A massively redesigned iMac could launch at any moment

Apple is widely expected to introduce a redesigned iMac this year, and that launch may come sooner rather than later, according to AppleInsider. That idea comes from an innocuous-looking change on the Apple website that might signify something much larger. The change in question is that Apple is no longer selling versions of the 1080p 21.5-inch iMac with 512GB and 1TB SSDs on its website. The models with a 256GB SSD and with a 1TB Fusion Drive are still available. AppleInsider claims this is a permanent change and not simply a stock issue, citing “long-time AppleInsider sources familiar with Apple’s supply chain.” While all 4K iMac models still have these storage options, that may not last, as the sources claim Apple has stopped producing 512GB and 1TB SSDs for the 4K iMac. Why is that significant? Well, Apple often stops selling certain products when it is about to launch something new. Remember when the company pulled all third-party audio gear from its shelves in October 2020? One week later it unveiled the HomePod Mini. The withdrawal of rival devices was widely seen as portending the imminent unveiling of a new Apple product. Apple is expected to host a spring event in the coming weeks, something it often does at this time of year. Based on previous years, likely dates for the show are March 22, March 23, March 29, or March 30. The new iMac may well make an appearance at this show. This iMac development chimes with much that we already know. Apple is heavily rumored to be working on a completely redesigned iMac featuring an Apple Silicon chip, a flat back that ditches the iMac’s recognizable curved edges, a new range of colors, and thinner bezels. Those thinner bezels will reportedly increase the display size of the 21.5-inch model to either 23 or 24 inches across. By withdrawing two configurations of the 21.5-inch iMac from sale, Apple could be clearing the way for this revamped model. The 256GB SSD and 1TB Fusion Drive versions might be kept around as affordable options at the entry-level price point. That all means you should keep your eyes peeled in case a brand-new iMac hits the shelves in the coming days and weeks. If you are in the market for a new all-in-one computer from Apple, we have our finger on the pulse and will bring you all the latest news as it happens. Apple has brought its M4 chip to the iMac, making it the first Mac to get Apple’s latest silicon chip. The update also brings new colors and a significant performance improvement for the all-in-one desktop computer, and it comes a year after it received the previous-generation M3 chip. As with the previous M1 and M3 iMacs, the M4 model is compatible with Apple Intelligence. It comes at the beginning of a week of product releases from Apple, with the company previously teasing that it had much more to reveal in the coming days. The updates could see the entire Mac lineup receive some variant of the M4 chip (including more powerful M4 Pro, M4 Max and M4 Ultra editions) over the coming months. Apple’s Mac machines and gaming don’t quite fit in the same equation, even though the recent trajectory of its Metal architecture has pulled off a few surprises. But it looks like the upcoming M4-tier machines won’t pull any punches, including the Mac mini. In the latest edition of his Power On newsletter, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman writes that for the first time, Apple’s entry-level desktop computer will offer ray tracing support. For the unaware, it’s a lighting system that adds a whole new level of visual realism to games. Spotted by MacRumors, display industry analyst Ross Young has posted a subscriber-only tweet revealing that panel shipments for the MacBook Air M4 should be starting in October. Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman then confirmed his own information points to the same conclusion — that Apple will launch the next MacBook Air during the first quarter of 2025.