But on the other hand, I'm not sure who has a desktop computer with cords draped across areas people are walking.

Do different product teams just not talk to each other at Apple?

Hell, I can fantasize about one right now: make a specialized Apple USB-C charger cable with a plug a teensy bit smaller than standard USB-C, then magnetize the encasing of the plug. In addition, the furthest left and right side USB-C ports on the MacBook should be magnetic where this encasing would touch the port. This would make it so that the plug itself is loose in the socket and is purely held in place by the magnetism.

Of course this means that particular cable is only suitable for use in MacBooks as it would slip out of regular USB-C sockets. It should have a clear Magsafe symbol because of that.

In a further iteration, that kind of magsafe-C port could even be added to iPhones and iPads.

https://www.amazon.com/Magnetic-Adapter-iSkey-Transfer-Compa...

[1]: https://www.amazon.com/Magnetic-MacBook-Charging-Braided-Dev...

I think the worse thing is that the iMac needs to ship with a USB-C to Lighting cable in order to charge the terrible Magic Mouse via its ridiculous bottom port that prevents use of the mouse while charging. And even the brand new magic keyboard still charges over Lighting. Lightning needs to die.

Does anyone know any?

Here’s hoping the m1x/m2 ones bring it back

Photo studios for one. Or anyplace outside of a studio where photography is being done long term. I saw this at a factory where a photographer was hired to take pictures of all 14,000 (!) SKUs for a new web site.

Also, putting the power brick on the floor and extending it so you can route ethernet up to the desk via a single cable is a nice idea. I hope that is a hit with customers and they expand it to other systems (namely MBP) in the future, I wouldn't mind having a couple USB-C ports down there too.

I quite like it, and with the recent shift to working from home and decrease in travel over the next couple of years I think I'll stick with this set-up for the foreseeable future: powerful desktop driving 3 5k retina monitors + cheapest laptop or ipad I can get away with on the go.

Hence the Magsafe.

>touchscreen or keyboard attached

Hence the updates to the wireless keyboard, touchpad, and mouse.

>Seems extremely unlikely to do this instead of just getting a laptop or tablet given the price.

This is the wrong way to think about these features. Yes, if this is your only use case for the device you are better off with a laptop or tablet. If this is something you do occasionally, but you primary use case is for a desktop, the iMac can now serve both uses and save you from purchasing a second device.

Like when the family gathers around the computer to look at photos or FaceTime at Christmas.

And people and reviewers lamented the loss of the proprietary MagSafe power...

Hope you don't mind an extension cord and a weird box dangling somewhere! But at least the computer looks sleeker now!

It was always a lot easier to move them around than the PC towers everyone else had. Apple even ran an ad once that showed how few cables iMacs had in contrast to a typical PC.

I mean, it's not a huge difference in portability, but it's an Apple product -- people obsess over details like this, and they pay a premium for a product that gets it right.

Also, it's nice that you can hide the external PSU in your setup, but often that's not easily possible. Eg. if you have a minimal setup with a sleek desk, there's just no place to hide the power brick. Or if you bring the computer to the living room to watch a movie... I mean, there's lots of ways to use this computer, and the external PSU is just optimized for one use case.

And it's made even worse by the fact that many people are going to end up having to attach an external hub with an extra power brick since this iMac severly lacks ports.

EDIT: And you can see that Apple doesn't like the PSU since it is conspicuously absent from their marketing page. Even the "What's in the box" picture hides the PSU: https://www.apple.com/shop/buy-mac/imac

They know that (some) people don't like power bricks.

The portability argument I understand though. I regularly move my desktop between two places and having duplicate cables and peripherals for each one has been very convenient. So seeing that, you're actually right, I would need to either buy a probably fairly expensive proprietary cable or always carry the brick; and an integrated PSU would've been more convenient.

But in the end whether this tradeoff is worth it comes down to your particular situation, and apparently Apple have decided that in general it is worth it. Personally I also don't think too many people move their desktops around that much.

The point about the power brick not showing up on the page I'd chalk up to OCD design, not malice, to be honest. It is at least hinted at because the two pictured cables are different.

Why get an all-in-one when it requires attaching a box to it? I might as well get a Mac mini at that point (which still has a built in PSU)

Every picture features an iMac on a beautiful desk with the power adaptor conveniently not in the picture. There's not really a place to hide it if you have desks like these, it's just gonna lie somewhere on the floor.

And the previous models had their own cable, too. Not like this is new.