The long wait for a new iMac may end imminently

Apple is reportedly planning to buck expectations and hold a product launch in October.

With just a week left in the month, the company may choose to revamp the iMac all-on-one, which is starting to get a little long in the tooth having been launched in early 2021.

According to Bloomberg‘s Mark Gurman, the 24-inch iMac could launch on October 30 or October 31 with the minimum of fuss. Apple reports its earnings on November 2, so the timing lines up.

It’s not clear whether the iMac would be the first Apple machine to arrive bearing the as-yet-unannounced M3 Apple Silicon processors, but all previous rumours have pointed to this being the case.

Until today it was thought Apple was planning to skip the now-traditional October launch event for iPads and Macs, but we may now see something, even if it’s just press releases, rather than a dedicated keynote.

Gurman writes: “Fortunately, a new iMac is finally on the way. As I reported in March, the company has been readying the updated 24-inch iMac — a model that could be out soon. How soon? Well, I’m told that Apple is planning a Mac-centred product launch around the end of this month. That could be its chance to announce this model.”

There could also be a new 13-inch MacBook Pro and a high end MacBook Pro model joining the iMacs. Gurman was able to deduce this from the fact that some configurations of the current model not shipping from the Apple Store until the middle of next month. That suggests a refresh is in the offing.

“If you try to order the products from Apple’s website, several configurations won’t arrive until mid-November. That several-week delay is a clear sign that something is about to happen” Gurman adds.

The in-the-know reporter maintains that new M3-powered MacBook Air models won’t be arriving until sometime in the new year, while a larger iMac with a 32-inch display is on deck, but not until late 2024 or 2025.