Mounting speculation points to a new iMac launch this week

While we originally thought Apple’s “Spring Loaded’ event was going to be something of a mundane affair with the iPad Pro refresh as the star of the show, it’s beginning to look like something bigger may be arriving on Tuesday alongside a new tablet. New leaks and speculation are suggesting that Apple may launch its new Apple silicon iMac at the event as well, marking the iconic all-in-one’s first redesign in nearly 15 years.

It started with a wild theory that the spiral Apple logo in the even invitation was actually a play on the original Mac’s “hello” screen. We were appropriately blown away by the suggestion, but didn’t really think it was anything more than a coincidence or perhaps a wink from Apple’s graphic design team. 

But now we’re thinking it might be something greater than an Easter egg. On Saturday, occasional but often accurate leaker l0vetodream posted a thinly veiled reference to a new iMac on their Twitter account. The tweet consists of little more than a thinking face emoji with two images: the Apple logo from the “Spring Loaded” invitation and the strawberry, lime, and tangerine iMac G3. There was no follow-up, but l0vetodream previously tweeted on April 3 that “The ‌iMac‌’s screen is really big, bigger than the biggest one.”

🧐 pic.twitter.com/D2kgGH7T1l— 有没有搞措 (@L0vetodream) April 17, 2021It’s worth noting that none of the credible leakers have specifically weighed in on whether the iMac is coming at this event. In an interview late last week, Mark Gurman from Bloomberg said in an interview that “if the iMac does indeed get launched next week, that’s gonna be a big deal,” but stopped short of confirming or denying its arrival. The launch of an iMac would make sense at a spring event, leaving room for new MacBook Pro models at WWDC.

The Apple silicon iMac, which is rumored to come in a variety of colors, might be unveiled on Tuesday. Jon Prosser/FPT

Along with a new Apple silicon processor, the iMac is widely expected to get a bigger screen with slimmer bezels and a dramatic redesign that mirrors the minimal look of the Pro Display XDR. It’s also rumored to be available in an array of new colors similar to the iPad Air, which is available in blue, green, pink, silver, and space gray.

Apple

Adding to the speculation is the tagline Apple used in the invitation sent out to members of the press in Spain. Instead of “Spring Loaded,” the tagline reads “Novedades de todos los colores,” which translates into “New in all colors.” Now, that could be a reference to the iPad Pro’s new mini LED display or new Apple Watch bands that are supposedly on the way, but with the rest of the rumors, it certainly seems like new iMacs are on the way.

Apple’s “Spring Loaded” event will be held on Tuesday at 10 am PT.