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Apple says next generation iMac due in September

updated 05:40 pm EDT, Thu July 1, 2004

Next-gen iMac due in Sept.

Apple expects to in Paris to introduce the new iMac. The show runs from August 31 to Saturday September 4, 2004 and Steve Jobs is expected to deliver the keynote at the Palais des Congr�s on August 31 at 10 a.m. Rumor suggest that the new iMac will feature a completely new design as well as G5 processor.

by MacNN Staff

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azdude
Dedicated MacNNer

Joined: Jun 2004

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07/01, 05:49pm | report spam | close Reply |
Hah!

Saw it here first! Congrats.

BTW... Holy c***! Apple never does this!! Amazing.

xdude
Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Apr 2001

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07/01, 06:03pm | report spam | close Reply |
Yeah...

I was about to say the same thing. Could it be that they're going to be more open about product timeslines and introductions?

Glasspusher
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Joined: Oct 2000

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07/01, 06:17pm | report spam | close Reply |
letting folks know

Maybe Apple is doing this so it won't miss out on educational orders for the upcoming fall season?

AsgardTex
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Joined: Aug 2001

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07/01, 06:19pm | report spam | close Reply |
Holy cow

h*** just froze over. Apple, announcing an unreleased product? Whoa.

Rincewind
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Joined: May 2000

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07/01, 06:26pm | report spam | close Reply |
Out of chracter but

not too surprising. They don't have any inventory, it would be irresponsible for them to make a promise to see something that they will not have. The educational buying season is nearly over, something shipping in Sept is too late for most buyers. But this lets customers decide between getting an eMac or iBook without being distracted by a product that simply won't be available (and will be rumored to be available at any time without this announcement)

gunnar
Mac Enthusiast

Joined: Feb 1999

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07/01, 06:37pm | report spam | close Reply |
this sucks

I'm glad they're making a new iMac but I wanted it now. Since no one's going to buy the old one knowing the new one will be released in a couple of months, at least they could drop the prices across the board now.

Ganesha
Senior User

Joined: Jul 2002

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07/01, 06:42pm | report spam | close Reply |
Let the speculation begin

Obviously the new iMac won't be in the old iMac housing! What will the new iMac look like!? And what processor will it house!

This sucks, read the announcement, they 'ran out of' old iMacs. This to me means there is going to be a major change in the iMac, specifically of a part they need to order by the thousands and one they can't make a quick order of.

q3ded
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Joined: Jan 2001

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07/01, 06:43pm | report spam | close Reply |
Re: This sucks

I think you missed the point. There are few to none left. Why discount when you won't even have enough to make it through the quarter?

JeffHarris
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Joined: Oct 1999

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07/01, 06:46pm | report spam | close Reply |
OUCH

Maybe this delay is a byproduct of the trouble IBM had moving the G5 to the smaller (.13 to .09nm?) processor line? It's good that they admitted the problem.

Let's hope Apple offers a headless iMac along with the next generation unit.

MacnTX
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Joined: Apr 2004

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07/01, 07:18pm | report spam | close Reply |
Remaining iMacs

iMacs are still available in retail stores, today's announcement just means Apple has no more units to ship, that's all. It'll be a few weeks before retail stores exhaust their entire inventory. Now that Apple has said new ones are coming, the sales of the existing ones that remain on store shelves will grind to a total halt without a price drop of some kind.

Eriamjh
Addicted to MacNN

Joined: Oct 2001

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07/01, 07:22pm | report spam | close Reply |
WTF?

No specs? So what happens to orders for imacs now? Nothing?

nabfa1
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Joined: Mar 2004

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07/01, 07:43pm | report spam | close Reply |
Small question!

