14 DAY TRIAL // There’s a petition up on Facebook calling on Apple to refresh its all-in-one desktop computer, the iMac. The petitioners mainly want USB 3.0 and a better graphics card.
Arguing that the iMac has long been due for a refresh, the petition – We Want 2012 iMac – asks of Apple to deliver. Just like the Mac Pro petition, which gained a lot of traction, but ended with unsatisfactory results.
According to the authors, “iMac is way overdue for refresh (500 days), while 2011 iMac is still powerful it lacks now ubiquitous USB 3.0 port and better GPUs. Lots of us need new iMacs as our main computer replacements and current iMacs are just not good value. 2013 is a long wait!”
There’s also a poll there asking visitors whether they think the iMac will be redesigned/updated before year’s end.
There has been some speculation that Apple would hold a special event this October to unveil its rumored iPad mini. At this event, analysts say, it is likely to see the iMac get a hardware upgrade (but not necessarily a redesign).
The iMac isn't Apple’s most popular computer, but it’s certainly the bestselling Mac in the desktop segment.
The all-in-one design coupled with its sleek finish make it a winner in the hearts of many business owners, as well as regular customers.
An iMac “just works” out-of-the-box, as Apple’s marketing materials say. Setup is idiot-proof, and the systems are highly durable and reliable.
And their only serious problem is the same one that all computers have – obsolescence.
The current-selling iMac is a Sandy Bridge affair with 2.5GHz Quad-Core Intel Core i5, 4GB of RAM and a 500GB (traditional, platter-based) hard drive. In the graphics department, the iMac starts at AMD Radeon HD 6750M with 512MB and ends at AMD Radeon HD 6970M with 1GB. The processor power, RAM and storage also varies depending on Apple’s asking price.
An upgrade is likely to consist of more RAM and storage (perhaps with additional SSD options), a potential change in design, a Retina display, and the aforementioned USB 3.0 and processor / graphics spike.