Apple could be adopting a strategy whereby when its new larger iMac debuts, this will be the rumored iMac Pro – and there may not be a lower-end non-Pro incarnation of the bigger all-in-one.
As 9to5 Mac reports, this comes from well-respected fount of Apple rumors, Mark Gurman, in his Power On newsletter. Gurman has been theorizing about a bunch of Macs which are inbound, and that includes an iMac Pro 27-inch model, which he asserts will likely be the only incarnation of a bigger iMac.
Gurman writes: “All indications are that Apple has its focus on a Pro iMac with a larger screen than the 24-inch model,” adding that: “If Apple goes pro-only for the larger iMac, just like on the MacBook Pro with its 14-inch and 16-inch screens, it will be using display size as another ‘Pro’ differentiator from the low-end model.”
In other words, the larger screen will be a hallmark of the Pro version, so we won’t get a more affordable consumer-targeted iMac 27-inch – ‘low-end’ being a relative term here, when talking about a bigger iMac – the only option will be the smaller 24-inch all-in-one for non-pro users.
As per a previous rumor, Gurman claims that this iMac Pro will use the M1 Pro and M1 Max processors which Apple already has in service, rather than looking to switch to a next-gen SoC.
Given the use of these chips, it’s reasonable to assume we could see this purported iMac Pro sooner rather than later, and Gurman reckons it could come in the near future, noting that Apple may debut the all-in-one in May or June. Apple will launch Macs in March, too, but these will most likely be the new Mac mini and redesigned entry-level MacBook Pro, he believes.
Analysis: Don’t rule out a lower-end model – but it’s not likely
Of course, this is just a rumor, so exercise the usual caution, although Gurman has a pretty good track record for Apple-related speculation. That said, even if there are no immediate plans for a lower-end larger iMac, that doesn’t mean Apple will never produce one.
Gurman expands on this point in his newsletter, saying: “Perhaps at some point there will be a low-end larger iMac with Apple Silicon, but I’d be very surprised. If Apple intended to launch such a Mac, it could have done so months ago – perhaps even last April alongside the revamp to the smaller screen size.”
While an iMac Pro 27-inch could, of course, be bought by consumers equally as much as professionals, the main downside for the former audience would of course be that such a model would have a considerably weightier price tag (maybe really expensive). And that would mean that such consumers would be limited to just the iMac with a smaller (24-inch) display if they wanted to avoid serious damage to their wallet.
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