If Apple is doing this with the iMac, I can not understand why they are still selling Powermac G4s? Anyone?

bauhaus
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Joined: Sep 2003

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07/01, 07:49pm | report spam | close Reply |
os9

The reason why PowerMacG4s are still selling is many in video and audio production (and I'm guessing among many working professionals), they need a machine that can run OS9. They also need a real quantity of slots (not the piss poor amount found in the G5.) Plus, users of such items as ProTools MIX systems can only run on OS9 and G4s.

klinux
Senior User

Joined: Jul 2002

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07/01, 08:07pm | report spam | close Reply |
This is just lame

I copied this over from the MacEyeDoc's post at the MacRumors site:
************
Customer: I'd like a nice new iMac please.
Apple: Sorry, the last one's just gone out the door.
Customer: Ok, I'll just jump up to the Dual 2.5 G5
Apple: Well, you'll have to wait abit on that.
Customer: iPod mini?
Apple: Er, nope.
Customer: Apple Airport Express?
Apple: We're popping some more - not quite done yet.
Customer: Ok. I'll take one of those great looking new LCD displays.
Apple: Ummm, you see . .
Customer: New Nvidia Ultra graphics card?
Apple: Nada
Customer: Do you in fact have ANY new computer products in your store?
Apple: Let me get back to you on that . . . .

wjdennen
Junior Member

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07/01, 08:11pm | report spam | close Reply |
Back to school.

Worst timing ever.

Makosuke
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07/01, 08:20pm | report spam | close Reply |
Huh...

Bummer for educational buyers, and I'm sure Apple is only doing this because they have no choice, but on the other hand it's nice to have a rough timeframe for when to expect a new product.

I really hope the new design isn't too far from the current one, since despite all the flack the lamp look gets, I still think it's the coolest thing to come out of the tech industry since the mouse. It's just so amazingly intuitive to adjust the display to the position you're sitting in.

And it's fun to watch Wintel users ask "Where's the computer"?

strictlyplaid
Senior User

Joined: Jun 2004

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07/01, 08:28pm | report spam | close Reply |
Re: Availability

Klinux, funny one. :) Why is Apple having such a problem with stock right now? Surely it can't all be because of G5 fabrication problems.

driven
Addicted to MacNN

Joined: May 2001

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07/01, 08:36pm | report spam | close Reply |
Amazing ...

A computer company that exhausts it's inventory faster than expected ... is back ordered on new products ...

The economy is obviously growing ... and it's good to be innovative. :-)

pdot
Senior User

Joined: Aug 2000

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07/01, 08:36pm | report spam | close Reply |
Re: This is just lame

I don't think you should be complaining. Apple was merely announcing new systems. They specifically stated that those items (except for iPod mini) will be available in the future. To ask for it now would mean you didn't read the press release carefully enough. There are many who complain about Apple not announcing future releases. This is how Apple does it. They're not like Intel who announces hardware way in the future (the 3GHz G5 is an exception, of course). I think people get anxious because the products are so close to shipping that they expect them now. Having said that, Apple does mess up a few times on not pumping up manufacturing to meet demand.

datkinso
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Joined: Apr 2002

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07/01, 08:41pm | report spam | close Reply |
I'd not be blaming IBM

iMacs have not exactly been flying off the shelves lately so if Apple is running out then one can surmise that the new-form iMac is quite late. Question is why? I am guessing that some part of the new design did not work as hoped. A cooling problem would be a reasonable guess. It is going to take a big chunk out of the college student sales as classes start in August.

GreenMnM
Forum Regular

Joined: Nov 2000

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07/01, 08:49pm | report spam | close Reply |
UK price

The UK price has dropped to -�1.18. Does that mean if you COULD order one, Apple would GIVE you a pound?

PookJP
Mac Enthusiast

Joined: Jan 2001

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07/01, 09:04pm | report spam | close Reply |
Grrr!

Damn you, Bush!

klinux
Senior User

Joined: Jul 2002

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07/01, 10:13pm | report spam | close Reply |
Well...

"A computer company that exhausts it's inventory faster than expected ... is back ordered on new products ..."

Yes, when that happens occasionally, that is a wonderful thing. And no one will disagree that Apple innovates.

However, [b]constantly[/b] not being able to meet demands or delay delivery dates means missed revenue opportunities. Not to mention poor planning, forecasting, sourcing, inventory management, blah blah blah.

