Analysts fear Apple is gearing up to retire its desktop line of Macs. The logic behind this sentiment is simple: Apple hasn’t updated or done anything in this segment for ages – and that’s usually a bad sign.

But this isn’t the case, according to Apple CEO Tim Cook. No, according to him, Apple has some very interesting plans for the desktop space – plans we will likely see unfold in the early part of 2017.

It’s no secret that Apple makes the majority of its Mac-based revenue from its laptop machines. This is just a given. Laptops have more utility and with an increasingly liquid work force, a lot of people now prefer the mobility of a laptop over a desktop PC.

I use an iMac 5K; it was one of the most expensive things I have ever bought. I do not regret the purchase, however, as I use it all day, every day and I cannot imagine life without it. Plus: desktops and laptops are different; they’re designed and built with different usage types in mind.

I also save a PACKET by upgrading the memory inside it myself. You can read all about that in How To Update Your iMac's Memory – The Easy Way. 

Is this why Apple’s MacBooks get updated at triple the frequency as its iMacs and other desktop PCs? Perhaps. But just don’t go thinking its iMac systems are going the way of the Nico Rosberg because, to the contrary, Apple appears to be gearing up for some new releases in this segment.

Here’s what Tim Cook had to say on the matter in a document obtained by Tech Crunch:

"Some folks in the media have raised the question about whether we're committed to desktops. If there's any doubt about that with our teams, let me be very clear: we have great desktops in our roadmap," Cook writes. "Nobody should worry about that.”

The next big question is when we get more information about this roadmap? Will be see some updated designs in Apple’s iMac lineup in 2017? Perhaps even a new model that incorporates the Apple Pencil, a la Microsoft’s Surface Studio? The latter seems possible given the popularity of Apple’s iPad Pro line and the company’s ongoing commitment to making its products work better together.

“Desktops are defined by high performance processors, large screens, ample storage and a greater variety of I/O,” Cook said.

Either way, 2017 is shaping up to be quite a notable year for Apple with its biggest product – the iPhone – poised to get a massive facelift as well as a bunch of new specs, features and abilities.

How Can Apple Improve Its iMac PCs?

This is the next logical question that springs to mind when discussing future iMacs and Apple desktop PCs is what kind of improvements would we like to see?

Apple’s pretty solid in the display department; 5K is pretty future-proof, so what else? Design is one area where Apple could, once again, attempt to differentiate itself.

There is more competition now, though. Microsoft’s Surface Studio is a stunning example of what can be done with industrial design in the desktop segment. Perhaps Apple will take a leaf out of Microsoft’s book in this regard?

As noted above, I’d love to see Apple Pencil support brought to desktop. A lot of creatives use iMacs and, I’m sure, would love the ability to interact with macOS with a stylus.

This of course would require a touch-sensitive display. Whether Apple can do that with its current 5K panel technology remains to be seen. The next logical thing is specs: simply outfit it with more bleeding edge specs and hardware.

Specs and hardware are a given, to be honest. The only area I can see Apple really shaking things up is in the design department. Or, if it takes the approach it did with iPhone, removing something useful like the keyboard or something. Finger’s crossed that doesn’t happen!