Split what shipped, what is a media window, and what Apple has not said
- As of 16 September 2026, Apple has not announced an M6 iMac and has no product page for one. The all-in-one on the site is still the 24-inch M4: apple.com/imac.
- Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman wrote in late-August Power On that a 24-inch M6 with new colors should arrive before year-end, without a redesign. The OLED iMac is a separate track, years out. Recap: MacRumors, 23 August.
- Follow-up reporting bunches the media window in October 2026, possibly with the base 14-inch M6 MacBook Pro. That is cadence, not an invite. MacRumors, 25 August.
- The M6 chip is already official: it shipped in the Mac mini announced 25 August, on sale 22 September. 12-core CPU / 12-core GPU, Dual 16-core Neural Engine, 16–32 GB. Apple Newsroom.
- The current iMac already moved from $1,299 to $1,499 in the US on 25 June 2026. A refresh is more likely flat or up a step, not a reset. EveryMac.
“When does it launch?” is a window question today. Writing October as a ship date turns a forecast into fake news.
What you can confirm, and what is still a report
Today is 16 September 2026. The 9 September event was iPhone 18 Pro, not desktop Macs. Fall Mac cadence: 2026 fall event time and lineup. What actually landed that night: 9 September product list. The iMac page still lists M4, a 24-inch 4.5K panel, and seven colors: green, yellow, orange, pink, purple, blue, silver. China: apple.com.cn/imac.
Apple announced the current M4 iMac on 28 October 2024 (30 October in mainland China). China launch prices were ¥10,999 / four-port ¥12,499, on sale 8 November. Apple Newsroom 2024. Two years later the model name on the site has not changed; the June 2026 memory hike did.
| Item | Status | Evidence |
|---|---|---|
| M6 iMac page / model number | None | Official: current page is still M4 |
| Announce, pre-order, ship dates | None | No invite from Apple |
| The M6 chip itself | Shipping path exists | Official: Mac mini, 22 September |
| 24-inch, this year, new colors | Reported | Third party: Gurman / MacRumors |
| OLED / larger panel this cycle | Reported no | Third party: separate, years out |
| Color names, China list price | None | Any named shade is a scenario, not a leak |
Official / third-party / model stay labeled. This title does not say “hands-on,” and we have not seen an unreleased unit.
When does the M6 iMac launch: a window, not a date
Gurman’s wording is that M6 machines look close and should arrive before the end of the year. He pointed at an updated 24-inch replacing the October 2024 M4, not a surprise 27-inch. MacRumors then tightened the media window to October and bundled it with the base 14-inch M6 MacBook Pro.
The window is plausible because the calendar already opened a gap: the iPhone event is done; M6 is in volume on Mac mini; the last iMac landed late October 2024 and shipped in early November. History shows Apple has used autumn for this chassis. It does not prove 28 October this year.
Model forecast: mid-to-late October 2026 announce, late October to early November availability. It can also slip to a quiet November store drop. Put “October” on a reminder; do not put a ship date on a calendar. Separate rumor track: MacBook Ultra release window — not the 24-inch iMac.
Price: start from the already-raised M4, then guess the M6
On 25 June 2026 Apple raised the US 24-inch iMac from $1,299 to $1,499 with no new chip. Four-port steps sit at $1,699 / $1,899 / $2,099. That is the current anchor, not an M6 price list. China’s 2024 press prices were ¥10,999 / ¥12,499; Chinese retail write-ups after June often add about ¥1,500 to the floor. Trust the apple.com.cn checkout, not a recap number treated as official.
| Current M4 config | US now | China 2024 press | M6 model |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8-core / two-port / 16 GB / 256 GB | $1,499 | ¥10,999 | Flat or +$100–200 |
| 10-core / four-port / 16 GB / 256 GB | $1,699 | ¥12,499 | Flat or the same step up |
| 10-core / 16 GB / 512 GB | $1,899 | Built-to-order then | Storage premiums will not shrink |
| 10-core / 24 GB / 512 GB | $2,099 | Built-to-order then | RAM is the 2026 cost driver |
A cut is unlikely: the same M6 already sells in Mac mini as “new chip + expensive memory,” from $899 with 16 GB still standard. The iMac also bundles a 24-inch 4.5K panel, camera, six speakers, and color-matched accessories. Apple rarely uses a refresh year to reverse a hike it just posted.
China model: if 2024 gaps hold, the floor lands nearer ¥12,499–¥13,499 than a return to ¥10,999. Education and trade-in are extra columns, not the list price. For desktop RAM tiers see M6 Mac mini 16/24/32/64 GB — iMac ceilings have always been tighter; do not budget for 64 GB.
