Per the leaks, the new model will retain HDMI and Ethernet ports, and the 3.5 mm jack. However, it’ll no longer feature USB-A.
This redesign will be the first in 14 years. It makes the product look almost like an Apple TV.
The first Macs with M4 chips are on the way, and among them, the Mac mini, Apple’s most affordable computer, is likely to receive an update. What’s more, it looks like it’ll come with some interesting features, according to a new Bloomberg report.
Why this matters. If the leaked information is confirmed, it would represent the Mac mini’s first revamp in a long while. Apple’s computer has had the same design for more than a decade, with its major change being the transition to Apple Silicon.
The upcoming redesign would make it noticeably smaller and would replace the USB-A ports with more USB-C ports, marking a significant advancement without many compromises. And in case you’re wondering, it seems that Apple will forgo releasing a Mac mini with an M3 chip.
Expected specs:
- The M4 Pro model will have five USB-C ports: three at the rear and two at the front.
- The upcoming Mac mini will still include Ethernet and HDMI ports, as well as a 3.5 mm jack.
- The power supply will remain internal, despite the miniaturization of the device.
- The size of the M4 Pro Max mini will be approximately the same as that of an Apple TV, but somewhat taller.
Other rumors also published by Bloomberg suggest an upgrade to 12 GB or 16 GB of unified memory, which is a significant jump from the previous 8 GB.
Expected release schedule:
- Early September: Distribution of the M4 model begins.
- October: Distribution of the M4 Pro model starts.
- Presentation: Expected around October, approximately one month after the iPhone event.
It’s important to note that distribution refers to the shipping of products from factories to stores, not the sale to the end customer.
Some context. This redesign would be the first for the Mac mini since 2010. During this time, the Mac mini experienced periods of more than three years without any updates, including processor upgrades.
To put this delay in perspective: The last time its design was updated was when the iPhone 4 was introduced.
Reading between the lines. The removal of USB-A from this model could foreshadow the same fate for Apple computers that still have some, like the Mac Pro and Mac Studio.
The question is how the absence of USB-A will affect users with older peripherals, especially in a computer whose great advantage over others, besides its price, was the versatility offered by its ports.
- It seems much more important, especially in 2024, that it retains the 3.5 mm jack, HDMI port, and Ethernet port in order to keep it usable without the need for dongles.
Bottom line. This change is in line with Apple’s strategy of pushing for more modern standards without waiting for the ports to become completely outdated, similar to when it removed the 3.5 mm jack from the iPhone and iPad.
In any case, this transition is likely to be smoother with Macs, given that owners tend to keep the products longer when compared to iPhones.
Image | BoliviaInteligente (via Unsplash)
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