I would like a headless iMac. In cube form.

1. I like the idea of a headless iMac.

2. There, I said it. I seem to be among a very small group of people that do like the idea (including, unfortunately, some Wall Street analysts, who are usually the most clueless of them all), everyone else seems to be vehemently against it.

3. Most of the naysayers whine about how Apple will never release a headless iMac (I agree), to do so would be stupid (well…), it would be more expensive to buy a headless iMac and then buy a monitor (yep, agree there as well), and that anyone who wants one just wants a PowerMac and doesn’t want to pony up the cash.

4. Exactly.

5. I would love to get a PowerMac, except when prices start at $3599(Au) it’s way out of my price range. I’d also love to get an iMac, except I can’t justify forking out $2299(Au) for a computer that has to be totally replaced when upgrading. I can’t even stick it in the corner to serve as an MP3/Video server because screen gets in the way. I loathe to put a working computer into storage if I can find a use for it (and I can), but I don’t have the deskspace to put it if I’m not using it.

6. What to do?

7. A headless Macintosh, priced at around $1500(Au) for the entry level machine would be just the ticket. Maybe a 1.6 G5, 60Gb hard drive, with the usual bits and pieces. Next step up could be a 1.8 G5, and top of the line could be a 2.0 G5. For those who prefer an all-in-one, you could choose from a 15inch or 17inch Cinema Display, or any of the current Cinema Displays that Apple has on sale now. The 15/17 in Cinema Displays would priced so that if one were to by a 15in LCD with a bottom of the line computer, they would pay about the same as what you’d pay now. That way customers can mix and match hardware specs and monitors, and not pay too much of a price penalty. Sure, buying individual components will still be more expensive, but the current iMacs aren’t cheap — you really do pay a premium for the gorgeous design.

8. Oh Apple, I’ll take that in a cube shape, thanks.

9. Alas, it won’t happen. It won’t happen because there isn’t any Cinema Displays under 20inches. If there were to be any Cinema Displays in the 15 and 17 region Apple would’ve released them already. It’s highly unlikely that Apple would go with an external CRT for the iMac, and it makes no sense to match a consumer computer with a really expensive 20in LCD, let alone the 30inch. And here’s another reason why it won’t happen — despite revenue being up, Apple’s profits have actually gone down in the last couple of years, meaning they have less room to move when it comes to prices.

10. Still, I expect that sometime down the track Apple will expand it’s low end and mid end desktop market. While Apple is moving more and more into the music business, I don’t think they’ll be abandoning the computer business just yet. Apple is unique in that they have managed to bridge the gap between computing and entertainment, and I can’t think of a company better suited to producing the Media PC — one that acts as a music and video server, DVD/ CD player and personal video recorder all at once. I’d love to see a mid range Macintosh (a headless iMac? A new Macintosh brand perhaps?) that would look great next to a TV, with a special version of MacOS X (a la Windows XP Media Center Edition 2004) that runs the show. With iTunes and iPhoto, plus a new iApp that handle the video recording and a new interface to that is better suited to remote control navigation, Apple could produce the next Digital Hub. Sure, there’s no real demand for this right now, but who would’ve thought a small White-and Silver gadget would be so damn successful?

Comments

No comments yet.

Leave a comment