Immediately following its "Peek Performance" event on Tuesday, Apple quietly discontinued the 27-inch Intel-powered iMac. Some observers wondered if a successor would be released sooner or later.
Following the unveiling of the Mac Studio and Studio Display at Apple's spring event, John Ternus, SVP of Hardware Engineering, said that the transition of the Mac lineup to Apple Silicon was almost complete, "with only one product missing: the Mac Pro." This statement was interpreted by some to mean that Apple sees the Mac Studio and Studio Display as natural replacements for the 27-inch iMac. Indeed, Apple has indicated that 27-inch iMac owners looking to upgrade should consider the separately sold Studio products, while the 24-inch iMac is available for those still seeking an all-in-one experience. But that's not all. In a further nail in the coffin for the 27-inch iMac, Apple told Ars Technica this week confirmedthat the device has “reached the end of its life”.
Equipment caused confusion within the supply chain
Despite these developments, not everyone has given up hope that Apple will unveil a larger iMac at some point in the future, though perhaps not as soon as rumors have suggested so far. Over the past few months, there have been a steady stream of rumors from various sources suggesting that Apple has a larger all-in-one desktop Mac in development. Respected display analyst Ross Young said last month that an iMac Pro would launch as early as summer 2022. However, after Apple unveiled the Mac Studio and 27-inch Studio Display on March 8, Young no longer believes that assumption. Young explained that his sources were unaware of the separation between iMac, Mac Studio, and Studio Display, which had led to confusion about Apple's exact plans ahead of this week's spring event.
Will Apple introduce an iMac Pro in 2023?
The confusion apparently stemmed from the fact that the Studio Display has a webcam and built-in Apple Silicon, causing it to appear in supply chains as an iMac, even though it isn't one. Young now believes that earlier rumors of an iMac Pro launching in June didn't refer to a real iMac, but rather a Pro version of the Studio Display. Young now speculates that the 27-inch mini-LED panel Apple has in production could be a Studio Display Pro, which is slated to launch in June alongside the new Mac Pro. Young's latest comments appear to confirm information from Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, who said this week that an "iMac Pro" won't arrive before 2023. Well-connected Bloomberg journalist Mark Gurman also reiterated his suspicion this week that an iMac Pro is still in the works.
New Mac devices with M2 chip are already in development
FYI: We're still expecting an iMac Pro, in case you were wondering. M2 versions of the Mac mini, MacBook Pro 13-inch, and 24-inch iMac are also in development.
Rumors suggest that a refreshed iMac with a larger screen could have a similar design to the 24-inch iMac, Pro Display XDR, and Studio Display. If it does indeed resemble the Pro Display XDR, the bezel could be much slimmer and it could have less of a chin and be offered in darker colors than the 24-inch iMac. As for what powers the new all-in-one, Apple could use the same M1 Pro and M1 Max chips that are already used in the MacBook Pro. Regardless of whether the rumors about the 27-inch iMac turn out to be true or not, users who can't wait that long and want a top-of-the-line Mac with a large screen have the option of combining a Mac Studio with a Studio Display, although this will cost about twice as much as the cheapest 27-inch iMacs. (Image: rendersbyian)
