Apple announced on Oct. 28 the upcoming release of their next desktop computer: the iMac with the M4 chip.
The new, 24-inch iMac enables Apple Intelligence natural language commands and, when the OS updates in December, AI photo editing. The tech giant says the new device offers the “world’s best all-in-one desktop features,” including myriad new colors and a cutting-edge camera, packed into a thin design.
“iMac is beloved by millions of users, from families at home to entrepreneurs hard at work,” said John Ternus, Apple’s senior vice president of hardware engineering, in a press release. “With the incredible features of Apple Intelligence and the powerful performance of Apple silicon, the new iMac changes the game once again.”
Starting at $1,299, the iMac is scheduled for release on Nov. 8.
SEE: Our Apple intelligence with our cheat sheet shows how AI is changing Apple navigation, graphic design possibilities, and more.
M4 chip differentiates Apple CPU from Intel
Apple said the M4 chip enables:
- Faster performance, 1.7 times faster than the 2021 iMac with the M1 chip.
- Faster and smoother photo editing and gaming.
- A default of 16GB of unified memory, with configurations up to 32GB. The 32GB version requires the 10-core CPU and 10-core GPU, which costs a bit more, starting at $1,499.
- A neural engine three times faster than the first-generation M1, enabling today’s generative AI.
- 2.1 times faster photo and video editing performance in Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Premiere Pro compared to iMac with M1.
Apple fans can already find M4 chips in the 2024 iPad Pro. Apple claimed the M4 iMac is six times faster than the Intel Core i5‑based 21.5‑inch iMac.
Upgraded display option and plenty of USB-C ports
For professional graphic designers, the iMac’s 4.5K Retina display with an optional nano-texture glass will provide high-resolution imagery. Nano-texture glass is designed to look vibrant even in bright, sunny spaces, like an office with a window or a storefront. It is only available on the 10-core GPU premium build, $200 more than the base model.
The 2024 iMac comes with up to four Thunderbolt 4 ports and USB-C accessory ports, as opposed to Lightning ports. A 12 MP webcam makes meetings crisp and clear.
2024 iMac boasts new colors, camera, and Safari features
The rainbow of device colors caught my eye when I recently visited an Apple store, and the 2024 iMac continues the trend. It comes in green, yellow, orange, pink, purple, blue, and silver. Keyboards, mice, and trackpads with USB-C ports will be available in colors that coordinate with the desktop machine.
Apple built the 12MP Center Stage camera for FaceTime and DeskView, Apple’s simultaneous overhead and face views. The second angle allows teachers or content creators to simultaneously show a desk view as the second window focuses on their faces.
The new iMac is designed for MacOS Sequoia, which brings new features for Safari; iPhone mirroring; Distraction Control for blocking ads, videos, or other parts of a website; the new Passwords app; and contemporary gaming.
The 2024 iMac supports Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3.
Apple Intelligence-enhanced Siri can help navigate the iMac
Apple Intelligence generative AI — technically still in beta — will be available on iMac in U.S. English with macOS Sequoia 15.1.
Apple demonstrated using Siri to send messages and control other aspects of the desktop from one window.
Apple Intelligence will introduce writing assistance and leverage the revamped Siri for answering questions and performing commands across iOS. These initial capabilities will expand in December with features such as:
- Image Playground, for AI image generation.
- More autonomy for Siri and greater capabilities for Siri to learn from individual users’ preferences.
- ChatGPT integration for Siri and Writing Tools.
To secure information users may share with generative AI, Apple siloes data either on each individual device or on the Private Cloud Compute service. Users of ChatGPT on iMac won’t need to create an account with OpenAI to use the chatbot. Users can choose to connect their accounts if they prefer.
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