Yields of 27-Inch iMac Displays Expected to Improve Next Month

Apple's 27-inch iMac continues to be in short supply, with Apple quoting 3-4 week shipping estimates for new online orders, compared to shorter but still substantial 7-10 day estimates for the smaller 21.5-inch models. Even before launch, the new iMac was projected to be in short supply into 2013, due in large part to issues with Apple's new display assembly process that includes laminating the display directly to the machine's cover glass.

imac 27 display 2012
Digitimes now reports that the display lamination issue is still a problem for Apple supplier LG Display, with the larger 27-inch panels seeing lower yields than the 21.5 inch displays.

LG Display has reportedly been facing full lamination issues while producing the panels, slowing down shipments of the 27-inch device to 100,000 units a month, added the sources.

LG Display, however, has secured strong yields for Apple's new 21.5-inch model, which currently has reached monthly shipments of 300,000-400,000 units, noted the sources.

The report does claim, however, that LG is moving toward better yields of the larger displays, with greater availability set to come next month. The improved yields should reduce what appears to be the main bottleneck in iMac production, thus leading to greater availability and shorter shipping estimates for new orders.

Apple's redesigned iMac is considerably thinner than its predecessor and contains 40% less volume, changes that have been enabled by a number of technological advancements such as the lamination to create thinner and more vibrant displays and the use of advanced welding techniques. Those advancements have not come without challenges, however, as seen with the displays holding back production on the larger iMac models.

Related Roundup: iMac
Buyer's Guide: iMac (Caution)
Related Forum: iMac

Popular Stories

iOS 26

When Will Apple Release iOS 26.2?

Monday December 1, 2025 4:37 pm PST by
We're getting closer to the launch of the final major iOS update of the year, with Apple set to release iOS 26.2 in December. We've had three betas so far and are expecting a fourth beta or a release candidate this week, so a launch could follow as soon as next week. Past Launch Dates Apple's past iOS x.2 updates from the last few years have all happened right around the middle of the...
ios 18 to ios 26 upgrade

Apple Pushes iPhone Users Still on iOS 18 to Upgrade to iOS 26

Tuesday December 2, 2025 11:09 am PST by
Apple is encouraging iPhone users who are still running iOS 18 to upgrade to iOS 26 by making the iOS 26 software upgrade option more prominent. Since iOS 26 launched in September, it has been displayed as an optional upgrade at the bottom of the Software Update interface in the Settings app. iOS 18 has been the default operating system option, and users running iOS 18 have seen iOS 18...
maxresdefault

iPhone Fold: Launch, Pricing, and What to Expect From Apple's Foldable

Monday December 1, 2025 3:00 am PST by
Apple is expected to launch a new foldable iPhone next year, based on multiple rumors and credible sources. The long-awaited device has been rumored for years now, but signs increasingly suggest that 2026 could indeed be the year that Apple releases its first foldable device. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Below, we've collated an updated set of key details that ...
iOS 26

Apple Seeds iOS 26.2 and iPadOS 26.2 Release Candidates to Developers and Public Beta Testers

Wednesday December 3, 2025 10:33 am PST by
Apple today seeded the release candidate versions of upcoming iOS 26.2 and iPadOS 26.2 updates to developers and public beta testers, with the software coming two weeks after Apple seeded the third betas. The release candidates represent the final versions of iOS 26.2 and iPadOS 26.2 that will be provided to the public if no further bugs are found during this final week of testing....
Photos App Icon Liquid Glass

John Gruber Shares Scathing Commentary About Apple's Departing Software Design Chief

