Oliver Haslam on January 16, 2021, 11:54 pm

Apple Has Redesigned iMacs, Smaller Mac Pros, And A Cheaper Display In The Works

Apple has two new iMacs, two Mac Pros, and a cheaper alternative to the Pro Display XDR in the works, according to a new report.

Reported by Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, Apple has iMacs coming that will replace the existing 21.5-inch and 27-inch models, although it isn’t clear whether they will be different sizes than the current offerings. Importantly however, the new iMacs will remove the chin and feature smaller bezels similar to the Pro Display XDR look.

The new models will slim down the thick black borders around the screen and do away with the sizable metal chin area in favor of a design similar to Apple’s Pro Display XDR monitor. These iMacs will have a flat back, moving away from the curved rear of the current iMac. Apple is planning to launch two versions — codenamed J456 and J457 — to replace the existing 21.5-inch and 27-inch models later this year, the people said, asking not to be identified because the products are not yet announced.

Moving on to the Mac Pro, Bloomberg’s report has two new tower computers being worked on although one will be much smaller than the other. The larger one will reportedly feature Intel processors, while the smaller version will pack a new Apple chip. Notably, it’s thought that the smaller model will remind users of the hugely popular G4 Cube.

One version is a direct update to the current Mac Pro and will continue to use the same design as the version launched in 2019. Apple has discussed continuing to use Intel processors for that model rather than moving to its own chips.

The second version, however, will use Apple’s own processors and be less than half the size of the current Mac Pro. The design will feature a mostly aluminum exterior and could invoke nostalgia for the Power Mac G4 Cube, a short-lived smaller version of the Power Mac, an earlier iteration of the Mac Pro.

Finally, Apple’s Pro Display XDR is thought to be getting a cheaper alternative to replace the Thunderbolt Display that was discontinued in 2016. That display sold for $999, considerably less than the Pro Display XDR’s $4,999 asking price. Apple would likely remove some features that make the Pro Display XDR so compelling in order to meet a lower taking price, however.

There’s no indication when any of these products will ship, unfortunately.