VolleyGirl
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Joined: Oct 2001

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07/01, 11:07pm | report spam | close Reply |
Been waiting Soooooo long

I hope (but realistically don't expect) that they'll divulge some of the specs/design specifics before September. I had hoped for a new iMac at the Mac Expo in January, then again in April...and again at WWDC in June. Disappointed every time. Just making due with my G3 iBook (not exactly ideal for my freelance design work). I want at least a 20-in. LCD. At least I know a new iMac is finally coming.

If they published the details tomorrow and they meet my needs, I'd willingly put up my money now to reserve one for September. If they are really shipping in September.

Jitn
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Joined: Jul 2004

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07/01, 11:41pm | report spam | close Reply |
The Freeze

Apple has made their numbers this quarter and have a large commitment for Q4. Whether you purchase now or Sept 24th it's all the same to Apple. They will announce at MacWorld, ship the new product to the channel and Apple store so it counts for Q4 and FY2004. The iBook and eMac are also very low margin products and the new iMac, Powerbook and G5 carry a higher margins so they are freezing your purchases of lower margin product and trying to direct customers to higher margin products. The iBook and eMac were also made for education, which they sell to directly thus higher margins to Apple directly. If too many eMacs and iBooks get sold to Consumers thru the channel and store it would effect their Q4 Gross Margin and cause financial problems in Q4s and Fy2004 statements. Maybe with Fred Anderson gone we're going to see a smarter Apple financial department that is pro-active instead of re-active.

LouZer
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Joined: Nov 2000

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07/02, 12:11am | report spam | close Reply |
Stuff

Maybe Apple is doing this so it won't miss out on educational orders for the upcoming fall season?

Sorry, but education orders will either go to the eMac or buy Dell. They aren't going to wait until school starts before they put in an order (esp. for a computer that has no promised ship date, just an announcement time-frame, so education customers probably wouldn't see them until October/november. Basically, Apple's just hosed pretty much their entire sales for the quarter (then again, no one's buying the iMac now, anyway, so I guess they didn't lose too much). But it really shows they screwed up big time. Usually they announce when they don't even have it ready. Here's they haven't even announced, just stated they really got problems. You don't stop your production of anything well before you have the replacement ready. That's just boneheaded stupidity/bad-timing/whatever.

h*** just froze over. Apple, announcing an unreleased product? Whoa.

Umm, h*** didn't freeze over. There's nothing new here. Apple has announced many an unreleased product. The PowerMac G5, the 2.5GHz G5, the xServe, the miniIpod, the 2g imac they've just discontinued, the Powerbook G4 15", 17", the new 30" displays. h***, its usually a miracle to find them announcing a new product and actually having it available.

LouZer
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Joined: Nov 2000

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07/02, 12:26am | report spam | close Reply |
Re: the freeze

This makes no sense...

Apple has made their numbers this quarter and have a large commitment for Q4.

Great, so us stock holders are screwed for Q3. I guess this is why all the apple execs sold out in april, huh.

They will announce at MacWorld, ship the new product to the channel and Apple store so it counts for Q4 and FY2004.

Well, just for a point, they ARE NOT announcing at MacWorld, unless you're talking MacWorld Paris. They aren't even going to Boston, so why would they announce there? More likely they'll just do a press get-together when its ready, rather than trying to announce at a convention.

The iBook and eMac are also very low margin products and the new iMac, Powerbook and G5 carry a higher margins so they are freezing your purchases of lower margin product and trying to direct customers to higher margin products.

Well, since they're still making the iBook and eMac, which have much higher numbers then the iMacs, there really isn't much of a freeze going on here.

The iBook and eMac were also made for education, which they sell to directly thus higher margins to Apple directly.

Wait, you just said they were low margin, now you say their high margin?

If too many eMacs and iBooks get sold to Consumers thru the channel and store it would effect their Q4 Gross Margin and cause financial problems in Q4s and Fy2004 statements.

How are they preventing iBooks and eMacs getting to consumers? Have you heard something like they're taking the whole summer off? Something you should know. Most people who need computers will buy them at that time. They will not let a little thing like "we have none for you now, come back in two months" sway them. They'll get other models, or, worse, go to another vendor. Apple can't afford to just push customers away hoping they'd come back in October. And if that's how they're thinking, maybe its time for a change at the top.

