New iMacs hitting retail, ship dates may be weeks away for some

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Earlier, we posted new iPad SKUs showing Apple is likely launching 24 new models of the device. It is still to be determined whether the four variants in the SKUs include updated iPad 3 models with Lightning connectors or four iPad mini variants. Today, we also get a hint at what looks like updated 21-inch and 27-inch iMac models from the same SKUs.

Listed as “D7″ and “D8″ in the SKUs above, we see two refreshed models. They are presumably for the 21-inch and 27-inch variants that Apple currently sells. We have recently heard reports that Apple is planning to introduce new iMacs alongside what reports claimed were images of the refreshed iMacs’ internals.

There have also been rumors that Apple will begin selling the refreshed iMacs on Oct. 24—one day after the rumored date of the iPad mini launch event. We are not sure Apple will begin shipping any of the new models on Oct. 24, but we have heard at least some varieties will not ship at launch. However, the SKUs above are pretty good evidence that refreshed models are on the way. We will have more on that in the near future.

10-18-12

9to5mac.com

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Online Apple Stores across Europe are seeing shipping times slip for all iMac models, most showing a delay of one to three days, possibly signaling a drawdown ahead of a new product launch.

Apple's country-specific online storefronts from the UK to Germany are quoting delays in standard configurations of the company's all-in-one iMac, affecting both the 21.5-inch and 27-inch models, which some are quick to speculate is a sign of an imminent refresh.

It appears, however, that delayed shipments are only affecting online Apple Stores in parts of the EU, while the U.S., Canada, and Asia Pacific markets are quoting immediate availability. Further, some European countries like Czech Republic are still showing all models to be in stock.

The first signs of a supposed iMac drawdown came in a September report that cited an Authorized Apple Service Provider, who said channel supply for the computer was "peculiarly low."

Most recently, an image of an allegedly leaked part reignited rumors that Apple would soon announce a totally redesigned next-generation iMac with a more organic teardrop shape and laminated display for maximum thinness.

With an upcoming Oct. 23 media event expected to usher in the much-rumored iPad mini, Apple may take the opportunity to unveil additional products like a new iMac and possible 13-inch MacBook Pro with Retina display.

When Apple does decide to debut a new iMac, it is expected that the 21.5-inch model will be hitting store shelves first, followed by the 27-inch model soon after. KGI analyst Ming-Chi Kuo noted in August that the screen lamination process has proved to be troublesome when applied to the larger-screened machine, suggesting the difficulties could lead to a launch weeks after the 21.5-inch iteration is released.

10-18-12

appleinsider.com

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What We Expect

Apple's next iMac is expected to be introduced at the company's October 23 media event, although it is unclear exactly when the new models will be available. We've been hearing that the 21.5-inch models will be availability immediately, while new 27-inch models may not launch until several weeks later.

According to a report from earlier this month, the new iMacs will see a redesign of the iMac that has retained the same general form factor since 2007. The new iMacs are said to be thinner than the existing models, with a more curved rear shell resembling a water droplet rather than the squared-off edges of the current design. The new iMac will adopt Intel's Ivy Bridge processors and USB 3.0 support, but ultra-high resolution Retina displays are not expected in this round of updates.

Pricing for the new iMacs will remain the same as current models.


More Details


Rumors of an iMac update began to ramp up in earnest in early 2012 as the launch of Intel's Ivy Bridge chips neared, with some reports pegging a June target for updated iMacs. Details on the updates beyond Ivy Bridge remained scant, although one report indicated that Apple was looking at including anti-reflective glass on the front of the machine.

Rumors of an imminent iMac update gained steam in mid-May with the discovery of a Geekbench benchmark for what appeared to be a genuine 27-inch iMac running an Ivy Bridge processor.

Rumors and part numbers appearing just prior to Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) in early June offered hope that the iMac would be seeing updates at the event, but the new models did not appear at the event.

In the wake of WWDC, a pair of reports suggested that the iMac and Mac Pro would see their next updates in 2013, but Apple took the unusual step of clarifying the issue to note that only the Mac Pro was expected to see its next update in 2013, keeping the door open for an iMac update in the second half of 2012.

In the following weeks, reports began surfacing suggesting that the next iMac update would not include Retina displays and would be arriving in the fall of 2012. Additional reports supported the notion of an iMac update in the September-October timeframe.

As that timeframe approached, KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo was the first to claim that the new 21.5-inch and 27-inch models may not launch simultaneously, with a new lamination process designed to increase display quality reportedly proving more challenging for the larger displays than the smaller ones.

Production on the new iMacs was rumored to have begun ramping up by mid-September, although sources were still pointing to issues with the displays on the 27-inch models. With a fresh report sharing alleged details of a late October launch and a photo of the machine's internals, as well as sightings of part numbers that seem to represent new iMacs, it appears the Apple's October 23 media event is indeed the target date.

10-20-12

www.macrumors.com