Will the iMac Pro ever return? Persistent rumors suggest a 32-inch model is on the cards

No matter how many years it's been since Apple discontinued the iMac Pro, rumors continue to point to a new version powered by Apple silicon. But will a 27, 30, or 32-inch iMac Pro ever really materialize?

Apple officially discontinued the iMac Pro in March 2021, just as the M1-series of Macs was starting to roll out. In fact, it was five years ago this week at WWDC20 that Apple silicon, its first ever chips designed for Macs, was announced as the company started its move away from Intel. The first Apple M1 computers were then announced towards the end of the year.

Persistent iMac Pro rumors since 2021

The M1 iMac debuted in April 2021 and was seen by some as a return to the more consumer-focused version from 1998 when Steve Jobs first introduced it. While fast with an M1 and a decent-sized 24-inch screen, one couldn’t help but notice Apple repositioned it away from professional users. While the Mac Pro still had Intel inside, Apple unveiled the Mac Studio in 2022 with an M1 Max or M1 Ultra, and in some ways, it felt like a replacement to the iMac Pro.

Despite Apple ending the iMac Pro in 2021, it wasn’t long before we soon heard rumors about the return of the iMac Pro as early as 2021 and that Apple was already developing and testing it. By July 2023, it was reported that a bigger iMac could be on the way, with a possible M3 Max or M3 Ultra system on a chip (SoC) and 30-inch screen. It didn't matter that the next-generation Mac Studio and Mac Pro with M2 Max and M2 Ultra chips came out around the same time, the gossip had its own momentum

By the fall, things really started to heat up when Apple rumors and news gurus Mark Gurman of Bloomberg and Ming-Chi Kuo both said Apple was “exploring” a larger iMac, this time a 32-inch and that it could debut in 2024.

Whether Apple really was exploring a larger iMac or not at the time, the company definitively put an end to the rumors by releasing a statement in November 2023 saying there wouldn't be one. And it even went so far as to recommend using a large display with a Mac Studio or Mac mini for those after that level of performance.

Rumors, rinse and repeat

But rumors sometimes have a tendency to stay alive, which brings us to where we are today and ever-louder whispers that Apple is once again developing a larger iMac aimed at professionals. These latest rumors began in late 2024 and have popped up throughout this year. Reported specs include a 32-inch mini LED screen and the latest chips, either an M4 Max, M3 Ultra, or an option for both. Both Gurman and Kuo speculated we'd see it sometime in 2025, possibly the fall.

It could very well be true that Apple was developing larger iMacs with M1 processors as far back as 2021, with sizes that included 27, 30, and 32-inches. Reports at the time said cost was a huge factor as to why it was shelved.

You may also recall that prior to the release of the M-series Mac Pro, Apple was developing an M2 Extreme chip, basically two M2 Ultras fused together (and the Ultra chips are two Max chips fused together). However, very high costs kept it from moving forward with it, with some speculating a Mac Pro with an M2 Extreme would start at $10,000. Which is a lot even in the Apple universe…

Our take on the latest iMac Pro rumors

The current M4 iMac line-up

So, will Apple release a new iMac Pro, or at least an iMac with a larger screen? Maybe. If they want to continue positioning it as a consumer-focused Mac, it will have a regular M-series processor (no Pro, Max, or Ultra) and a larger screen, maybe 27 or 30 inches. 

It's a good bet that Apple will announce the M5 chip and next generation of Macs later this year, so announcing a larger iMac then would be a good idea. The M4 iMac came out in October 2024, a year after the M3 shipped, so an M5 could be announced later this year.

If it decides to resurrect the iMac Pro and drop an M-series Max or Ultra chip, it could spell the end of the Mac Pro, and here's why: When Apple released the Mac Studio and Mac Pro with M2 Max and M2 Ultra chips (the Mac Pro only had Ultra), we priced identical models and saw that the Mac Studio was $3000 cheaper ($8,799 vs. $11,799) and, despite featuring six full-length PCI Express gen 4 slots, there's no way to upgrade the Mac Pro after it ships.

A new iMac Pro could render the Mac Pro as irrelevant, or perhaps the Mac Studio. I'd bet on the former, because the Mac Studio just got its third update. I may dream of a Mac Pro that can somehow have its M-series chip upgraded, it's probably wishful thinking on my part.

Ultimately, it's really a matter of if the demand for an iMac with a larger screen is big enough for Apple to move forward with the project. But, as stated earlier, Apple has already recommended pairing a quality display with either the Mac mini or Mac Studio, suggesting that an all-in-one unit is not on the company radar. Much though it would be a very cool thing, I think if I were a gambling man I'd say a large iMac won't happen - at least not this time round.