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Apple Plans To Release Its Slimmest And Most Powerful Mac Mini This Fall
AInvestFriday, Aug 9, 2024 6:45 am ET
2min read
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Apple's Mac computer series is expected to receive a significant upgrade, especially the Mac mini, which is anticipated to undergo its first major design innovation since the era of Steve Jobs. Not only will this model be equipped with the latest Apple-designed M4 and M4 Pro chips when it is released this fall, but it will also become the smallest computer in Apple's history.

Insiders revealed on Thursday that, thanks to the chip upgrade, the new Mac mini will change its size to be close to the size of the Apple TV box.

The current version of the Mac mini is a square box with a length and width of 7.7 inches (19.7 cm) and a height of 1.4 inches (3.58 cm). This design dates back to the 2010 changes made during the era of Steve Jobs and has been used ever since. Recent updates to this product include the launch of the M1 chip in 2020 and the introduction of models based on the M2 and M2 Pro chips at the beginning of 2023.

In contrast, the Apple TV box has a length and width of only 9.3 cm. Mini hosts from manufacturers such as Intel and Xiaomi are generally around 4 inches (10-11 cm).

It is also revealed that the height of the new Mac mini may be slightly higher, and the upgraded version will still use an aluminum casing.

Apple has tested models with at least three USB-C and one HDMI port on the back. Like the current generation, the new Mac mini will also have two versions, one using the M4 chip from the iPad Pro, and another using the yet-to-be-released M4 Pro chip.

People involved in the development of the new Mac mini said that this product is essentially an iPad Pro in a small box, a method that fully utilizes the low power consumption advantage of the company's self-produced chips. The current Mac mini starts at $599, and although the manufacturing cost of the new Mac mini may be lower, it is not yet clear whether the company will pass the savings on to consumers.

It is reported that Apple's suppliers will start shipping the standard version of the M4 chip Mac mini this month, while the M4 Pro version will not be ready for the market until at least October this year.

Apple's shift to its own computer processors has driven sales growth and accelerated the upgrade pace. However, since the outbreak of the pandemic, with consumers rushing to equip their home offices with Mac computers, demand for Macs has slowed.

For Apple, the next update cycle has become crucial - as the core selling point of personal computers turning to AI, Cook is preparing to use (by Apple standards) a significant upgrade to win consumer favor.

Including the Mac mini, the entire Apple computer series will be equipped with M4 series chips within the next year. Gurman summarized that the Mac mini, iMac all-in-one, and MacBook Pro are all models expected to be released within the year, with the MacBook Air under development targeted for next spring, and the desktop Mac Pro and higher-end desktop computer Mac Studio will be updated in the middle of next year.

The last update of the Mac mini was at the beginning of 2023, equipped with M2 and M2 Pro chips. In November 2020, it received the M1 chip, becoming part of the first Mac series to be equipped with Apple chips.

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