Apple’s latest OS X El Capitan beta reportedly includes a few hidden references to hardware that has yet to be seen in Apple devices, fueling conjecture that a new 21.5-inch iMac with a 4K display is coming soon. A tipster pointed 9 to 5 Mac toward the relevant text strings. One shows an Apple-made display with a resolution of 4096×2304, and another shows a reference to Broad-well’s Iris Pro 6200 GPU. Most outlets, 9 to 5 Mac included, have assumed that this is some kind of 21.5-inch 4K iMac, which makes sense since current iMac’s use Iris Pro 5200 GPU’s.
Display Screen
The code discovered in the latest El Capitan beta suggests the OS supports a 4096 x 2304 Retina display, a resolution slightly larger than traditional 4K Ultra HD (3840 x 2160) that Apple hasn’t used in a product yet. With the 27-inch iMac featuring a 5120 x 2880 display, this new resolution could be used for an upgraded 21.5-inch iMac featuring a Retina display. At 21.5-inches, a display resolution of 4096 x 2304 would equate to a pixel density of 219 PPI, similar to the 5K 27-inch iMac’s 218 PPI. While this 4K-like resolution isn’t one we’ve seen before, Apple usually forgoes industry standard resolutions for pixel concentration consistence across their Retina products.
EI Capitan XÂ OS (Operating System)
The new El Capitan beta also references a selection of new GPU’s that haven’t been seen in any current-generation iMac’s. The GPU’s referenced include Intel’s new Iris Pro Graphics 6200 found in their new Broad-well CPU’s, and new AMD Radeon GPU’s including the R9 M395 and R9 M395X. On a less exciting note, El Capitan carries a few references to a new Apple Bluetooth Remote Control as well, featuring Bluetooth and infrared affinity, and a multi-touch track-pad. There are no hints as to when Apple may announce a new 21.5-inch iMac or a new Bluetooth Remote Control, even though Apple typically declares new iMac’s around October. El Capitan is set for a final release this fall.