Apple Looking to Launch Lower-Cost iMac in 2014

Apple may be preparing to release a cheaper model of the iMac in 2014, KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo states in a new research note. The analyst believes that sales of recent iMac models have failed to meet expectations and that Apple may look to introduce a lower-cost option in order to bolster sales in critical foreign markets.imac_family_2013

Our surveys indicate that Apple’s last iMac model, released at end-2012 with an all-new-design, shipped fewer-than-expected units in the worldwide market. We think the price was set too high and the model failed to make an impact in critical foreign markets like China. We thus think Apple may offer a budget iMac model to push shipments among non-US markets in the face of solid competition from Levono (CN), HP (US) and other rivals.

We are optimistic that a budget iMac would boost overall iMac shipments to grow 10-20% YoY in 2014.

After a major redesign last year, the iMac was given a surprise refresh last month as Apple updated the line of desktops based on Intel's Haswell processors, faster PCI Express-based flash storage options, and new 802.11ac Wi-Fi capabilities. Currently, the entry-level iMac 21.5 inch iMac starts at $1,299, while the 27-inch iMac starts $1,799. Both models are $100 more expensive than the previous generation iMacs, which debuted in 2011.

Related Roundup: iMac
Buyer's Guide: iMac (Buy Now)
Related Forum: iMac

Popular Stories

iOS 19 visionOS UI Elements

iOS 19 to Have Some of the 'Biggest' Design Changes in iPhone's History

Sunday March 16, 2025 10:35 am PDT by
Apple is planning some of the "biggest iOS and macOS redesigns in its history," according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. In his Power On newsletter today, Gurman reiterated that iOS 19 will have a visionOS-like design with more transparent interfaces:The new interfaces will adopt the design principles introduced in visionOS, the software for Apple's Vision Pro headset. That includes greater...
iphone 17 pro asherdipps

iPhone 17 Pro Max Rumors Allegedly Refer to 'iPhone 17 Ultra' Model

Friday March 14, 2025 7:56 am PDT by
If you've been following iPhone rumors over the last few years, you may remember reading reports that Apple flirted with the idea of introducing a super high-end "Ultra" model that would either replace its Pro Max device or sit above it in Apple's smartphone hirearchy. These reports appeared in the pre-launch iPhone 15 and iPhone 16 rumor cycles, but ultimately came to nothing. Now though, the...
iphone 16 pro ghost hand

Next Year's iPhone 18 Pro Already Rumored to Have Five New Features

Tuesday March 18, 2025 1:00 pm PDT by
While the iPhone 18 Pro models are still around a year and a half away from launching, there are already some early rumors about the devices. Below, we recap some key iPhone 18 Pro rumors so far. Under-Screen Face ID In April 2023, display industry analyst Ross Young shared a roadmap showing that iPhone 17 Pro models would feature under-display Face ID. In May 2024, however, Young said ...
iphone 16 pro models 1

Apple's First Foldable iPhone Estimated to Cost Nearly Twice as Much as iPhone 16 Pro Max

Monday March 17, 2025 6:42 am PDT by
In an investor research note today with British bank Barclays, analyst Tim Long said Apple's first foldable iPhone could have a starting price in the $2,300 range in the United States, which would make it by far the most expensive iPhone model ever. If the first foldable iPhone starts at $2,299, that means it would cost nearly twice as much as the iPhone 16 Pro Max, which starts at $1,199. ...
Bent iPhone Air Feature

Apple Canned Larger iPhone 17 Air Model Over Fears of Bendgate 2.0

Monday March 17, 2025 4:07 am PDT by
Apple prototyped a larger ultra-slim iPhone 17 Air with a 6.9-inch display, but ultimately decided not to go ahead with the device because of fears that it could be susceptible to bending, according to a new report. Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman, writing in his latest Power On newsletter: When it first started work on the phone, it prototyped a device with a 6.9-inch screen — matching...
apple wallet drivers license feature iPhone 15 pro teal 1

Apple Says iPhone Driver's Licenses Coming to These 8 U.S. States, But Rollout Remains Slow

Wednesday March 19, 2025 6:55 am PDT by
In select U.S. states, residents can add their driver's license or state ID to the Wallet app on the iPhone and Apple Watch, providing a convenient and contactless way to display proof of identity or age at select airports and businesses, and in select apps. Unfortunately, this feature continues to roll out very slowly. It has been three and a half years since Apple first announced the...
iphone 16 pro models 1

