Apple Expected to Announce New 24-Inch iMac This Month

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We thought that was it for Apple product launches this year, didn’t we?

Come on, guys, what more do you want? We’ve just had a brand new Apple Pencil with USB-C charging. Stop being so greedy.

However, it seems as though Apple isn’t finished with 2023 just yet – by quite a stretch. While idly flicking through my X feed last night, I spotted a trend; there were an increasing number of posts from tech commentators talking about new Macs arriving. Next week.

With iMac-related content planned for the week in question, I panicked, obviously, and then dug in a little further.

As it turns out, the 24-inch iMac might finally be on the receiving end of a long-awaited update – and there are possibly more Macs waiting in the wings, too.

New iMac rumours

What I’m about to tell you remains rumour fodder at the time of writing and comes from the delicately poised whisper-munching fingers of Mr Mark Gurman.

Supplies of iMacs are, apparently, dwindling in retail stores. Equally, if you spec up a 24-inch iMac on Apple’s UK online store, the delivery dates fall into late November. This doesn’t necessarily mean anything, but Gurman argues that constrained supply is “a clear sign that something is about to happen”.

If that’s the case, it’s about time, too. The 24-inch iMac hasn’t been refreshed for over 900 days.

The latest speculation is that Apple is readying a freshly updated 24-inch iMac for launch later this month on either the 30th or 31st of October. Gurman argues that this is likely due to the impending earnings call on 2nd November, because the last time that date was picked, Apple’s financial call followed an iPad and Mac event shortly before.

What’s more, there are whispers about event invites going out to press this week – in fact, they may even have done so by the time you read this.

An in-person event feels like a big deal for a 24-inch iMac spec bump. This suggests there might be something else on the cards, although if you’re hoping for a 32-inch iMac alongside the current version, you’ll probably be disappointed – according to Gurman, that one won’t see the light of day until next year or even 2025.

As for the chip powering this rumoured 24-inch iMac update, I’m afraid details are thin on the ground, although it feels as though the M2 chip is the likely candidate.

New MacBook Pros, too?

With the big iMac unlikely to arrive next week, and iPads still apparently slated for a Spring 2024 release, we’re left with another possibility – new MacBook Pros.

Supplies of the 13-inch MacBook Pro and some higher-end models are also apparently constrained at Apple retail stores, leading Gurman to muse over the possibility of new editions arriving next week alongside that refreshed 24-inch iMac.

However, the M3 chip (which would presumably be the powerhouse at the heart of the new MacBook Pro) is apparently still not ready for public consumption. Equally, we had a bunch of new M2-powered MacBook Pros in January, therefore the timing feels slightly off.

Despite this, I wouldn’t put anything past Apple right now.

Should you buy a 24-inch iMac now?

No!

Something is clearly about to happen, and you don’t have much of a wait, even if nothing transpires next week.

The current version of the 24-inch iMac remains a great machine, but it has fallen so far behind the rest of the pack that buying one now is questionable, regardless of Apple’s plans. Remember – Apple doesn’t discount older products, which means you’re paying the same today as you would have done nearly three years ago for the exact same spec. That doesn’t make financial sense and it isn’t fair on you.

Let’s bide our time over the next few days, shall we?

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