Rumors suggest that Apple could be working working on a redesigned version of the larger-screened iMac that could potentially bring back the “iMac Pro” name to differentiate it from the 24-inch iMac that Apple released in 2021.
In March 2022, Apple discontinued the 27-inch Intel-based version of the iMac, leaving just the 24-inch iMac, but that doesn’t mean a new larger-screened iMac has been scrapped. Some rumors suggest that it is still in development and could launch later this year, but not all sources are in agreement about the future of the iMac. For now, Apple has replaced the 27-inch iMac with the Mac Studio and its matching Studio Display.
Rumors suggest a refreshed larger-screened iMac could be similar in design to the 24-inch iMac, the Pro Display XDR, and the Studio Display. It’s said to feature black bezels, and if it does indeed look similar to the Pro Display XDR, bezel size could be much slimmer and it could perhaps have less of a bottom chin.
Like the 24-inch iMac, the upcoming 27-inch model could be available in multiple color options. A report from DigiTimes has suggested that Apple plans to sell the new iMac in various colors, though there are no specific details on which colors Apple will use.
The 27-inch iMac is expected to have black bezels and so it would make sense for Apple to use a different color scheme than colors used for the 24-inch iMac, perhaps in darker shades.
Like the 2021 MacBook Pro models, the next-generation iMac will likely adopt a mini-LED display for brighter colors, deeper blacks, and improved HDR, and it will feature ProMotion display technology, allowing for up to a 120Hz refresh rate.
A refresh rate at 120Hz will allow for smoother gameplay and scrolling through various apps like Safari, plus it will improve general animations throughout macOS. Some rumors have indicated that the iMac will have a display that’s larger than 27 inches to mirror the smaller iMac’s increase from 21.5 inches to 24 inches, but display analyst Ross Young says that it’s going to measure in at 27 inches like the current model.
Apple has tested Face ID for the iMac Pro, but it is not a confirmed feature and it’s not clear whether Face ID will make it into the release version of the machine.
The iMac is expected to offer a similar port configuration to the MacBook Pro, with Apple including USB-C/Thunderbolt ports, an SD card slot, and an HDMI port. Apple could also include an Ethernet port built into the power adapter as it has for the 24-inch iMac.
The iMac Pro is rumored to include the same M1 Pro and M1 Max chips that were introduced in the MacBook Pro, and Apple could perhaps also introduce one additional higher-end configuration for the machine.
The M1 Pro and M1 Max have the same 10-core CPU (though there is an 8-core version of the M1 Pro). The M1 Pro features up to 16 graphics cores, while the M1 Max features up to 32 graphics cores.
Apple is reportedly calling the iMac the “iMac Pro” internally, and that could turn out to be its launch name as well, which would be in line with the MacBook Pro and iPad Pro.
An “iMac Pro” name differentiates the 27-inch iMac from the 24-inch model, and makes it clear that it uses the same “Pro” chips as the MacBook Pro, but it is not clear if an “iMac Pro” fits into the Mac lineup alongside the more powerful Mac Studio.
The base iMac Pro is said to feature 16GB memory and a 512GB SSD, and pricing is expected to start at around $2,000.
When we might see an updated larger-screened version of the iMac is unclear. Display analyst Ross Young initially predicted a June launch, but he later said that his sources had mixed up the iMac Pro and the Apple Studio Display, and that he no longer believes an iMac Pro is coming in the summer.
9to5Mac has said that Apple is not working on a larger-screened iMac at all, while Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo believes it could come out in 2023. Bloomberg‘s Mark Gurman has also said that there’s an iMac Pro coming, but he has not given a specific launch timeline and he says the launch won’t be anytime soon.
According to Bloomberg‘s Mark Gurman, Apple is working on a next-generation version of the iMac with an M3 chip. Though not specified, it’s possible that this M3 iMac could be a follow up to the current 24-inch M1 iMac. An M3 iMac won’t launch until the end of next year at the earliest.