Apple's new 24-inch iMac is notable not just for adding the new M1 chip, but for being the first Mac designed from the ground up with the M1 in mind. That's different from the first wave of M1 Macs, which shared the same exact designs as their earlier Intel-powered versions.
In my recent review of the M1 iMac, I was frankly more excited about some of these new design and feature changes than the different silicon inside. And since Apple tends to keep its product lines looking and feeling harmonious, there's a decent chance these improvements will cross over to other Macs sooner rather than later.
New colors
It's been a long time since Macs came in serious colors. Sure, you've been able to get MacBooks in gray, silver and a kind of muted gold, but let's just say these were never vibrant, exciting shades. Taking a page from the candy-colored CRT iMacs of the previous century, you can now get your iMac in seven colors, from a deep purple to a vibrant orange to plain old silver (please don't just get plain silver). Apple hasn't said these colors are coming to other products yet, but I bet future MacBook Air buyers are already planning which color to get.
Power brick with Ethernet
Outside of gaming machines, it's very rare to see an Ethernet jack built into a laptop body these days. But most desktops still have them, just not the new iMac. There, it's been offloaded to the power brick, which makes sense for something you don't need to plug or unplug regularly. Just make sure the iMac you're looking at includes the Ethernet jack -- it's a $30 add-on feature for the least expensive model. I could also see this coming to MacBooks as a way to add an Ethernet jack without needing a USB-C dongle.
Magnetic power cable connection
The magnetic connection on the new iMac power cable seems like such complex engineering feat that it's hard to imagine it'll be a one-time thing. Other iMac sizes and maybe even the Mac Mini or Mac Pro could benefit from it. And since there were rumors earlier this year about the return of MagSafe connections for MacBooks, this could be a spiritual successor to that (although in the long run, I still think having a more universal USB-C power connection on a laptop is more useful).
Personalized accessories
The new iMac offers a choice of three different keyboard designs -- standard, with a Touch ID sensor and with a number pad plus Touch ID -- as well as a choice between a mouse and a stand-alone touchpad. Each of these devices also comes in all seven new iMac colors, although you can't yet mix and match colors.
But it's only a matter of time before these accessories will be available a la carte and you'll be able to create a visual palette, for example combining a blue iMac, green keyboard and orange touchpad (I don't know, maybe they're your school colors or something). I'm hopeful those options will eventually be available for anyone with a Mac Mini, a Mac Pro or even a docked MacBook, if they want to add a splash of personalization.
