Have We Seen the Last of the 27-inch iMac?

Apple quietly discontinued the Intel-powered iMac immediately after it unveiled the Mac Studio and 27-inch Studio Display at its performance event on Tuesday. Some observers wondered if the existing iMac was as big and powerful as it gets for the foreseeable future, or if we will see a new larger iMac sooner or later.

John Ternus, the senior vice president of hardware engineering at Apple, said that the Mac lineup was nearly complete with just one more product to go: Mac Pro.

The comment was interpreted to suggest that Apple sees the Mac Studio and Studio Display as replacements for the iMac. In conversations with MacRumors, Apple suggested that existing 27-inch iMac owners who are looking to upgrade should consider the Studio products, while those who are still looking for an all-in-one experience should consider the iMac.

Ars Technica reported this week that Apple confirmed to them that the iMac has reached the end of life.

Despite these developments, not everyone has given up hope that Apple will unveil a larger iMac in the future. Multiple sources have said that Apple is about to release a bigger all-in-one desktop Mac.

Ross Young, a display analyst, said last month that an iMac Pro would launch in the summer of 2022. After Apple revealed the Mac Studio and 27-inch Studio Display on March 8, Young no longer believes that to be the case. Young explained that his sources were not aware of the separation between the iMac, Mac Studio, and Studio Display, which had added confusion to Apple's exact plans before this week's spring event.

The studio display has a built-in Apple chip, which makes it appear in supply chains to be an iMac when it is not. Young believes that earlier rumors about an iMac Pro launching in June weren't referencing an actual iMac, but a Pro version of the studio display. Young thinks that Apple has a mini-LED panel in production that could be used in the new Mac Pro.

Young's latest comments seem to corroborate information shared by Apple analyst, who this week said that the iMac Pro would not launch until 2023. This week, a well- connected journalist reiterated his expectation that an iMac Pro is still in the works.

FYI: Still expecting an iMac Pro, for those wondering. M2 versions of the Mac mini, MacBook Pro 13-inch and 24-inch iMac are also in development. — Mark Gurman (@markgurman) March 8, 2022

There are rumors that a refreshed larger-screened iMac could be similar to the Pro Display XDR and the Studio Display. If it does look like the Pro Display XDR, the size of the screen could be reduced and it could be offered in darker shades than the iMac.

Apple could use the same M1 Pro and M1 Max chips that were used in the MacBook Pro to power a new all-in-one.

Users who want a top-of-the-line, large-screened Mac can pair a $1,999 Mac Studio with a $1,599 Studio Display, even if the iMac rumors turn out to be accurate.