Plus, what you make it sound like is Apple is trying to cook their books for Q4 by pushing as many sales as they can to that quarter. Something about that doesn't sound legal, and it certainly isn't going to be taken lightly by the large investors if it were the case. Basically, it sounds like this whole "not affecting Q4" thing is Apple trying to push sales from one quarter to another to make a quarter sound better than it should be.

Maybe with Fred Anderson gone we're going to see a smarter Apple financial department that is pro-active instead of re-active.

Sorry, but you really haven't shown how killing a whole product line for two months is pro-active. It sounds more like someone screwed the pooch.

LouZer
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Joined: Nov 2000

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07/02, 12:31am | report spam | close Reply |
Re: Been waiting

I hope (but realistically don't expect) that they'll divulge some of the specs/design specifics before September.

Well, that ain't going to happen. They're going to release the specs when the machine is announced.

If they published the details tomorrow and they meet my needs, I'd willingly put up my money now to reserve one for September. If they are really shipping in September.

Well, I take it the whole point of the posting was to basically say they aren't going to announce it until September. Otherwise, they'd have announced it today with a september release date.

Oh, and maybe the whole problem is that the final design came out and it looked like a pile of sh*t and needs to be redesigned (well if it looked like the rumored look, that'd be about right. Remember, the last iMac reportedly was going to be announced in July, but Steve-o (or someone) didn't like the look, and they redesinged it in the next 6 months to the desk-lamp it became.

HeatherEcsedi
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Joined: Oct 2001

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07/02, 01:03am | report spam | close Reply |
Good thing

It's a good thing Apple decided to communicate about future products releases. If they think this is going to hurt sales, all I can say is that we purchased yet another PowerMacintosh a few months ago, just days before the new line up came up. Would we have changed our plans and waited a little to get the revamped model, had we known it was coming ? I doubt it. We were expecting this new release but we needed the G5 anyways. Not to mention that you always have to wait for months for new products to be available. So communicating about upcoming models is not going to hurt sales much, plus, the worst that can happen is people willing to wait for those new products, have the remaining older units for sale at a smaller price. That's how I bought my own PowerMac dual G4, I could not afford a G5 anyways. Maybe the older Macs will sell with a lesser margin but that'll mean more units sold overall.

Roehlstation
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07/02, 01:23am | report spam | close Reply |
Correction

"Maybe this delay is a byproduct of the trouble IBM had moving the G5 to the smaller (.13 to .09nm?) processor line? It's good that they admitted the problem."

You do mean 130 nm to 90 nm right?

zulfikarn
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Joined: Sep 2000

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07/02, 07:39am | report spam | close Reply |
headless

I do so hope that there is a headless configuration, but that would be like someone in power (yes Apple has too much power over me!) listening to what I wanted, which just doesn't seem to happen very often.

peepska
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Joined: Jun 2000

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07/02, 08:04am | report spam | close Reply |
Isn't it obvious to all

Apple does not have people _this_ inept. What you are seeing is Apple's marketing machine HYPING a new product. Ain't it grand?

If the original iMac was revolutionary, and the LCD iMac was beautiful...I'm getting giddy thinking about the new one.

Clive
Mac Enthusiast

Joined: Jan 2001

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07/02, 08:27am | report spam | close Reply |
re: headless

Let's hope so. A single processor G5 headless iMac - sounds like heaven.

hypersoft
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Joined: Nov 1999

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07/02, 09:12am | report spam | close Reply |
Most buy when it's neede

