Apple could be gearing up to reveal a new 27in iMac all-in-one Desktop at tomorrow's 'it's been far too long' event in California, according to a new last-minute report. The event is widely understood to be when Apple will announce the iPad Air 2 and finally release OS X Yosemite to the public, but it could also be the first time we'll get a look at a Retina display screen built for the Desktop.
According to KGI analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, as reported by AppleInsider, the 27in iMac won't be joined by a 21in smaller sibling; although it is in the works, it is unlikely to make an appearance before the second half of 2015. This is mainly down to the difficulty in producing high-density display panels at such small sizes. The 27in model will hardly be anything to sniff at, though: rumours currently suggest it will have an incredibly high-resolution 5K panel.
The current 27in iMac has a 2,560x1,440 resolution screen, which while higher than the 1080p panels found on most mainstream monitors and Windows all-in-ones, is quickly being surpassed by 4K displays from the likes of Iiyama and AOC. The rumoured new model would blow even 4K out of the water, with a possible maximum resolution of 6,400x3,600. Developers poking around in one of the latest OS X Yosemite betas discovered references to this high resolution, suggesting scaling options would be added to make apps, text and UI elements usable without needing a magnifying glass.
Kuo has also suggested the new iPad Air is suffering from poor production yields, caused by issues with the anti-reflective screen coating. That means the company will only be producing around 7 to 9 million units, around three million less than the original iPad Air last year.
Of course, this is all conjecture until Apple confirms otherwise. Whatever the company has planned for tommorow's event, we won't have long to wait to find out; it's due to kick off at 6PM UK time, and will be live streamed over the web, iOS devices and Apple TV media streamers. We'll be there in person to bring you the news as we get it, so be sure to check back tomorrow evening to learn the facts.
