Apple’s M4 family of devices is getting bigger. Hot on the heels of a surprise iPad mini announcement, the Cupertino giant has updated its latest iMac, which now sports the M4 chip with an 8-core CPU and up to a 10-core GPU. According to Apple, the upgraded hardware touts up to 1.7x faster speeds for daily productivity and up to a 2.1x increase for more intensive workflows like photo editing and gaming, compared to M1-powered desktops.
The base RAM has also been doubled to 16GB, with the option to beef it up to 32GB. Like its predecessor, the new iMac boasts a 24-inch, 4.5K Retina display, and for the first time, a nano-text glass option that reduces reflections and glare, available at an added cost.
Other notable features include a new 12MP Center Stage webcam, up to four Thunderbolt 4 ports, and support for two external 6K displays at 60Hz (or one external 8K display at 120Hz) for higher-end models. Colour-matched accessories are also bundled in, running on USB-C connectivity instead of Lightning.
The new iMac with M4 starts at S$1,799 and comes in green, yellow, orange, pink, purple, blue, and silver. It tops out at S$2,699, with pre-orders opening on 30 October, and is set to hit Apple Store locations and authorised sellers starting 8 November.
As part of the iMac refresh, the company also rolled out its first set of Apple Intelligence for iPhone, iPad and Mac through a free software update. Previously available in the developer and public beta builds of its operating systems, it’s still a work in progress, but some nifty starter AI features can be expected. Writing Tools, for instance, allows users to summarise notes, change the tone and style of their messages, transform a block of text into a list or bulleted key points, and more.
Meanwhile, Siri can now switch between voice and text — the latter activated by double-tapping the bottom of the screen. Priority Messages only shows the most urgent emails, and users will be able to view notification summaries without needing to open a message. Additionally, the Photos app introduces more intelligent capabilities, including natural language search, which enables search through text descriptions or visual references, Clean Up, which removes distracting elements, and Memories, which selects and reassembles photos and videos into a movie.
More Apple Intelligence features are due to arrive in December, starting with ChatGPT. The AI software can be accessed within Writing Tools and Siri, while Visual Intelligence pulls up relevant information when the camera is pointed at a subject, much like Google Lens. Users will be able to take new actions in and across Apple and third-party apps as well.
Apple Intelligence can be accessed in most regions around the world when the device and Siri language are set to U.S. English, with support for other languages to follow next year. The free update is available on the iPhone 16 series, iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max, iPad with A17 Pro or M1 and later, and Mac with M1 and later.
Si Jia is a casual geek at heart – or as casual as someone with Sephiroth’s theme on her Spotify playlist can get. A fan of movies, games, and Japanese culture, Si Jia’s greatest weakness is the Steam Summer Sale. Or any Steam sale, really.
Kevin Low
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