Although WWDC 2014 didn’t see any new hardware announcements, it doesn’t mean that the company hadn’t been working on anything. Just today, the Cupertino tech giant has taken the veil off a new entry-level iMac that will make the world’s leading all-in-one computing solution more affordable for the masses, and we will tell you all about it right after the break.
It's been almost four years since Apple's iPhone 4 delighted us with crisp, "Retina" sharpness, and shortly after that, the iPad 3 did the same for the company's famed tablet. Then, the MacBook Pro with Retina display manifested back in 2012, and we all thought that the rest of the Mac range would naturally follow suit thereafter. It didn't happen, though, and with new reports suggesting that the iMac will be getting a refresh next week, it looks like we're still going to be left waiting for that elusive resolution bump.
Apple's annual WWDC event is only a matter of days away, and as developers and journalists descend on The Moscone Centre in San Francisco the anticipation of what Tim Cook and his executive will introduce is starting to grow exponentially. If this particular analyst's predictions ring true then a cheaper iMac as well as an iPhone 5s with 8GB of internal storage could make an appearance during the conference.
Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference is just around the corner, and rumor has it that we'll be treated to one or two hardware announcements alongside the formalities of iOS 8 and OS X 10.10. As well as talk of a Retina MacBook Air, 4th-gen Apple TV and, speculatively, perhaps even the iWatch, changes in Apple's iMac shipping times may also suggest that the Cupertino is planning a refresh of its all-in-one desktop computer.
There's been plenty of speculation recently surrounding Apple's product plans for the remainder of the year. Conjecture and Internet based chit-chat continues to grow regarding what may or may not be included in iOS 8. Most of which will be either confirmed or denied when we get our first glimpse of the firmware in June at WWDC 2014. There's also mounting speculation about the fruit company's plans for the next-generation iPhone, dubbed the iPhone 6, with most focus being specifically placed on the device's display dimensions. Ming-Chi Kuo, of KGI Securities fame, has added fuel to that fire and put the cat amongst the pigeons by releasing a product timeline, indicating that Q3 could be a huge period for Apple.
There had been a lot of speculation surrounding the potential upgrade of the MacBook Pro lineup before Apple’s iPhone 5s / 5c media event, but in a move that has managed to escape pre-release attention, it seems that the fruit company has temporarily ignored the pro notebook and instead updated the iMac lineup.
Intel's astonishingly efficient Haswell processors have already worked wonders for the 2013 MacBook Air range, and KGI Securities' Ming-Chi Kuo - one of the more reliable Apple analysts out there - seems to believe the iMac could be the recipient of the new chip in a refresh set to roll out as early as next month. Furthermore, Kuo also believes Apple plans to roll out new MacBook Pros in September, which are also expected to be powered by Haswell.
A new, low-end iMac has been introduced into Apple's lineup, with cost-conscious educational institutes the target of the stealth product update.
Such has been the coverage of the iPhone 5 and subsequently, the iPad mini, that the small matter of the radically-redesigned iMac has slipped into the back of our minds. When Apple launched the smaller tablet last month, it also gave us a look at the all-new iMac, and although there was - to the disappointment of many - no Retina display, the new slender look seemed to go down with the on-looking tech world.
If you happened to catch the last Apple media event that was held at the California Theatre last month, then it shouldn't come as any great surprise that Apple had been working hard on producing a new iMac range that features a thinner form factor. Retail contacts have been suggesting that physical Apple Stores were preparing their outlets yesterday for sales to go live today, with a number of stores in the United States initially receiving low stock levels to begin with. Regardless of the available stock, the time has come with the new 21.5-inch iMac being available for worldwide sales.
