do conversation is inane. No one knows what he would have done, it doesn’t matter because the guy wasn’t perfect and ultimately the people who knew his decision making best are at Apple not AI comment section.
As someone who is now using the M1 iMac (16GB/1TB), I find the rancour amazing, though I suppose not surprising. The machine is a work of art. The latest OS of course contributes enormously to the pleasure this system provides. I hide the dock and the Menu bar and so, when not in use, the computer is literally a canvas with with beautiful desktop images changing slowly through the day.
My go to software is Mathematica. Stephen Wolfram has said that his engineers are busy removing the last 'tentacles' that run deeply inside Mathematica on Intel Macs and that the software will soon be fully native. I suspect that we won't be disappointed with the results.
I hope the 30” comes with some USB-A, ports, six TB4s, and room for internal expansion like blade ssd.
But I know it won’t.
So basically you want a Mac Pro.
Or an iMac with a TB3 dock like the Caldigit TS3+ which is what I have. One single cable coming out of the iMac into a dock under my desk with all the USB-A, TB3, SD-Car, Headphone jack, and power. All the cables are neatly tied underneath my standing desk with no clutter, and no reason to reach behind my Mac to plug/unplug devices.
Seems like they want "Pro" features in a consumer device and yes, I would consider them Pro features based on Apple's existing desktop features. The iMac is a consumer device and should be treated as such, both by Apple and the consumer. You're not going to get expansion slots, many many ports, etc in a Apple's consumer lineup. If that's what you want then go find it elsewhere.
There was a time that I was hypercritical of Apple for not including expansion slots or at least a Geek Port in systems. In those days I believe such would have increased interest in the Mac significantly. Today however things are different. High speed links allow data acquisition/control remote to the computer and now obviate mostly the need for internal slots. Video/sound engineers likely disagree and I respect that.
I'm interested too in discussion surrounding the concept of 'consumer vs pro' systems. I use my computers in science, which to me is pro. Is a system not a pro system if it doesn't have expansion slots? I can get time on a world ranked supercomputer, perhaps that is the true definition of a pro system.
I’ve no doubt had a hand in the overall shape amd thinness.
But there is no way he signed off on the power brick.
There is so much room inside the new enclosure that the brick contents could be expanded and shielded. - especially since they decided to use a chin to house the SOC.
Steve Jobs would not have went with the brick littering the floor idea. Neither would I’ve.
It seems some questionable design choices have come along since Ive’s role changed.
Big Sur has some unfortunate design choices as does the new iMac.
One of the biggest pluses in Apple design is that they know when to say “no” to things.
The fact that there is now a brick that just literally plops unceremoniously on your floor, littering it, is a definite sign that this is being forgotten.
Hopefully they remember this and fix it. This is Apple. They have a rich heritage in figuring things out better than anyone else. But the whole brick thing just screens cheap, tacky, and very Microsoft or Dell-like.
Here’s hoping I’ve had more of a hand in the forthcoming iMac Pro amd MacBook Pro designs.
This is a great point and all you have to do is ignore all the products that came during the Job and Ive tenure that had power bricks. G4 Cube? Never existed, original AirPort? Completely fictional. AirPort Extreme? never heard of it. G4 Mac mini? What's that? Cinema displays? Fake news. Intel Mac mini? bullocks to that.
That would be a great point - if we were talking a decade or more ago. And if we weren’t talking about desktop computers instead of routers and monitors, but since you brought it up...
Even the Apple thunderbolt display moved to packing the power supply INSIDE the enclosure. It used a CABLE which plugged elegantly into the wall. Nothing to trash up the floor. The Apple AirPort Extreme you mention? Yep. Cable. Direct to outlet. For the last couple generations actually.
Oh. You want to talk about the original, ancient versions. Steve Jobs took those and put the power supplies inside, thanks.
In fact, the old AirPort Extreme using a power adapter was one thing many reviewers derided as just another thing to have to manage or figure a way to hide.
Apple ended up moving the power supply inside of that exact same enclosure in the time capsule.
Thanks for making my point that the power brick was the old way of doing things. Those products are all around 10-15 years ago or more.
And Jobs himself presided over the move to enclosed power supplies. It’s not to say he’d never use a brick. That’s just how things were forever ago. But he would not now. There is no need to. And it looks nasty.
And by the way, the G4 cube was a flop. A rare bundle of bad decisions from a guy who was usually right, but also merely human.
Power bricks suck. And do not belong in a 2021 Apple desktop.
Heck even the iPads external charger plugs neatly into the wall outlet and doesn’t litter the floor. MacBook Pro? Power adapter/charger plugs neatly into the wall.
Nobody wants a brick littering the floor. This isn’t 1990s or early 2000s. This is 2021 Apple. And power supply is an integral part of the computer. You literally cannot separate the two. The whole sleekness of the iMac is thrown off by the extension of it just plopped wherever you can find to put it.
Apple, please put the power supply back inside the enclosure. It’s the right thing to do.
Uhhhh.... I have to talk about a decade ago because we are talking about design decisions Steve Jobs signed off and and Steve passed away ..... wait for it .... wait for it.... ten years ago!
As for your rambling and largely irrelevant rant. To just about everybody that isn't you this is a non-issue. This is not the big deal you so desperately want it to be. No, go outside, take a deep breath and enjoy life.
So you literally made my point about the power brick being an old idea whose time has passed based on apples own transitions away from it - also signed off on by the same jobs.
With advancement in capability comes advancement in product in line with the relentless match toward perfection by jobs and Apple.
But hey, if you want to defend the power brick to your dying breath and pretend that this is somehow a good thing or improvement, more power to you. Fisher price is looking for investors.
