Apple says it isn’t making a 27-inch iMac, claims to be focusing on 24-inch model

Apple isn’t working on a 27-inch iMac with Apple Silicon to replace the Intel version discontinued in 2022, the company told The Verge. The comment comes just as Apple refreshed its 24-inch iMac to include its newest M3 system-on-a-chip, which both debuted at an Apple event on Oct. 30. Apple suggests that users looking for a larger-screen iMac consider pairing a Mac mini or Mac Studio with the 27-inch Studio Display. The rare comment from Apple puts rumors of a larger iMac, such as a 32-inch model rumored for 2025, in doubt.

The 24-inch iMac was first released with Apple Silicon in 2021, and was just updated with Apple’s flagship system-on-a-chip last week. But more than three full years after the Apple Silicon transition began, there has been no indication that Apple is working on a larger iMac. Apple’s comment to The Verge seemingly confirms this, but it’s worth noting that Apple typically does not respond to requests for comment about pending projects. We may be hearing about this due to The Verge’s progressive background policy, which defaults all communications with PR representatives to “on-the-record.”

Apple could also be using a technicality to disguise its plans for the Mac lineup in the longer-term view. Though the company said that it has no plans for a 27-inch iMac, perhaps that doesn’t rule out the rumored 32-inch model that is expected to include a mini-LED display. The standard-sized iMac in the Intel era was 21.5 inches, and that grew to 24 inches in Apple Silicon. With that in mind, it makes sense that a 27-inch iMac with Apple Silicon is unlikely. What’s more likely is that we see an iMac with a screen larger than 27 inches become one of the best Macs available. Looking beyond the iMac, the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro both got redesigns that enlarged screen sizes in the Apple Silicon era as well.

However, being that Apple is said to be focusing on the 24-inch iMac, it’s possible that a big-screen iMac isn’t in development at all. The Mac Studio and the Studio Display effectively replace a 27-inch iMac or iMac Pro, with a few downsides. This combination doesn’t match the all-in-one form factor of the 27-inch iMac. That suggests that there is still a place for an iMac with a larger screen and more premium specifications in Apple’s refreshed Mac lineup. This new report says a 27-inch iMac with Apple Silicon isn’t coming, but we likely knew that already. All the rumors and leaks have pointed to an iMac with an even bigger screen, which is still very much a possibility.