Apple hasn't sold a 27-inch iMac in nearly two years, but a new rumor suggests that Cupertino hasn't abandoned the larger iMac variant. The rumor comes to us from Apple whisperer Mark Gurman in his latest Power On newsletter for Bloomberg.
In his post, Gurman claims that Apple is “still exploring the possibility of an iMac with a larger display.” He does, however, say that he's “unsure” whether this potential iMac will feature the M4 chip or whether Apple may be waiting for next year's M5 chip.
Apple is already preparing to launch M4-powered MacBooks and potentially an M4 iMac, although that will most likely be a refreshed version of the current 24-inch iMac.
The 27-inch version was officially discontinued by Apple in 2023, although it had been retired since March 2022. However, it wasn't a priority even before its retirement, as Apple hadn't created a new version since the 2020 iteration.
While we haven't seen the 27-inch iMac in a while, rumors surrounding a larger iMac haven't died down. Last year, Apple was rumored to be working on a 32-inch version with Pro and Max processors. Perhaps this is the gigantic iMac that Gurman is hinting Apple is developing.
Of course, when Apple discontinued the 27-inch iMac, the company turned around and released a 27-inch Studio Display, a monitor that our review called fantastic. Paired with a new M2-powered Mac Studio, you've essentially replaced the iMac, albeit at a much higher price.
An M4 laptop or desktop is expected to launch this fall, but it may not be an upgraded Studio Display or Mac Studio. Apple has been rolling out the M4 chip in a staggered manner with the new iPad Pro, but it's not yet clear how the powerful chip will be integrated into its computers or whether Apple Intelligence changes Apple's plans.
We could also expect next year's M5 chip to really take Apple's upcoming lineup of MacBooks, iMacs, and Mac Minis to the next level.