There are people who hold off buying a new computer and wait for the new and improved model looking to get more bang for the buck - and there are those who want to save a few bucks on a "clearance priced" now "obsolete" old model. I have a few customers who can and do employ these strategies.
Most of my existing customers, however, buy a new machine when they need it... a Mac is not a luxury item but a tool to enhance or maintain productivity.
My concern is availability of desktop Macs to satisify the needs of NEW customers switching to our software. We are being forced to delay installations because we can't get enough eMacs and iMacs to satisfy demand. For our clients, the Macs are critical components.
If Apple is having problems getting a new iMac to production and have run out of the parts required to keep building the "current" iMac, I foresee even greater pressure on the availability of eMacs.
The small footprint of the iMac, and the low cost of an eMac make them our primary recommendations for general productivity. G5's are fabulously powerful machines for tasks such as DNA sequencing and video rendering but they are extreme overkill for billing, appointments and medical records.
The current iMac has been very sucesssful and well received in medical offices and exam rooms. The medical and support staff in our clinics love them. The iMac has garnered many positive comments from our client's patients (and more than a few sales to consumers.)
All that being said, we are excited by the prospect of a new iMac hitting the streets in the fall but we can't afford to lose sight of our need to keep revenues flowing through the summer as well.

denim
Mac Elite

Joined: Jun 2000

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07/02, 09:25am | report spam | close Reply |
Re: I'd not be blaming I

I betcha they intended to announce the new iMac at WWDC but weren't yet able to for some reason.

Formfactor? Betcha it's all in the display, similar in looks to the new aluminum displays.

testudo
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Joined: Aug 2001

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07/02, 10:14am | report spam | close Reply |
Re: Isn't it obvious

Apple does not have people _this_ inept. What you are seeing is Apple's marketing machine HYPING a new product. Ain't it grand?

Ineptness can take many forms. The announcement might be considered marketing hype, but, at best, all I can call it is "well, we've got to do something" when they realized (a) the new iMac has been delayed for unknown reasons, and (b) they've stopped production of the old model. That's inept. You don't just throw out what could be 50000 computer sales just because you want to hype the next product.

The ONLY way this can be good is if they announce the computers in September AND they are available immediately. Anything else, and it'll be a huge joke. "Apple announces that, in September, they'll announce their new iMac, which will be available in November". Then you're talking close 4-5 months without a whole segment of your product line.

Armas
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Joined: Jan 2002

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07/02, 10:37am | report spam | close Reply |
IBM PPC 970 delay

Since it will take a while before the New 2.5GHz G5's to ship.........and that is exactly the time frame the New iMac will come out.....obviously it's the new .09 PPC 970FX with "Powertune" lower power requirements/ higher clock speeds.
It doesn't seem the least bit ridiculous to pin this squarely on IBM G5 production issues......and hence Apple's situation now......the new iMac is ready, but waiting on CPU order's in the 100,000 order sizes

Bottom line: Apple is screwed up here because of still poor yeilds of the new PPC 970FX - hence the whole strange pre announcement & availability issues - still waiting for IBM.
( X Serves have 970FX but ship, only like 5,000 units per Q -including super computers -but mass produced iMac will need 300,000 CPU's for 1 Q )
BTW - Apple fiscal Q 4 ends Sept. 31st ( Q1 includes school - Dec 31st= xmas sales )

C'mon IBM!!!!!

OsakaBill
Forum Regular

Joined: Oct 1999

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07/02, 10:43am | report spam | close Reply |
Bad Marketing

In the past Apple has announced a product months before it was ready to ship. For example, the original iMac was shown off at MacWorld SF and was not available until August. And were not the G5s announced at last years WWDC but not available until the Fall?

I fail to see why Apple simply did not announce the new iMac yesterday, say that it would begin taking orders now, and units would ship in September. That is what Apple has done in the past. The only difference it seems would be that Apple would not be selling stock of current inventory at the same time. Bad marketing.

As far as the education market is concerned, the eMac is targeted at the K-12 market, particularly educational institutions. While iMacs are targeted at higher ed. and faculty, the iMac's primary target market is consumers.

And this is the critical point. While schools may have wrapped up their purchasing decisions for the upcoming school year, students and their parents are just beginning. Apple now has no mid-level product to offer this market. These back-to-school shoppers now are limited to choosing between eMacs and iBooks. Bad timing.

Apple should at least be offering these folks the ability to order the new iMac. Sales are flowing out the window into the land of Dell.

