In the unusually intimate setting of a small auditorium at its Cupertino, Calif., headquarters, Apple Inc., on Tuesday unveiled a new line of iMacs as well as new versions of its iLife and iWork software. The event, attended by perhaps a couple hundred journalists and analysts, was far more low-key than Apple’s usual high-profile announcements, but CEO Steve Jobs was as enthusiastic as ever about the company’s new products.
New PCs don’t usually get a lot of attention. But anything Apple announces these days is of interest because the company has been on a roll with record earnings — not just from iPods and iPhones, but from its Macintosh computers as well. Jobs reported a 36 percent jump in Mac sales, which he said were “more than three times the industry growth rate.”
Apple is replacing its old white plastic iMacs with a new line made from “aluminum and glass.” Aside from being lighter and having a more polished look, the new Macs, according to Jobs, are more environmentally friendly because they’re made from materials that are more valued by recyclers. (more…)