Rumor has new iMac starting production this month
updated 11:18 am EDT, Tue July 3, 2012
Launch could happen as late as October
Apple suppliers will this month start providing parts for the production of an updated iMac, DigiTimes says it has learned from upstream supply chain sources. A launch is reportedly several months off, however, possibly in or around October. The sources also claim that Apple wants to use Retina displays in all of its product lines, which could include the iMac.
The only Apple computer with a Retina display so far is a single tier of the MacBook Pro. Bringing the technology to the iMac could be prohibitively expensive, both for Apple and shoppers, since even the smallest iMac uses a display a full 6.5 inches bigger than the one on the Retina MacBook Pro. The highest-end iMac, the most likely target for a Retina option, is 12 inches larger.
At the same time, the DigiTimes sources say that Apple may be alone in the Retina-level market for a while. The expense of such panels combined with little content being made for them is said to be deterring most PC makers from following in Apple's footsteps. That could hurt Apple in the short term, since there is no competition forcing down costs.