I’ve no doubt had a hand in the overall shape amd thinness.
But there is no way he signed off on the power brick.
There is so much room inside the new enclosure that the brick contents could be expanded and shielded. - especially since they decided to use a chin to house the SOC.
Steve Jobs would not have went with the brick littering the floor idea. Neither would I’ve.
It seems some questionable design choices have come along since Ive’s role changed.
Big Sur has some unfortunate design choices as does the new iMac.
One of the biggest pluses in Apple design is that they know when to say “no” to things.
The fact that there is now a brick that just literally plops unceremoniously on your floor, littering it, is a definite sign that this is being forgotten.
Hopefully they remember this and fix it. This is Apple. They have a rich heritage in figuring things out better than anyone else. But the whole brick thing just screens cheap, tacky, and very Microsoft or Dell-like.
Here’s hoping I’ve had more of a hand in the forthcoming iMac Pro amd MacBook Pro designs.
This is a great point and all you have to do is ignore all the products that came during the Job and Ive tenure that had power bricks. G4 Cube? Never existed, original AirPort? Completely fictional. AirPort Extreme? never heard of it. G4 Mac mini? What's that? Cinema displays? Fake news. Intel Mac mini? bullocks to that.
That would be a great point - if we were talking a decade or more ago. And if we weren’t talking about desktop computers instead of routers and monitors, but since you brought it up...
Even the Apple thunderbolt display moved to packing the power supply INSIDE the enclosure. It used a CABLE which plugged elegantly into the wall. Nothing to trash up the floor. The Apple AirPort Extreme you mention? Yep. Cable. Direct to outlet. For the last couple generations actually.
Oh. You want to talk about the original, ancient versions. Steve Jobs took those and put the power supplies inside, thanks.
In fact, the old AirPort Extreme using a power adapter was one thing many reviewers derided as just another thing to have to manage or figure a way to hide.
Apple ended up moving the power supply inside of that exact same enclosure in the time capsule.
Thanks for making my point that the power brick was the old way of doing things. Those products are all around 10-15 years ago or more.
And Jobs himself presided over the move to enclosed power supplies. It’s not to say he’d never use a brick. That’s just how things were forever ago. But he would not now. There is no need to. And it looks nasty.
And by the way, the G4 cube was a flop. A rare bundle of bad decisions from a guy who was usually right, but also merely human.
Power bricks suck. And do not belong in a 2021 Apple desktop.
Heck even the iPads external charger plugs neatly into the wall outlet and doesn’t litter the floor. MacBook Pro? Power adapter/charger plugs neatly into the wall.
Nobody wants a brick littering the floor. This isn’t 1990s or early 2000s. This is 2021 Apple. And power supply is an integral part of the computer. You literally cannot separate the two. The whole sleekness of the iMac is thrown off by the extension of it just plopped wherever you can find to put it.
Apple, please put the power supply back inside the enclosure. It’s the right thing to do.
Uhhhh.... I have to talk about a decade ago because we are talking about design decisions Steve Jobs signed off and and Steve passed away ..... wait for it .... wait for it.... ten years ago!
As for your rambling and largely irrelevant rant. To just about everybody that isn't you this is a non-issue. This is not the big deal you so desperately want it to be. No, go outside, take a deep breath and enjoy life.
So you literally made my point about the power brick being an old idea whose time has passed based on apples own transitions away from it - also signed off on by the same jobs.
With advancement in capability comes advancement in product in line with the relentless match toward perfection by jobs and Apple.
But hey, if you want to defend the power brick to your dying breath and pretend that this is somehow a good thing or improvement, more power to you. Fisher price is looking for investors.
The power brick is going away because, effectively, mains AC power this close to a system such as the new M1 iMac is going to be a relic of the past. Plugging a mains cord into such a computer will be seen as laughable. Apple again is at the front. Thanks Apple.
Comments
DC works better for local power creation and storage. A lot of commercial building systems are going DC, especial lighting with smart controls.
All iPhone models sold by Apple today, including the XR come with a lightning to USBC cable.
There are so many flaws, I’m shocked this is actually an Apple product.
It's about progress. If Apple had not dropped SCSI on the iMac, people would still be trying to use it today. In order to progress in life we need to adopt with what's new so the longer people lull over an old and dated technology, the longer it will take for us to move forward with USB C.
I have three MacBooks. One Pro from 2015, one 16" Pro from 2019 and one M1 MacBook Air. I have hard drives and peripherals that I am constantly using interchangeably and I have no issues. Why is this such a large issue for people? Adapters? I do not own any adapters, just different cables, which again are super cheap on Amazon.
Of course it won't because that's not where the market is going. I think Apple has proved time and time again that its pointing its Mac offerings in the right direction. They're not exactly hurting for sales. The lack or ports or expandability doesn't seem to be hurting Apple's sales of Macs very much, if any. Its only techie people who really seem to care and make the most noise about this. If you don't like it, then go find a product that suits you better whether its a better Mac, or another brand computer. If then, Apple starts to hurt for sales it will go back to the drawing board and see why its failing.
As for your rambling and largely irrelevant rant. To just about everybody that isn't you this is a non-issue. This is not the big deal you so desperately want it to be. No, go outside, take a deep breath and enjoy life.
My go to software is Mathematica. Stephen Wolfram has said that his engineers are busy removing the last 'tentacles' that run deeply inside Mathematica on Intel Macs and that the software will soon be fully native. I suspect that we won't be disappointed with the results.
I'm interested too in discussion surrounding the concept of 'consumer vs pro' systems. I use my computers in science, which to me is pro. Is a system not a pro system if it doesn't have expansion slots? I can get time on a world ranked supercomputer, perhaps that is the true definition of a pro system.