All Four iPhone 17 Models Rumored to Feature Upgraded 24-Megapixel Front Camera and More

Monday March 17, 2025 7:50 pm PDT by
All four iPhone 17 models launching later this year will feature an upgraded 24-megapixel front-facing camera, according to analyst Jeff Pu. In a research note today with investment firm GF Securities, Pu shared a chart in which he reiterated that the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Air, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 Pro Max will each be equipped with a 24-megapixel front camera. By comparison, all four ...
General iOS Mail Feature

iOS 18.3.2 Broke iCloud Mail Delivery

Monday March 17, 2025 3:31 pm PDT by
The iOS 18.3.2 update that Apple released last week appears to have broken iCloud Mail for some users. There are multiple complaints on Reddit and the MacRumors forums from users who say that iCloud Mail is not able to push new iCloud emails to their iPhones after the iOS 18.3.2 update. Affected users say that despite having the correct settings enabled, new iCloud emails are not showing up...

Top Rated Comments

HobeSoundDarryl Avatar
149 months ago
I hear it will use colorful plastic instead of aluminum but only be priced $100 less while encompassing this year's technology. Then, apparently people will say "for only $100 more" and buy the aluminum one instead because it has the latest tech. :rolleyes:
Score: 59 Votes (Like | Disagree)
tracker_oz Avatar
149 months ago
One man's perspective

I can tell you as someone whom looked at buying three iMac's this year (21" for two of my kids and a 27" for myself), it was NOT just about the cost! It was about the repairability and design! My wife's 2010 iMac is a thing of beauty; both to look at and to repair/upgrade. I was able to relatively easily upgrade the machine, adding an SSD and more RAM, without paying the extortionate upgrade process for these items from Apple. One look at the glue-based mess that is the new iMac design was enough to turn me off. For goodness sake, the 21" iMac does not even have accessible RAM. Ive's my ass. Rubenstein would shake his head in disgust!

At the end of the day I chose to buy Mac mini's instead. I can only hope Apple rethinks the design of the iMac in the next release.
Score: 37 Votes (Like | Disagree)
jan1024188 Avatar
149 months ago
Can't wait for new 'cheap' iMac, where you get 50% less for 5% discount.
Score: 35 Votes (Like | Disagree)
HobeSoundDarryl Avatar
149 months ago
How about they just sell it without a display?
That's the trend. Take gut after gut out of the former "all in one" but keep the price about the same. Eventually, we'll be buying a glorified thunderbolt hub called an iMac and having to attach everything to it to make a computer. It will be spun as the "thinnest and lightest" iMac ever but we'll need to bring everything to the hub to actually get a working computer.

Then, someone will point out that it's just a thunderbolt hub.

And 500 guys will call him a Samsung troll... and praise this as the "headless Mac we've always wanted", the brilliance of Apple and on and on. We all know how it goes.

;)
Score: 33 Votes (Like | Disagree)
wingsabre Avatar
149 months ago
I wonder what their definition of "cheaper" is. The 5C was supposed to be "cheaper" and still cost over $500 unsubsidized.
Score: 27 Votes (Like | Disagree)
The Bad Guy Avatar
149 months ago
PC People complained when Apple dropped the floppy with the original iMac, in time PCs dropped them too. I bet it won't be too long before they go in AIO PCs, might take longer for towers where BluRay will become the norm.

But really the average person doesn't use them anymore. And if you're into movies you're more likely gonna have a bigger LCD TV and BluRay setup anyway.

I agree the prices here in AU are high but with the recent fall in the AUD it's not as bad as it could have been. PCs are no better.

Sorry mate, but you're dead wrong.

EVERY time I sell an iMac or go to sell an iMac, the comment is - "Oh, that DOESN'T come with a DVD drive??...that sucks".

The 'average buyer' thinks the exact opposite to what you're saying.

It's all well and good to try and explain the world is moving away from optical media. But the cruxt of it is -

a) In Australia, our internet isn't fast enough for proper downloadable digital delivery.

b) The exclusion of a SuperDrive is REALLY only a means to drive sales to the MAS. Thinner AIO desktop computers? Nobody cares.

c) People want a ****ing DVD player / writer.

Simple.
Score: 18 Votes (Like | Disagree)