Thursday December 4, 2025 9:30 am PST by
In a statement shared with Bloomberg on Wednesday, Apple confirmed that its software design chief Alan Dye will be leaving. Apple said Dye will be succeeded by Stephen Lemay, who has been a software designer at the company since 1999. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced that Dye will lead a new creative studio within the company's AR/VR division Reality Labs. On his blog Daring Fireball,...
iphone 17 cyber

iPhone 17 Demand Is Breaking Apple's Sales Records

Tuesday December 2, 2025 9:44 am PST by
Apple's iPhone 17 lineup is selling well enough that Apple is on track to ship more than 247.4 million total iPhones in 2025, according to a new report from IDC. Total 2025 shipments are forecast to grow 6.1 percent year over year due to iPhone 17 demand and increased sales in China, a major market for Apple. Overall worldwide smartphone shipments across Android and iOS are forecast to...
Touchscreen MacBook Feature

Here Are the Four MacBooks Apple Is Expected to Launch Next Year

Monday December 1, 2025 5:00 am PST by
2026 could be a bumper year for Apple's Mac lineup, with the company expected to announce as many as four separate MacBook launches. Rumors suggest Apple will court both ends of the consumer spectrum, with more affordable options for students and feature-rich premium lines for users that seek the highest specifications from a laptop. Below is a breakdown of what we're expecting over the next ...
iphone air camera

iPhone Air's Resale Value Has Dropped Dramatically, Data Shows

Thursday December 4, 2025 5:27 am PST by
The iPhone Air has recorded the steepest early resale value drop of any iPhone model in years, with new data showing that several configurations have lost almost 50% of their value within ten weeks of launch. According to a ten-week analysis published by SellCell, Apple's latest lineup is showing a pronounced split in resale performance between the iPhone 17 models and the iPhone Air....
iPhone 17 Pro Cosmic Orange

iPhone 17 Pro Lost a Camera Feature Pro Models Have Had Since 2020

Thursday December 4, 2025 5:18 am PST by
iPhone 17 Pro models, it turns out, can't take photos in Night mode when Portrait mode is selected in the Camera app – a capability that's been available on Apple's Pro devices since the iPhone 12 Pro in 2020. If you're an iPhone 17 Pro or iPhone 17 Pro Max owner, try it for yourself: Open the Camera app with Photo selected in the carousel, then cover the rear lenses with your hand to...
iPhone 17 Pro Cosmic Orange

10 Reasons to Wait for Next Year's iPhone 18 Pro

Monday December 1, 2025 2:40 am PST by
Apple's iPhone development roadmap runs several years into the future and the company is continually working with suppliers on several successive iPhone models at the same time, which is why we often get rumored features months ahead of launch. The iPhone 18 series is no different, and we already have a good idea of what to expect for the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max. One thing worth...

Top Rated Comments

TMar Avatar
168 months ago
Or they could have made it only slightly thicker and avoided this problem. The race to make the thinnest things possible is ignorant especially in the desktop market.
Score: 17 Votes (Like | Disagree)
autrefois Avatar
168 months ago
It's not just a race to the bottom in thickness.

The smaller and lighter an item is, the easier and cheaper it is to pack and transport. And with a smaller array of hardware to include (goodbye, CD), the power footprint is smaller too. It all ends up saving money for all involved.
I must have missed the memo about the iMac price drop...
Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)
D.T. Avatar
168 months ago
Hopefully with the supply of 27" displays improving, we'll soon see a 27" Thunderbolt monitor with this new display tech (and physical design), coupled with USB 3.0 ports.
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)
AppleInMyBlood Avatar
168 months ago
This is 2013, you'd think they would have figured out these amateur manufacturing supply/demand issues by now...

An iMac is a complicated piece of kit, especially the new ones. To call issues such as these "amateur," whatever you mean by that, is ludicrous.

I mean, this is 2013, you'd think ignorant people would have stopped disrupting forum discussions by now... :rolleyes:
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
JHankwitz Avatar
168 months ago
This is 2013, you'd think they would have figured out these amateur manufacturing supply/demand issues by now...

Amature? Amature? AMATURE? You obviously have no clue as to how far out on the bleeding edge of technology Apple operates.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
seble Avatar
168 months ago
Well anyone that orders one will find it's worth the wait ;)
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)