Apple Releasing New iMac After Discontinuing iMac Pro

After months of rumors from multiple sources about Apple's long-awaited iMac redesign, Apple has discontinued the iMac Pro, in what appears to be another sign that more powerful iMacs with Apple silicon chips are on the way.

iMac Pro Alert Feature
Apple is reportedly planning to equip the 2021 iMacs with next-generation Apple silicon chips, potentially with as many as 16 power cores and four efficiency cores, but higher-end models could have as many as 32 high-performance cores. Apple is also believed to be working on improved GPU technology for the ‌iMac‌ with 16 and 32-core graphics components.

In light of the impressive performance of the M1 chip used in Apple's lower-end Macs such as the MacBook Air, a more powerful desktop-class Apple silicon chip would likely yield massive performance and efficiency improvements beyond what the ‌iMac‌ Pro was able to offer.

The ‌‌iMac‌ Pro‌ was first released in December 2017 and did not receive any significant updates since its introduction. Apple recommends that customers interested in a powerful Apple desktop machine choose the 27-inch ‌iMac‌ that was introduced in August 2020, or the Mac Pro.

The ‌iMac‌ Pro shared the same external design as the standard ‌iMac‌, which has had the exact same design since 2012, with upgrades over the past nine years being mostly limited to the display and internals.

According to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, the 2021 redesigned ‌iMac‌ models will feature significantly slimmed down bezels around the display. The large aluminum "chin" segment, below the display of current iMacs, will be removed entirely for a design that prioritizes the screen. Overall, Bloomberg expects the new ‌iMac‌ to look quite similar to the Pro Display XDR monitor that Apple released in 2019.

2020 iMac Mockup Feature teal
Current iMacs have a curved rear, but the new iMacs are expected to be completely flat at the back. Previous rumors have described the new ‌iMac‌ as adopting an "iPad Pro design language," presumably with squared-off edges and a slim profile, and played up the similarity of the new machine's look to the Pro Display XDR.

The ‌iMac‌ Pro was the first ‌iMac‌ to come in Space Gray, differentiating it from the standard model which is only available in Silver, but a recent report suggested that the 2021 ‌iMac‌ models will be offered in a wide range of color options that match the 2020 iPad Air models, including Silver, Space Gray, Green, Sky Blue, and Rose Gold.

flat imac 3d 3
With the advent of Apple silicon chips and the discontinuation of the ‌iMac‌ Pro, Apple may be simplifying its Mac offerings. Because the standard Intel ‌iMac‌ was given a significant final upgrade in August, it seems natural that there was no longer a place for the ‌iMac‌ Pro in the product lineup.

‌iMac‌ Pro customers can now anticipate the 2021 ‌iMac‌ models with a significantly redesigned exterior and a powerful Apple silicon chip inside, in what looks to be the biggest upgrade to the product line in almost a decade. New ‌iMac‌ models are expected to launch at some point between spring and fall this year.

Related Stories

iMac Pro Now Listed as 'Currently Unavailable' in U.S. and Canada [Update: Back in Stock]

Monday March 8, 2021 1:42 pm PST by Juli Clover

Apple appears to have temporarily sold out of the iMac Pro just two days after the Cupertino company confirmed that the iMac Pro has been discontinued and will only be available "while supplies last." The iMac Pro is now listed as "Currently Unavailable" in the Apple Online Store in the United States and Canada, which suggests available supply is running low. "Currently Unavailable" can ...

Hands-On With Apple's New Orange M1 iMac

Friday May 21, 2021 1:42 pm PDT by Juli Clover

Today is the official launch day of the new M1 iMac, M1 iPad Pro, and second-generation Apple TV 4K. We picked up one of each, and we're starting with a quick hands-on and overview of the iMac. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Our 24-inch iMac is in orange, which is one of the colors that Apple isn't selling in its stores (stores only have stock of blue, green,...

Credible Leaker Says New iMac to Feature 'Really Big' Display Larger Than Current 27-inch Model

Saturday April 3, 2021 11:45 am PDT by Sami Fathi

Credible leaker l0vetodream today endorsed widespread speculation that one of the newly redesigned iMacs, expected to launch sometime this year, will feature a larger display than the current largest offering in the iMac lineup. Apple currently sells a 21.5-inch and 27-inch iMac. Apple is rumored to be replacing both with updated designs and faster performance. Its desktop computer has not ...

Apple Silicon iMac Potentially Surfaces in Xcode Crash Log

Wednesday March 17, 2021 9:00 am PDT by Joe Rossignol

Apple is expected to release a redesigned iMac powered by Apple silicon later this year, and ahead of time, developer Dennis Oberhoff has discovered an unreleased ARM-based iMac in an Xcode crash log for his Mac app DaftCloud. Oberhoff shared the Xcode crash log on Twitter and with 9to5Mac, which took a closer look at the log and believes that it is legitimate. DaftCloud is a third-party...

Apple Continuing to Sell 21.5 and 27-inch Intel iMac Models Alongside New 24-Inch M1 iMac

Tuesday April 20, 2021 11:31 am PDT by Juli Clover

Apple today announced the new M1 iMac with a complete design overhaul and a range of new color options, but the company is still continuing to offer several older iMac models that use Intel chips as alternate purchase options. It should come as no surprise that the 27-inch iMac was not discontinued because it has not yet been replaced, with the 24-inch iMac instead replacing the lower-end...

iMac Pro No Longer Custom Configurable, Available 'While Supplies Last'

Friday March 5, 2021 10:14 pm PST by Eric Slivka

Apple appears to be on the verge of discontinuing the iMac Pro, with the store page for the high-end all-in-one Mac including a "While supplies last" tagline and only the base model with no custom configurations available for purchase. The iMac Pro launched in December 2017, and while there have been a few tweaks to the available configurations over the years, it has received no substantial...

iMac Pro is Out of Stock Again in U.S. After Being Discontinued

Earlier this month, Apple confirmed that the iMac Pro is being discontinued. The standard configuration of the computer has remained available "while supplies last," but even this configuration is out of stock again in multiple countries. Apple's online store lists the iMac Pro as "Currently Unavailable" in the United States, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, Australia, Italy, Spain, Portugal, and...

New iMac Coming in Five Retro Colors

Apple's upcoming 2021 iMac models will come in five color options, mirroring the colors of the fourth-generation iPad Air and harking back to the original iMac, according to hit-and-miss leaker Jon Prosser. Prosser explained that the redesigned iMacs will feature color options in Silver, Space Gray, Green, Sky Blue, and Rose Gold. The range of color options apparently aims to capitalize...

Reliable Leaker Hints Redesigned Colorful iMac to Debut at 'Spring Loaded' Event

Saturday April 17, 2021 4:43 am PDT by Sami Fathi

Reliable leaker known as l0vetodream has hinted that Apple may debut its rumored redesigned and colorful iMac at its "Spring Loaded" event on Tuesday, April 20. In a tweet, the leaker posted an image of Apple's logo used for marketing the upcoming event and an image of the retro rainbow Apple logo alongside the colorful lineup of G3 iMacs. Apple leaker Jon Prosser previously reported that...