Apple’s iMac upgraded

Apple computers Inc. has upgraded its iMac, a desktop computer designed and built by Apple Computer.

iMac has been the consumer flagship of Apple's Macintosh range since 1998, and has evolved through three basic forms. The iMac has been a huge innovation that, along with the introduction of the iPod, has contributed to the recent dramatic increase in Apple Computer's profits and share price.

The iMac proved phenomenally successful, selling close to 800,000 units in its first five months and significantly boosting the company's revenue and profitability. Thanks in part to the iMac, fiscal 1998 was Apple's first profitable year since 1993. Now iMac is considered an industrial design icon of the late 90s.

The iMac line was continually updated after initial release. Aside from increasing processor speed, video RAM, and hard-disk capacity, Apple replaced Bondi blue with new colors. Later redesigns of the iMac, however, became more expensive and never matched the first iMac in sales.

The latest upgrade, announced on September 6, 2006, is in terms of quicker variations of Intel chips and prices have been cut to pull in holiday shoppers.

Since the time it was founded, Apple has been a major player in the evolution of personal computing. Priced at $999, four iMac models were on shelves on Wednesday and boasted to be 50% faster than Intel models released earlier this year.

43% profit comes from the sale of Mac and about 75% models sold in the quarter ended July 1 had Intel Chips.

Apple started using Intel Chips since January and has used it in all the computers and notebooks. The only difference in the new Intel Chips is that they use less power and run less noisily.

Besides the 17 and 20- inch flat screen models already available, Apple added new versions with 24- inch screen. The prices now range from $999 to $1,999.

Philip Schiller, who runs Apple's worldwide product marketing, said that the consumers will become very excited seeing the new prices in the holiday season. He also hopes for the sale to treble.

The company revealed that the third quarter profit rose to 48% as the sales gained momentum due to an increased demand in speedier Mac models with processors from Intel, the world's largest semiconductor maker.