Apple is not a company to shy from radical design choices which makes this new patent design an actual possible future for the Apple iMac. Based on a new patent filed a few days ago, it seems like Apple may be looking into a design refresh for its All-in-one iMac computers, made with a single sheet of glass.
In the patent, the front design shows the iMac with a single glass sheet with a curved lower portion on one edge residing on the desk. The curved area would be a place to hold the input devices while the larger flat area would house the embedded display.
Clearly the glass would not be able to stand by itself so Apple also designed a wedge shape stand of sorts that would prop the display higher or lower according to the user preference.
Another design version suggested in the patent is the possibility of introducing foldable glass at the curved section. Flattening the curve could make the Mac easier for packing or transportation, though it could also be folded up for an even smaller footprint for storage.
The patent is not by any means a confirmation of the design choices that Apple will take with iMacs of the future. But it definitely shows Apple is not afraid to explore extreme designs for its future products if it serves the vision of Apple. A design like this is perfectly in line with Apple’s clean aesthetic seamless design language with fewer visible parts and more functionality.