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Apple files patent for iMac with single sheet of curved glass

A new patent spotted by eagled-eyed Apple insiders points to the possible launch of a newly designed iMac with a bezel-less display and compact, glass construction.

The new patent, filed by the company in May last year, shows a single sheet of curved glass that houses both the keyboard and a large display and a support structure for the internals.

Apple is also believed to have filed a trademark for an ‘Electronic Device with Glass Housing’ that would represent a bold step forward for the popular all-in-one desktop computer.

Apple has largely stuck with the same design for the iMac during the last decade, so a new slimmer footprint does make sense.



However, the amount of curved glass used in the patent design is unprecedented for an Apple device, as is the potential for the keyboard and touchpad to be integrated into the main unit.

Currently, users can plug in a wired keyboard or use wireless accessories.

There are also a few ambitious features planned beyond the core offering.

Apple outlined the possibility of docking a MacBook on the iMac, presumably to provide users with the opportunity to output to a big screen as well as for charging.

News website The Verge believes that the radical design is unlikely to see the light of day in its current form but that some aspects of it could be included in future iMacs.

The iMac has been a hugely popular product for Apple since the original G3 launched way back in August 1998.

The current iMac with retina display is available in 21.5-inch and 27-inch display options, but it still has rather chunky bezels that are more noticeable when compared to the recent iPhone and iPad models.

The reduced dimensions of the iMac in the patent suggest that a newer design would make its way into the entry-level model rather than the new iMac Pro at first.

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Chris

I've been a passionate evangelist for Apple and the Macintosh throughout my working life, my first love was a Quadra 605 working with a small creative agency in the south of Norfolk UK in the mid 1990's, I later progressed to other roles in other Macintosh dominated industries, first as a Senior graphic designer at a small printing company and then a production manager at Guardian Media Group. As the publishing and printing sector wained I moved into Internet Marketing and in 2006 co-founded blurtit.com which grew to become one the top 200 visited sites in the US (according to Quantcast), at its peak receiving over 15 million visits per month. For the last ten years I have worked as an Affiliate and Consultant to many different business and start ups, my key skill set being online marketing, on page monetisation, landing page optimisation and traffic generation, if you would like to hire me or discuss your current project please reach out to me here.

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