Report: Apple Testing Touchscreens for iMac

[Paul Daniel Ash]

The persistent rumor of a touchscreen iMac got a boost today with a report out of China that Apple is buying samples from at least one top manufacturer. According to the prolifically random publication DigiTimes, Sintek Photronics has sent samples of "projected capacitive touch panels to Apple to be incorporated in the latest iMac all-in-one (AIO) PC." The brief report made no mention of any expected shipping date of an actual desktop computer with a touchscreen.

The idea that Apple is looking to implement multitouch screens on its desktop and laptop computers has been around for a while, going back as far as January, when we were told that Apple would be shipping a 22-inch touchscreen iMac by the second half of this year. That obviously didn't happen, despite a second round of rumors in June. These rumors sort of cross-pollinated with rumors that Apple was going to be switching its desktop and laptop computers over to iOS, which was bolstered by a patent revealed in August which described technology that would allow a computer to switch from Mac OS X when it was vertical to iOS when it was horizontal.

Today's report doesn't talk about OSes at all, focusing instead on the manufacturing aspect. Large touchscreens (over 20 inches diagonal) are very complex and expensive to build, and DigiTimes points to Sintek's advanced production facilities as a reason why Apple is purportedly going with that manufacturer. The panels are produced by placing a fine grid of capacitive sensors on the LCD panel with glass on top of that, bonded together in what DigiTimes refers to as a "one-glass" design.

Take this report with a grain - maybe a pound - of salt. DigiTimes has been all over the map with its predictions, as the East Asian supply chain seems like it's got more gossip in it than your average junior high school. However, the question about a touchscreen Mac is not if, just when. Apple has put too many resources into multitouch, with iOS and products like the Magic Trackpad, to stay with the mouse and keyboard forever.

Source: AppleInsider, image via Gadget Review

[andygev35]

Removed

What a goon...

I figured it only a matter of time that the iMac would be available in the touchscreen variety...

[mzulk_2k99]

Yeh mate

[LSZ33]

Would be great to have a 27" or 30" iMac touch but knowing Apple, the price would be way too high for my liking. Don know about ios on an iMac unless of course you could run it as a virtual machine with parallels or fusion.

[EskimoRuler]

Awesome

[niqolas619]

So let me get this straight - I have a mouse and keyboard horizontally laying on my desktop (right next to where my hands are resting) and Apple thinks that I want to lift my hands up to the screen all the time to click on stuff or drag stuff around? For the average computer user, this is just going to be an overpriced gimmick for people to show their friends - not unlike holding shift while minimizing a window to show it in slow motion. Kinda cool the first time you see it, but virtually useless on a day-to-day business.

I'm sure there are applications where this would come in handy - obviously some kind of design stuff with CAD or PS or something, but how much of that ability would rely on the software manufacturer willingness to write in support for that kind of interface?

[iNT3Rv3NTiONZz]

So let me get this straight - I have a mouse and keyboard horizontally laying on my desktop (right next to where my hands are resting) and Apple thinks that I want to lift my hands up to the screen all the time to click on stuff or drag stuff around? For the average computer user, this is just going to be an overpriced gimmick for people to show their friends - not unlike holding shift while minimizing a window to show it in slow motion. Kinda cool the first time you see it, but virtually useless on a day-to-day business.

I'm sure there are applications where this would come in handy - obviously some kind of design stuff with CAD or PS or something, but how much of that ability would rely on the software manufacturer willingness to write in support for that kind of interface?

In the patent filed by apple it showed the screen tilting down to almost flat, and when that is done it switches to iOS, go to patentlyapple.com and have a look


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[AUZambo]

I won't be happy 'til I get a 27" iPhone.

[EddieLeonard]

if apple is going to make a touch screen mac i think that it should NOT replace the keyboard and mouse but more as a addition to the keyboard and mouse then it will be up to the user on whether to use just the touch screen or keyboard and mouse or even both

[i.Annie]

if apple is going to make a touch screen mac i think that it should NOT replace the keyboard and mouse but more as a addition to the keyboard and mouse then it will be up to the user on whether to use just the touch screen or keyboard and mouse or even both

Agreed. It'd be stupid to have to type on the screen. It's a computer, not an iPad.

But the touchscreen is really cool, I'd buy it but only if it comes with a keyboard at least...

[ikxdf]

Agreed. It'd be stupid to have to type on the screen. It's a computer, not an iPad.

But the touchscreen is really cool, I'd buy it but only if it comes with a keyboard at least...

quote all! and when gaming? i will broke the screen ahhahahah

[MindGem]

This will fail.

[Eagleye]

This would only be cool if Apple partnered with Wacom or something as well so you can use a pen and draw. I dont like the idea of it turning into iOS when tilted... seems a little redundant when one haz iphone and ipad in reach.

LOL at 27" iPhone and LOL at holding shift = slowmo minimize. Why in the world would Apple even care to incorperate that as a feature?

[mikerlx]

ugh... What's the point of a touchscreen iMac? Apple is getting to the point of releasing ANYTHING just to see if its sells with no point at all eg...new ipod nano 6th generation (no video/no camera).

[Zeal]

YAY fOR 3054358485435829438523945809$ iMac because its Touch

[awesomeSlayer]

As long as it supports keyboard and mouse, I don't care about the touchscreen addition.

[DisneyRicky]

I've always kinda hoped for this...but don't want the prints! :s

[computid]

They had these at apple labs in 2004. A friend of mine has seen and used one.

[JacquesChirac]

this is just a photo of a random dude touchin an imac screen

[Be Expressive]

Looks nice