Apple Planning to Launch 4K 21.5-Inch iMac in Late October

Apple will announce an updated 21.5-inch iMac with a 4K display at the end of October alongside the release of OS X El Capitan, reports 9to5Mac. The new iMac will then begin shipping out to customers in early November.

A new 21.5-inch Retina iMac has been anticipated for several months, following the discovery of code in OS X El Capitan that pointed towards a 21.5-inch machine with a resolution of 4096 x 2304. That code pointed towards Broadwell chips with Intel Iris Pro Graphics 6200 and AMD Radeon M380 - M395X discrete graphics, which may hint at the hardware we'll see in the updated iMac.

imacs.jpg
Reliable KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo also said in early August that the iMac line would receive a refresh this quarter, adding new processors and improved display quality that brings greater color saturation.

Apple began updating its iMac lineup last October, with the launch of the 27-inch Retina iMac. Updates across the line have been slow, however, due to Intel's ongoing Broadwell chip delays, and the 21.5-inch iMac has not seen an update since 2013.

It is not clear if Apple will release multiple 21.5-inch iMac models during the October refresh, or which chips those machines might use. Skylake chips appropriate for the iMac are launching "later this year," but there are a handful of Broadwell chips appropriate for various 21.5-inch iMac models.

Related Roundup: iMac
Buyer's Guide: iMac (Caution)
Related Forum: iMac

Popular Stories

iOS 26

iOS 26.3 and iOS 26.4 Will Add These New Features to Your iPhone

Tuesday February 3, 2026 7:47 am PST by
We are still waiting for the iOS 26.3 Release Candidate to come out, so the first iOS 26.4 beta is likely still at least a week or two away. Following beta testing, iOS 26.4 will likely be released to the general public in March or April. Below, we have recapped known or rumored iOS 26.3 and iOS 26.4 features so far. iOS 26.3 iPhone to Android Transfer Tool iOS 26.3 makes it easier...
Apple Logo Black

Apple's Next Launch is 'Imminent'

Sunday February 1, 2026 12:31 pm PST by
The calendar has turned to February, and a new report indicates that Apple's next product launch is "imminent," in the form of new MacBook Pro models. "All signs point to an imminent launch of next-generation MacBook Pros that retain the current form factor but deliver faster chips," Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said on Sunday. "I'm told the new models — code-named J714 and J716 — are slated...
iOS 26 Home Feature

Apple Gives Final Warning to Home App Users

Tuesday February 3, 2026 8:55 am PST by
In 2022, Apple introduced a new Apple Home architecture that is "more reliable and efficient," and the deadline to upgrade and avoid issues is fast approaching. In an email this week, Apple gave customers a final reminder to upgrade their Home app by February 10, 2026. Apple says users who do not upgrade may experience issues with accessories and automations, or lose access to their smart...
Aston Martin CarPlay Ultra Screen

Apple's CarPlay Ultra to Expand to These Vehicle Brands Later This Year

Sunday February 1, 2026 10:08 am PST by
Last year, Apple launched CarPlay Ultra, the long-awaited next-generation version of its CarPlay software system for vehicles. Nearly nine months later, CarPlay Ultra is still limited to Aston Martin's latest luxury vehicles, but that should change fairly soon. In May 2025, Apple said many other vehicle brands planned to offer CarPlay Ultra, including Hyundai, Kia, and Genesis. In his Powe...
Apple Foldable Thumb

First Foldable iPhone Design Details Revealed

Monday February 2, 2026 7:19 am PST by
Apple's first foldable iPhone will feature relocated volume buttons, an all-black camera plateau, a smaller Dynamic Island, and more, according to design leaks from a known Weibo leaker. The user known as "Instant Digital" today claimed to share several key details about the design of the foldable iPhone: The volume buttons will be located on the top edge of the device, aligned to the...

Top Rated Comments

Crosscreek Avatar
136 months ago
Sure would like to see a 24" 4K iMac.
Score: 18 Votes (Like | Disagree)
MacDarcy Avatar
136 months ago
I refuse to buy a retina IMac until they can be used as an external monitor like the non retina iMacs. Nothing worse than spending $2k on an iMac and not being able to use it as a display when it becomes too slow in the future.
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)
OldSchoolMacGuy Avatar
136 months ago
And, they couldn't do 4K on the new Apple TV (at least per the rumors).
Not doing 4K on the Apple TV is about keeping the price down as low as possible. There isn't much in the way of 4K content currently and few people have 4K TVs so there's little reason to support it, especially since it's an added expense that makes less likely to purchase it.

On the Mac you have plenty of apps that are Retina already. There's already a market there.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
antman2x2 Avatar
136 months ago
What an about updated 27" inch? Pretty pleeeeeeeeease?
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
OldSchoolMacGuy Avatar
136 months ago
I'd buy a couple if they offered a matching Apple monitor for a dual-monitor setup.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
AlifTheUnseen Avatar
136 months ago
So they're gonna let it languish for 25 months and then give us broadwell? Really, Apple?
Give them a break, the entire engineering staff is busy on crucial work designing new Mickey Mouse watch bands.
When they get a few minutes of spare time they'll have a look at the iMac line.

(quote from - I think - MacVidCards, slightly modified)
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)