New iMacs in Early 2004? Tablet on Hold?

DigiTimes posts a news report claiming that an upcoming iMac revision will incorporate a Magnesium-Alloy case (chassis?)-- as opposed to a Stainless Steel and Zinc Alloy case that the current LCD iMac uses. This mostly appears to be a cost-cutting move, along with increased use of plastic parts. Whether this will cause a cosmetic change in the iMac's case is unclear based on the article.

Apple's iMac has recently been rumored to see a major revision in early 2004, with questions of a return of the Cube form-factor in later reports.

The Digitimes article also notes:


    Apple in September suspended a plan to integrate a Tablet PC and DeskNote into a new line of products, dubbed the New New iMac, due to cost considerations.

Presumably this refers to Digitimes' previous claims that Apple was planning to launch a wireless display for a desktop system in early 2004. It appears that this project has been put on hold due to cost considerations -- at least according to this report. Assuming such a project existed, it may have been the fuel for the many Apple Tablet rumors that have been recently circulating. Of note, however, Digitimes reports have been of questionable accuracy in the past.

Related Roundup: iMac
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