The iMac 2021 can be heard sooner than you think. When Apple discontinues products, it’s a sign of one of two things: either the product is no longer popular and is on its way to the graphics stack, or the company realizes it needs to be refreshed and stops building stock as preparation for the next version.
For the iMac, it feels like option two is the more likely one, and MacRumors has seen Apple reduce the number of configurations available on the 21.5-inch version. The 512 GB and 1 TB hard drive configurations are no longer available, giving buyers the less attractive choice of either a 256 GB SSD or the 1 TB Fusion Drive SSD / HDD hybrid.
The 21.5-inch iMac is getting a bit long in the tooth since it was last refreshed in 2019, but it remains a popular line. While the original HomePod was cut because the HomePod mini was more popular and the iMac Pro eventually reached the end of its life because it was caught between two markets, it would be a surprise if the 21.5-inch iMac is not replaced not – and sooner rather than later.
Rumors of a 2021 iMac redesign have been circulating for some time, with the promise of a bold, new look inspired by the Apple Pro Display XDR, with a flat back, reduced borders and the removal of the metal leg. If this sounds a little tighter to your liking, rumor has it that Apple will be offering the hardware in a number of playful colors, in a bit of a setback to the colorful iMac G3 series.
Of course, the expected changes are not just deep in the skin, and the real star of the show will likely be the switch from Intel processors to the company’s own Apple Silicon. The Apple M1 drive that powers the recent MacBook Pro M1, MacBook Air M1 and Mac mini M1i hardware has seriously impressed reviewers with its performance and low power consumption, and rumors are that the iMac will get the same upgrade, even if there are Intel configurations. still available to those who depend on software compatibility.
Just last week, an accident report generated in DaftCloud pointed to the existence of an ARM-based iMac, so it looks like some hardware configurations are currently being tested – but that does not mean we’re just looking at an iMac with the M1 chip from the first generation Apple Silicon Macs. According to a Bloomberg report from December, Apple is testing a chip design with ‘as many as 32 high-performance cores’ to ensure that it can meet all performance requirements.
Since the 21.5-inch iMac is a more entry-level Apple desktop with a price tag, it’s likely that the new version will get a little less ambitious. But since it looks like Apple will end production of current iMac models, we will hopefully find out soon enough.