Apple to bring Sandy Bridge iMacs up to speed this week?

It is widely expected that Apple will release a revamped range of iMac all-in-one desktop computers this week, with an anticipated US launch date of May 3, which would likely mean we'll see the new machines available here in Australia by Wednesday May 4 (unless the international release is staggered, and also discounting the rare case where non-US markets snare an Apple product ahead of the United States, as was the case with last week's white iPhone launch).

If the reports are true, this week's iMac update will see the popular desktop range ship with Intel's "Sandy Bridge" second-generation Core CPUs, just over three months after the company refreshed its MacBook Pro notebook lineup with the newer, speedier processors. Following the MBP's cues, it is also thought the new iMacs will feature Intel's Thunderbolt connector, although it must be noted that few devices themselves apart from Macs at this point seem to be incorporating support for the nascent platform.



Apple Insider learned of the iMac refresh from sources "familiar with the matter". The processor update comes only nine months after the iMac belatedly embraced the first-generation Intel Core 'i' CPUs throughout its range, although Core i5 and i7 models first appeared in 2009.

Further evidence pointing to this week's anticipated revamp comes in the form of reports online that Apple's stock of current-model iMacs is running low (with new orders being delayed), and with Dick Smith online recently concluding a run-out sale of such 2010 stock, the odds are we'll be seeing an Australian iMac refresh sooner rather than later.

Apple Insider also observed that the next Mac in line for the Sandy Bridge upgrade is likely to be the MacBook Air (expected in June), which would see the nifty ultra-portable adopt a potentially huge speed boost as it evolves to the second-generation Core from the comparatively ancient Core 2 Duo processor, leapfrogging the first-gen Core CPU entirely.