iMac 2021 Redesign | Next-Generation Apple Silicon

The Apple Silicon transformation began; it’s rumored that Apple will release the 2021 iMac this year. The lineup of future releases is expected to include the 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models and the 2021 iMac. These new Macs will signify the next wave of Apple Silicon-powered Macs, beginning after last year’s announcement of a new M1 MacBook Pro, M1 MacBook Air, and M1 Mac mini. The 2021 iMac is expected to have a significant design overhaul. The iMac hasn’t seen a significant change in almost ten years. 

The Tale of the iMac | iMac 2021 Next-Generation Apple Silicon

Apple first shifted away from plastic to the aluminum iMac in August of 2007. This shift to aluminum body represented a significant update compared to plastic body design. Apple updated its iMacs lineup to feature the new Intel Core “i-series” processors across the iMac lineup. Apple also released the “Apple Magic Trackpad,” similar to that of the MacBook pro. The trackpad was for use on the iMac and other Apple computers during that time. Intel-based iMac first begun on January 10, 2006. 

The mid-2007 iMac, nevertheless, was simply the way forward for the Aluminum Unibody iMac a few years later. The mid-2007 iMac featured an aluminum front-face, but the rear casing consisted of black plastic, which looked much different from that of the iMacs sleek aluminum front face.

In 2009, Apple improved its iMac lineup with an aluminum unibody design in 21.5-inch and 27-inch variants – entering into the line up the screen dimensions that we see today. This 2009 redesign ended up shaping the iMac’s future, by Apple improving the iMac rather than completely redesigning it.

Apple updated its iMac lineup in May of 2011, with the Intel Core i5 and i7 processors and the Thunderbolt technology’s debut and a 1-megapixel FaceTime camera. 

In the late fall of 2012, Apple announced the iMac featuring substantially thinner edges sporting the slim unibody. Apple also announced the Apple Fusion Drive and a pair of faster processors in the i5 and i7. Apple removed the SuperDrive from iMacs to reduce the edge.

In October 2014, Apple announced the new version of the 27-inch iMac, featuring the Retina 5K display with a resolution of 5120 × 2880 pixels. 

The 27 inch 5k Retina iMac also featured a new graphics chip, processor, and increased storage choices.

In June of 2017, Apple released the 21.5-inch iMac 4k retina with the i5 quad-core processor.

Last year, Apple renewed the iMac models and, the 27 inch iMac was outfitted with the 10th generation Intel chips, the T2 Security Chip, and both iMacs upgraded to use SSDs as the standard storage.

 It has been a long nine years since the intro of the unibody aluminum design, and we are all excited to see the next generation of iMacs. Will 2021 be the year that the iMac will see another significant redesign? 

What We Know | iMac 2021 Next-Generation Apple Silicon

Details are spare about the performance we can anticipate from the new iMac. The M1-based Macs are capable of exceeding the performance of the higher-end Intel-based iMacs

Apple is assumed to be operating on the iMac’s redesigned versions that highlight the most significant design overhaul to the ‌iMac‌ line since 2012. Nevertheless, according to a report from Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, Apple’s Face ID for iMac facial recognition authentication system is likely to feature in the following iteration of the redesign rather than the first, which is due this year.

Alternately of a curved rear design, the iMacs will feature a flat back. At least one of the latest models that will supersede the 21.5 and 27-inch models will measure at 23 to 24 inches, but it’s not obvious what size the second ‌iMac‌ will be.

A 23 or 24 inch ‌iMac‌ would presumably be the same size as the current 21.5-inch ‌iMac‌ physically, with the more comprehensive display enabled within smaller bezels. A new ‌iMac‌ with a new design and an Apple Silicon chip could appear in the first half of this year.

Apple plans to implement the new iMacs with next-generation versions of the Apple silicon chips that will be faster and GPU power. Apple is testing Apple silicon chips with as many as 16 power cores and four efficiency cores. Yet, higher-end desktop models could possess as many as 32 high-performance cores. Apple is also going on improved GPU technology and is testing 16 and 32-core graphics components.

iMac 2021 New design | Next-Generation Apple Silicon

The redesigned iMacs will utilize Apple silicon chips. The overhauled look will correspond with Apple’s move to shift away from Intel’s chips, giving the iMacs refreshed processors and a fresh design all at once. Gurman wrote that the new 2021 iMac “would be one of the biggest visual updates to any Apple product this year.”

Below are the expected iMac Design features. 

• The bottom of the iMac will no longer have the “chin.”
• A flat back, replacing the curved design
• Comparable to the Pro Display XDR
• Narrower bezels around the display

When will the 2021 iMac come out?

There are many bits of evidence to propose that the 2021 iMac will be released soon. First, the 21.5-inch iMac models are no longer available to buy, indicating that Apple is ramping down the previous iMacs quantity. Apple also freshly terminated the iMac Pro without a straightforward iMac Pro replacement.