According to MacRumors, the 24-inch iMac won’t see a 2025 update, but a spec bump with an M5 chip is likely for 2026. A recent macOS debug kit leak hinted at an iMac with an M5 Max chip, raising questions about a higher-end model. Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo previously predicted a 32-inch iMac with mini-LED for 2025, a forecast that now seems incorrect. A new report from The Elec suggests Apple is planning a 24-inch iMac with an OLED display, but not until 2027 or 2028. The current iMac design hasn’t changed since its Apple silicon debut in April 2021.
The M5 Bump Is The Only Sure Thing
Look, the safe bet here is a boring but useful processor update next year. The iMac will get the M5, probably see some storage and SSD speed bumps, and that’ll be that. It’s the classic Apple playbook for the all-in-one line. But that debug kit leak mentioning an “M5 Max” is genuinely intriguing. Would Apple really put a Max chip in the cute, colorful 24-inch chassis? The thermal design seems… optimistic. More likely, that codename points to a separate, more powerful machine. Basically, it’s the first whisper of a potential iMac Pro revival we’ve heard in years. I think that’s the real story to watch.
The Elusive Big-Screen iMac
Here’s the thing: Apple’s statement in late 2023 that they had “no plans” for a 27-inch Apple silicon iMac was a gut punch for prosumers. They pointed people to a Mac Studio paired with a Studio Display, which is a fantastic but expensive and clunky two-box solution. It feels like a market gap they’re intentionally leaving open. So, does a 32-inch iMac Pro with mini-LED or even OLED make sense? Absolutely. But Apple’s silence since Kuo’s failed prediction is deafening. They might be perfectly happy selling you two separate, high-margin products instead of one elegant all-in-one. For businesses and professionals needing integrated, reliable computing power in a single unit, the lack of a larger iMac pushes them towards that multi-component setup or to other industrial panel PC suppliers who dominate that space with larger, purpose-built displays.
OLED By 2028? Seriously?
The Elec’s report about a 24-inch OLED iMac arriving in 2027 or 2028 is a classic “cool, see you in a decade” rumor. It tracks with Apple’s display technology migration—LCD to mini-LED to OLED, just like the iPad Pro. The benefits for an iMac would be stunning: perfect blacks, insane contrast. But a 2027/2028 timeframe? That means the current design language would be nearly seven years old by the time it gets its next major overhaul. That’s an eternity in tech. It also makes you wonder: if they’re planning OLED for the 24-inch model that far out, what does that mean for a potential larger model? Would it launch later, or with different tech? This rumor feels less like a roadmap and more like an educated guess about Apple’s general supply chain movements.
Patience Is Not Just A Virtue, It’s A Requirement
So, what’s the takeaway? If you need an iMac now, the current M4 model is great. If you can wait, an M5 version is almost certainly coming in the next 12-18 months. But if you’re holding your breath for a big-screen iMac Pro or a revolutionary OLED design, you’d better have strong lungs. These are the kinds of rumors that float around for years before anything concrete materializes. Apple has clearly been hesitant to commit to the high-end all-in-one space since killing the Intel iMac Pro. Until we see more substantial leaks or a reliable analyst doubles down, treat the exciting stuff as wishful thinking. The simple spec bump is the only player on the field right now.