Specs: skipping M5, probably not the display
iMac already skipped M2. Reporting now expects it to skip M5 and take M6. The chip is not a guess: on 25 August Apple described M6 as 2 nm, a 12-core CPU (2 super + 4 performance + 6 efficiency), a 12-core GPU with per-core Neural Accelerators, Dual 16-core Neural Engine, up to about 170 GB/s. Apple on M6.
| Item | Current M4 iMac (official) | M6 iMac (model) |
|---|---|---|
| Chip | M4, 8-core or 10-core | M6; two SKUs possible, cores closer to the mini’s 12/12 |
| Display | 24-inch 4.5K, 500 nits, P3 | Same LCD size; nano-texture may stay four-port only |
| OLED / larger size | No | Do not wait this cycle; reports say years out |
| Memory | 16 GB base, 32 GB max | 16 GB base likely stays; 32 GB still the cap |
| Storage | 256 GB to 2 TB | 256 GB entry may remain, still a tight disk |
| Ports | 2× USB4 or 4× Thunderbolt 4 | Two-port split likely continues |
| Chassis | Thin all-in-one since 2021 | No redesign; change is chip and color |
MacRumors on 28 August: no M6 Pro or Max. Do not budget a workstation iMac. More cores and bandwidth still mean Mac mini plus a display, or Mac Studio. Which Macs get M6.
Camera, six speakers, and color-matched input devices have no separate leak. The right-hand column is a model: M6 silicon plus the current iMac skeleton. It is not a spec sheet.
New colors: forecast the method, not the names
Gurman said new colors and did not name them. The seven M4 shades already muted the M1 candy set. Writing “sky blue” or “sage” as a leak is writing Apple’s keynote copy for them.
Three scenarios that fit history (all model): keep the seven names and shift the tones, as M4 did to M1; swap one or two weak sellers (yellow / orange get named often) for one or two mistier hues; or rename the whole board and still land near seven colors, with matching keys and cable. There is no fourth reliable scenario called “27-inch rainbow returns.”
If you are buying a color, wait for the official board and studio shots. Accessories are a color-matched MagSafe power brick and USB-C keys and mouse; those usually move with the chassis. Do not assume M4-colored peripherals will match.
Buy the M4 now, or wait for M6
The fork is whether you already have a display, whether you can wait 4–8 weeks, and whether you are buying a one-box home machine or a host that can run Xcode.
| Your case | Move | Why |
|---|---|---|
| The display is dead; you need an all-in-one this week | Buy the M4, or an M6 mini plus a screen you have | The M6 iMac still has no date |
| Home / classroom; color and one box matter | Wait for the official palette | Visible change this cycle is chip and color |
| You already have a 4K/5K panel; you need builds and agents | Do not wait on iMac; look at the M6 mini | The mini already has a sale date; RAM tiers are looser |
| You will only move for OLED or 27 inches | Keep the current machine; do not clear stock for M6 | Reporting puts OLED years out |
| An M1/M3 iMac still works; you just want the new one | Wait for the product page and compare | Prices already rose in June; launch week is not a sale |
If you need a Mac that compiles this week, not a display furniture refresh, use the rent-a-Mac onboarding checklist. The panel is furniture. The chip and RAM decide whether work starts.
FAQ
Is the M6 iMac locked to October 2026?
No. October is the window reporters use from cadence. Apple has only confirmed the current M4 page and M6 in Mac mini. “Before year-end” is Gurman’s line, not an invite date.
Will there be an M5 iMac?
The shelf is still M4. Reporting expects this cycle to skip M5, as iMac skipped M2. Until a product page exists, that remains an expectation.
Will the M6 iMac be cheaper?
Unlikely. The US floor is already $1,499 after June, and memory costs have not eased. The stabler model is flat or one step up.
What are the new color names? Is there black?
There are no official names. Gurman did not list them. A black all-in-one is not part of current reporting. Any specific name is a scenario.
Will 2026 bring an OLED iMac?
The same reporting puts a 24-inch OLED years later. If this machine arrives, expect the LCD 4.5K again.
What to watch next
When the M6 iMac launches is still a window: Apple has no date; the press window is autumn 2026, most often October; sale is usually a week or two later. Price starts from the post-hike $1,499 anchor. Specs start from the M6 that already ships, not from an iMac sheet that does not exist.
On announce day, check three lines: US and China floors, whether entry is still 16 GB / 256 GB, and whether the palette retuned or renamed. Until then the shopping list holds a window, not a date.
Waiting on a screened M6 iMac does not mean the build box waits
An iMac refresh buys a 24-inch 4.5K panel, a camera, and matched accessories. It does not compile this week. Unified memory, low idle watts, and a native macOS toolchain already run on cloud Mac mini hosts you can rent today. Burn down 16 GB vs 24 GB memory pressure on a daily lease before you queue for an all-in-one that still has no color board.