iMac Last Updated 602 Days Ago, Longest Span Ever Between Updates

As noted in the MacRumors Buyer's Guide and discussed in the MacRumors forums, it has now been 602 days since Apple last updated its iMac lineup, a new record for the longest span between ‌iMac‌ refreshes ever. The previous record was 601 days between October 2015 and June 2017 refreshes.

imac buyers guide 2019
In fairness, the iMac Pro was released in December 2017, but standard 21.5-inch and 27-inch ‌iMac‌ models have not been updated in over a year and a half. Since the original ‌iMac‌ launched in 1998, the computer has typically been updated at least once per year, with the sole exceptions being 2016 and 2018.

The ‌iMac‌ is not alone. The 12-inch MacBook and Mac Pro have also set record-long spans of 602 days and 1,866 days and counting respectively since their last refreshes. Apple has at least promised to release an all-new Mac Pro with a "modular" design at some point in 2019, but has yet to share additional details.

As for the ‌iMac‌ and MacBook, analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said Apple was likely to debut refreshed models at its October 2018 event, but only the MacBook Air and Mac mini were updated. Kuo expects both the ‌iMac‌ and MacBook lines to receive faster processors, and the ‌iMac‌ to receive "significant" display improvements.

Apple has hosted a March event in three out of the past four years, so perhaps we'll see new iMacs and MacBooks at a March 2019 event. Other items on the agenda could include new iPad and iPad mini models, a new iPod touch, new AirPods, and the long-awaited AirPower mat if production rumors were true.

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

Popular Stories

Apple CarPlay Ultra instrument cluster themes 01

Apple's 'CarPlay Ultra' Experience Now Available

Thursday May 15, 2025 5:07 am PDT by
Apple today announced that its next-generation CarPlay experience, now dubbed "CarPlay Ultra" begins rolling out today, starting with Aston Martin vehicles. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. CarPlay Ultra is now available with new Aston Martin vehicle orders in the U.S. and Canada. It will also be available for existing models that feature the brand's next-generation ...
Apple CarPlay Ultra instrument cluster themes 01

Apple's CarPlay Ultra Is Here – Does Your iPhone Support It?

Thursday May 15, 2025 5:17 am PDT by
Apple's recently announced CarPlay Ultra promises a deeply integrated in-car experience, but not all iPhone users will be able to take advantage of the new feature. According to Apple's press release, CarPlay Ultra requires an iPhone 12 or later running iOS 18.5 or later. This means if you're using an iPhone 11, iPhone XR, or any older model, you'll need to upgrade your device to access...
iOS 18

Apple Releases iOS 18.5 With New Wallpaper, Screen Time Changes, Carrier Satellite Support for iPhone 13 and More

Monday May 12, 2025 10:06 am PDT by
Apple today released iOS 18.5 and iPadOS 18.5, the fifth updates to the iOS 18 and iPadOS 18 operating systems that came out last September. iOS 18.5 and iPadOS 18.5 come a little over a month after Apple released iOS 18.4 and iPadOS 18.4. The new software can be downloaded on eligible iPhones and iPads over-the-air by going to Settings > General > Software Update. The iOS 18.5 update has a...
iPhone 12 Made in India

Trump Tells Tim Cook to Stop Building iPhones in India

Thursday May 15, 2025 2:21 am PDT by
President Donald Trump has asked Apple CEO Tim Cook to halt the company's manufacturing expansion in India, in a potential disruption of Apple's plan to shift iPhone production away from China. "I had a little problem with Tim Cook yesterday," Trump said during his state visit to Qatar, according to Bloomberg. "He is building all over India." "They [India] have offered us a deal where...
apple music

Apple Music Gets New Transfer Tool to Make Switching From Spotify Easier

Wednesday May 14, 2025 5:17 pm PDT by
Apple this week introduced a new feature designed to allow prospective Apple Music users to import their saved music and playlists from third-party music services to Apple Music. The feature is either in an expanded testing phase or it has started rolling out, and it is available in Australia and New Zealand according to an Apple Support document. Signs of the transfer option first surfaced...
CarPlay Ultra Climate Controls

Apple Says These Vehicle Brands Plan to Offer All-New CarPlay Ultra

Thursday May 15, 2025 8:13 am PDT by
Apple today announced the launch of CarPlay Ultra, the long-awaited next-generation version of its CarPlay software system for vehicles. CarPlay Ultra features deep integration with a vehicle's instrument cluster and systems, built-in Radio and Climate apps, customizable widgets, and more. The interface is tailored to each vehicle model and automaker's identity, and drivers can also adjust...
maxresdefault

Here's the First Real-World Look at Apple's CarPlay Ultra

Thursday May 15, 2025 5:52 am PDT by
The first videos of Apple's CarPlay Ultra experience are now available, providing a never-before-seen look at the long-anticipated iPhone-linked infotainment software. British automaker Aston Martin today shared the first video of Apple's CarPlay Ultra experience in-action, followed by a detailed walk-through of the CarPlay Ultra system on Top Gear's YouTube channel, which provides the...

Top Rated Comments

mysterydate Avatar
82 months ago
Nah. It was last updated yesterday by me – switched from 8 to 24GB RAM.
Removing that ability is probably what's taking so long.
Score: 52 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Dbolander Avatar
82 months ago
Disheartening to me that annual Mac updates are more the exception than the rule these days.
Score: 41 Votes (Like | Disagree)
yaxomoxay Avatar
82 months ago


I strongly - and seriously - suggest that MacRumors changes the misleading "Updates Soon" (*) to "Possible Updates" in all the Apple computers lineup since several years can pass between actual updates.

(*) Not MR's fault.
Score: 36 Votes (Like | Disagree)
yaxomoxay Avatar
82 months ago
Pathetic.
Score: 35 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Nunyabinez Avatar
82 months ago
Let's get everyone fired up about it.

Apple is a mobile computing/consumer products company. iMac is fine for 602 days...
I'm sorry but I don't want to pay the today price for 602 day old technology. You are right that most people probably don't need more power, but you have to be foolish to pay the same price to purchase today for a two year-old machine.
Score: 34 Votes (Like | Disagree)
BWhaler Avatar
82 months ago
But wait.

Here’s The Spring Line® of Apple Watch Bands
Score: 26 Votes (Like | Disagree)