The 2017 iteration of the iMac continues to float on the rumor mill despite the lack of an official announcement. Optimistic iMac fans, on the other hand, have restlessly been waiting for Apple to throw more light on the iconic desktop's exact release date, but much to their chagrin the Cupertino-based tech titan is in no mood to answer their prayers.

iMac 2017: Is It Really In The Works?

Although Apple's lips are sealed regarding the new iMac's release date, specs and other details, tech enthusiast should not lose hope on iMac 2017 just yet. It can be recalled that Apple chief executive Tim Cook admitted that there are great desktops on the company's roadmap. Cook made this comforting revelation (via TechCrunch) in a post to an employee message board.

From the time of this shred of information surfacing on the internet, tech pundits have been hazarding all sorts of guesses regarding the iMac 2017's specs and features. Here's a rundown of the next iMac's rumored specs and features.

iMac 2017: Specifications & Features

The new iMac is expected to pack an array of jaw-dropping specs and features; one of the most anticipated among which is the inclusion of a 5K Retina screen. While nothing is set in stone until now, some sources even go as far as hinting at an 8K Retina screen for the iMac 2017.

While rumors about Intel's 7th-generation Kaby Lake processors powering up the iMac 2017 have been running rampant online, Architosh claims the next iMac will be powered by AMD's recently launched RYZEN 7 chips instead, thus warding off the possibility of Intel and Apple's collaboration.

There's also hearsay that the 2017 iMac will sport an OLED Touch Bar and pack an Intel Kaby Lake Core i7-7700K processor coupled with AMD Polaris 10 or Polaris 11 GPU (graphics processing unit) under the hood for greater speed. Moreover, the new iMac is rumored to come with VR (virtual reality) support and feature full flash storage, Touch ID, and USB Type-C Thunderbolt 3 ports.

iMac 2017: Release Date

While zealous iMac fans are going berserk over the possibility of iMac 2017's looming arrival, Apple has neither confirmed nor denied these rumors that have been pointing to a 2017 launch of the lauded machine. A previously surfaced Bloomberg report suggests Apple will be launching a new iMac alongside a faster variant of the 12-inch MacBook in 2017.

There's word floating around indicating that the iMac 2017 will be announced during this year's WWDC (Worldwide Developers Conference), which kicks off June 5 and winds up June 9. Some tech gurus believed the next iMac will hit the store shelves by the end of March, but that seems highly unlikely as the month is nearly over.

Do you think Apple is gearing up to launch the iMac 2017 this year? Share your thoughts in the comments section below!