The iMacs climbed $100 in price, however, with the smaller desktop now running $1,299, while the larger costs $1,799. The 21.5-in. ships in November; the 27-in. in December 2012.

From all signs, today's roll-out was the last for Apple in 2012. CEO Tim Cook, in fact, took time at the end of the event to summarize the year's launches.

How did Apple do?

"I think this was a good product year for Apple," said Gottheil. "They made some and the iPhone 5, but overall, it was a solid year, and they executed pretty well."

Milanesi agreed. "It doesn't seem like the refreshes we've seen this year are coming out of any fear of the competition," she said "Their 'foot on the gas' isn't because of pressure, but an evolution of what they do with other devices. They're just building on that."