Following the release of the Apple Silicon 24-inch iMac to replace the 21.5-inch Intel-powered iMac, it looks like Apple are busy developing a replacement for the current Intel-based 27-inch iMac. We have the details…

With the ending of the iMac Pro and Apple replacing the 21.5-inch iMac all-in-one computer, with an Apple Silicon M1 powered 24-inch model it would appear that Apple is working on replacing the 27-inch Intel-powered iMac with an Apple Silicon powered model.

Mark Gurman from Bloomberg reported back in May that…

“Apple has also been working on a larger iMac with in-house processors, but development of that version was paused months ago in part to let Apple focus on releasing the redesigned 24-inch model this month.”

Well, it seems that Apple has pressed the play button again on developing a new larger screen Apple Silicon iMac. Earlier this week Gurman said this in his recent Power On newsletter…

“I absolutely still believe that a larger, redesigned ‌iMac‌ to replace the Intel 27-inch models is en route. Apple increasing the screen size of the smaller model from 21.5 inches to 24 inches seems to indicate that the 27-inch model could see a size increase as well. I don't think, however, that Apple will launch the larger model with the same M1 chip that's in the smaller model. It likely will be an M1X, the beefier version of the current ‌M1‌, or an M2X.”

There is a lot of speculation as to what size screen the new ‘jumbo’ iMac will have, with suggestions from 30 to 32-inch displays being suggested.

It is expected that the jumbo iMac will echo most of the design changes that Apple introduced on the 24-inch iMac such as a thinner overall design, studio-quality microphones, and of course more powerful Apple silicon processors replacing Intel, there was speculation that the possibility of the Mini-LED display to be included, which didn’t make the 24-inch model, would be included on the jumbo model whilst keeping it all wrapped up in the familiar shape.

But what about a touch screen iMac? Jason Snell from Macworld would like Apple to go further on an iMac redesign…

“My hope is that Apple will go a little bit further, taking a page from Microsoft’s Surface Studio and making the iMac able to drop down into more of a drafting-table configuration, where it can be driven by an Apple Pencil, if not fingertip input. But my bet is that Apple will take the conservative route and make an iMac that seems familiar, yet updated for a new decade.”

But Craig Federighi, Apple’s SVP of software engineering, made it very clear there won’t be a Mac with a touchscreen for years, if ever, so Jason may have a long wait for a drafting table format iMac.

Coming back to the next generation of Apple Silicon chips, as we reported in our article Apple MacBook Pro M1X Processor Leaked - Find Out More - UPDATED and according to a Bloomberg report, it is expected that like the new MacBook Pro 14-inch and 16-inch laptops, the new jumbo iMac will be powered by the updated M1 processor with more cores and much more RAM. Gurman's reference to the 'M2X', a souped-version of the basic M2 which itself isn't even close to launching, is the first mention we've heard of it.

As to time frame, the Bloomberg journalist has not said anything but an event later this year announced a raft of M1X powered Apple Silicon Macs including the MacBook Pro, iMac and possibly Mac mini models seems to be the most likely scenario,