Bad decision.

msconvert
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Joined: May 2002

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07/02, 11:47am | report spam | close Reply |
Re: Stuff

[quote]Umm, h*** didn't freeze over. There's nothing new here. Apple has announced many an unreleased product. The PowerMac G5, the 2.5GHz G5, the xServe, the miniIpod, the 2g imac they've just discontinued, the Powerbook G4 15", 17", the new 30" displays. h***, its usually a miracle to find them announcing a new product and actually having it available.[/quote]

You are right about the timing, but we got to see them when they were announced WITH specs. This is an announcement of an ambiguous product. Definitely out of Apple character.

denim
Mac Elite

Joined: Jun 2000

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07/02, 11:56am | report spam | close Reply |
Last year at this time

Last year on this date, IIRC, we were drooling over the newly announced G5 systems, placing orders, drooling some more, and anticipating arrival of the systems in September. I don't understand why they didn't do that this year for the iMacs.... unless they're not sure to have them available in September either.

testudo
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Joined: Aug 2001

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07/02, 12:18pm | report spam | close Reply |
Re: IBM PPC delay

Bottom line: Apple is screwed up here because of still poor yeilds of the new PPC 970FX - hence the whole strange pre announcement & availability issues - still waiting for IBM.

Sorry, I'm not seeing that. Reason: If it was a component only thing, then they would have showed it off. It seems more like a manufacturing issue (either the final product blew chunks, or they need to redo the look and don't want to show off something that isn't what it will look like). Apple has NEVER just said "We'll have a new iMac in a few months, wait until then". They've always been "Here's our new iMac we'll be releasing in a couple of months"

Unless you get into the really paranoid part of the story where Steve doesn't want anyone to see the new form factor because the idiot manufacturers will all copy it and have it out before Apple ships one computer.

denim
Mac Elite

Joined: Jun 2000

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07/02, 01:05pm | report spam | close Reply |
Headless, not

Those of you hoping for a headless iMac should take your own heads out of your asses. iMac comes with a built-in display. Always has. If you want to choose your own display, you buy a PowerMac. If you haven't figured that out yet, you're REALLY REALLY slow on the uptake.

What it really sounds like is you wish for the Cube to return, and there don't seem to be enough of you to justify that.

bhcs
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Joined: Feb 1999

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07/02, 02:16pm | report spam | close Reply |
New iMACS!!

I have been trying to save money to buy an iMAC!! The white lamp iMAC!! By time I get the money saved I wont be able to get it. I am so upset. It is the coolest and best looking computer I have ever seen. Man!! It takes me so long to save!! I don't understand the need to change it. Bump up to a G5 I can understand :)Leave the rest of that beauty as it is!!!

denim
Mac Elite

Joined: Jun 2000

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07/02, 02:45pm | report spam | close Reply |
Re: iMACS!!

Calm down, meester. You'll get your iMac, and it'll probably look cooler than the current ones.

testudo
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Joined: Aug 2001

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07/02, 02:45pm | report spam | close Reply |
Re: headless, not

What it really sounds like is you wish for the Cube to return, and there don't seem to be enough of you to justify that.

Beg to differ, but there is a boatload of users (the prosumer market) dying for a headless imac (aka a cube) that costs a reasonable price (less than a grand), with no monitor and limited expandability (give me a PCI slot, 1-2 GB RAM tops, choice of video card options). You could go really low end (on-board everything, no slots) for less than $500, but the market for that is low. But the 500-1000 market, where I could go for a cheap video card if I don't play games, but you could go high-end (for extra $$, of course) if you want, where there's a slot in there for an upgrade card for something coming down the pipe. That would sell to us users still trying to save up our money for a new PowerMac that doesn't come with a built-in display (we don't ask for much, we just want this!!!), which would help the switcher market ("Hey, you should get an iMac! What, no, you can't keep your brand new LCD display, well, you can, but it'll cost you $2000 to get a power mac instead") as well as those of us who (a) don't have the money to spend on a PowerMac, and (b) already have a decent monitor.

The problem is Apple refuses to sell the machine. if they sold it once and said "See, no one bought it", that'd be fine. But they just won't go in that direction. They force you to pay a premium to use your own monitor. Thing is, most people just save their money and go get a Dell. But that's apparently OK with Apple. They just want that 1.5% marketshare of people with gads of disposable income. They don't want normal or even slightly above normal users at all.

