New iMac 2014 With Retina Rumors Heat Up with OS X Yosemite

Apple is working on a new iMac 2014 update according to two leaks which showed off hints of a new iMac in the latest versions of Apple’s software, including information that points to an iMac with a Retina Display in the OS X Yosemite 10.10 beta that just arrived for developers this week.

Apple did not announce any new hardware at WWDC 2014 on Monday, where some expected to see a new iMac, which points to a very busy fall full of new Apple hardware for 2014, and it looks like that will include an iMac as part of the lineup.

The iMac is Apple’s premium consumer desktop, and without a new Mac Mini in 2014 it is one of the most tempting options for users that want to add Apple to their home without buying a notebook. Apple sells a more expensive Mac Pro, but it is aimed at professionals while the iMac is a popular option for both consumers and pros.

Apple currently sells a 21.5-inch and a 27-inch iMac, which offer high-resolution displays, but there is hope that Apple will bring the Retina display technology from the MacBook Pro Retina to the iMac this year. The $1,299 iMac with a 21.5-inch display offers a 1920 x 1080 resolution and the $1,799 iMac with a 27-inch display uses a 2560 x 1440 resolution.

The OS X Yosemite beta reveals code the suggests a new iMac release is coming for a Retina model.

The OS X Yosemite beta indicates the new iMac 2014 update could include a Retina display with a 6400 x 3600 resolution which would end up as 3200 x 1800 when in Retina mode. It is also possible the resolution will be slightly lower at 5120 x 2880, which doubles the resolution of the current 27-inch iMac.

MacBidouille discovered the information in the OS X Yosemite developer preview, sharing details about where they found the new iMac meta data, complete with explanations on how they ended up at the resolutions listed above.

This comes just a week after the OS X 10.9.4 beta arrived on the Mac App Store with references to three new iMac models. Pikes Universum shares this finding, including details that hint at a iMac 2014 update finally bringing a Retina display

In a separate listing Pikes Universum also shows a collection of new Apple hardware reservations in OS X code, which may be openings for a new iMac as well as a new Mac Mini 2014 update.

Apple offers better support for 4k monitors in the latest build of OS X Mavericks and it is not clear if the new iMac with a Retina display will offer a traditional 4k resolution or if Apple will go with the crazy 5120 x 2880 resolution that some rumors suggest.

If the new iMac does indeed deliver a higher resolution display to users there will be demand for a Thunderbolt 4k display or a Thunderbolt Retina display to pair up with it or with a Mac pro for a high-resolution workstation. This is a new Apple product that many users are asking for, but so far Apple is only selling third-party 4k displays.

In addition to a new iMac with a Retina display we can expect a cheaper iMac in 2014 as well. Ming-Chi Kuo, an analyst known for accurate Apple predictions, shared a note with investors in April pointing to a cheaper iMac on MacRumors.

Apple recently cut the price of the MacBook Air by $100 when the 2014 model arrived on store shelves, and the company cut the price of the MacBook Pro Retina in 2013. Although Apple products are still not in the cheap range, price cuts to a new iMac would help the company compete better with Lenovo and other companies selling all-in-ones.

A cheap iMac and a new iMac with a Retina display are two separate models, and a iMac Retina may include a price premium over the current iMac which ranges from $1,299 to $1,999 before options.

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