What you need to know
- Apple is said to have new iMacs with Pro Display XDR-like designs coming.
- A new Apple display is also reportedly being worked on.
- Two new Mac Pro computers are also in the timeline.
A new Bloomberg report claims that Apple has a whole raft of new products in the works across the iMac, Mac Pro, and display lineups. Including a replacement for the popular $999 Thunderbolt Display.
Starting with the iMacs, Bloomberg's report says that Apple is working on versions to replace the existing 21.5-inch and 27-inch models, although it isn't clear what the sizes will be for the new models. The design will be all-new, with something more closely resembling the Pro Display XDR aesthetic, the report claims.
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 believes that there are two versions of the computer being worked on. A model similar to the current one will feature Intel processors, while a new, smaller model will ship with Apple silicon inside.
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.
The idea of a new Mac that resembles the famous G4 Cube is something I am absolutely here for!
Finally, displays. The $4999 Apple Pro Display XDR is out of the range of most people, but the now-discontinued $999 Thunderbolt Display was a different story. Bloomberg says we're going to get something to replace the display that was killed off in 2016.
The cheaper monitor would feature a screen geared more for consumer than professional use and wouldn't have the brightness and contrast ratio of the top-tier offering. Apple last launched a consumer-grade monitor called the Thunderbolt Display in 2011 for $999 but discontinued it in 2016.
There is no mention of any timeframes for any of these releases, unfortunately, but it isn't expected that they'll all arrive this year due to some being in the "early development" stage.