"The computer for the rest of us" has turned into "the computer for the few people who fall into the groups that we want to sell to and can afford to purchase our overpriced desktops or are stupid enough to buy our /underpowered all-in-one machines."

denim
Mac Elite

Joined: Jun 2000

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07/02, 06:28pm | report spam | close Reply |
Re: headless, not

The problem is Apple refuses to sell the machine. if they sold it once and said "See, no one bought it", that'd be fine. But they just won't go in that direction. They force you to pay a premium to use your own monitor. Thing is, most people just save their money and go get a Dell. But that's apparently OK with Apple. They just want that 1.5% marketshare of people with gads of disposable income. They don't want normal or even slightly above normal users at all.

But they did sell it once (Cube), and it didn't go very well. The Cube was as close to a headless iMac as you're going to get, but that's not what you're really after: you said you want at least one pair of slots (AGP and PCI). The iMac has no slots of any kind, so what you're really asking for is a cheaper PowerMac. As an investor, I hope to God that it happens, but I'm not holding my breath. What you're NOT looking for is a headless iMac.

"The computer for the rest of us" has turned into "the computer for the few people who fall into the groups that we want to sell to and can afford to purchase our overpriced desktops or are stupid enough to buy our /underpowered all-in-one machines."

Given that it has ALWAYS been that way, since the very first underpowered 128KB Macintosh, I don't know what to tell you. I can ask you this: why the heck are you still here, if Apple doesn't deliver what you want? Or are you some weird kind of troll?

zenism
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Joined: Nov 2003

0

07/03, 11:12am | report spam | close Reply |
Head(less) would be good.

Hope the new 'puter is headless.

OsakaBill
Forum Regular

Joined: Oct 1999

0

07/04, 04:45pm | report spam | close Reply |
What I find...

so intriguing�why exactly is Apple in this predicament. It is hard to imagine that Apple's bean-counters are so incompetent that they calculated the current inventory of iMacs would hold out until September. Could they really have underestimated demand for the iMac by so great a margin? I suppose it is possible, but that level of incompetence is unfathomable.

So what then are the other possible reasons for this bizarre situation?

1.) Last minute failure of the prototype.
Perhaps during the final phases of the testing process, after decisions about current iMac production and inventory had been made, a serious flaw manifested itself in the prototype. Correcting this flaw requires such a significant change in specs or design that Apple can't announce designs or specs now.

2.) Failure in production.
This could follow a variety of paths:
��A component supplier is not able to deliver components as scheduled. Perhaps the number of components is off, perhaps the quality of components is unacceptable, perhaps the components are simply unavailable. This would explain the delay. It could also explain the mysterious announcement if an alternate component was chosen as a replacement as this could require new testing and perhaps an alteration of design.
��The assembly plant is not able to deliver new iMacs as scheduled. Again, perhaps the number units is off or perhaps the quality of units is unacceptable. In order to correct this, if assembly line failings cannot be corrected to meet quality and quantity standards, Apple may need to redesign the new iMac. Hence the bizarre announcement.

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Apple says next generation iMac due in September

updated 05:40 pm EDT, Thu July 1, 2004

Next-gen iMac due in Sept.

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Hah!

Yeah...

letting folks know

Holy cow

Out of chracter but

this sucks

Let the speculation begin

Re: This sucks

OUCH

Remaining iMacs

WTF?

Small question!

os9

This is just lame

Back to school.

Huh...

Re: Availability

Amazing ...

Re: This is just lame

I'd not be blaming IBM

UK price

Grrr!

Well...

Been waiting Soooooo long

The Freeze

Stuff

Re: the freeze

Re: Been waiting

Good thing

Correction

headless

Isn't it obvious to all

re: headless

Most buy when it's neede

Re: I'd not be blaming I

Re: Isn't it obvious

IBM PPC 970 delay

Bad Marketing

Re: Stuff

Last year at this time

Re: IBM PPC delay

Headless, not

New iMACS!!

Re: iMACS!!

Re: headless, not

Re: headless, not

Head(less) would be good.

What I find...

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