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iMac 2017 release date, specs rumors: Best Buy ad leaked iMac specs?

Apple Inc. CEO Tim Cook during the 2013 Apple Worldwide Developers Conference | Reuters/Stephen Lam

The last iMac update was released in October 2015, which is why the brand's fans are hoping that a new incarnation of it will be announced in Apple's regular spring event, which is slated to be held either on March or on April. This theory became stronger when someone caught a Best Buy ad about an upcoming iMac. The ad was later pulled out but not before Mac fans noted down the listed specifications

The ad, which pegged the price of the new iMac at $3,199, stated that the new laptop will have a Kaby Lake processor, specifically its i7-7700 model. Apple is known for using top-of-the-line items in its products, so it would not be surprising if it continued this trend by using this chip.

The listing also said that the iMac will have a 27-inch display with Retina 5K imaging. It also mentioned a 2TB storage and a 32GB RAM, which are good approximations given the specs of high-end units being released today.

It should be noted, however, that the Best Buy leak is not a guarantee that this is actually what buyers can expect from the new iMac. However, some argue that retailers usually have advanced warning of the products that will be launched. As such, a staff member could have made the mistake of putting up the ad too early, although it is also possible that the advertisement was meant to be a placeholder until the real product comes along.

Given the lack of assurance about the iMac, some have expressed their fears that the line will be discontinued in favor of laptops. After all, two years is a long time in the tech world. However, what Apple head Tim Cook answered in a recent Q&A session gave some hope that this is not true. He said: "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. Nobody should worry about that."