Apple Inc. is making plans for a new version of the Mac mini that will be the company’s smallest desktop computer to date. This is part of a larger plan to include AI-focused chips in all Macs.
“People who know about the matter say that the new model, which is coming out later this year, will be the first major design change to the mini since Steve Jobs updated it in 2010. The new device will be around the size of an Apple TV set-top box, according to anonymous sources.
A lot of new Macs are coming out in the next few months, including the improved mini. The company is also getting ready for as early as this year versions of the iMac desktop and the MacBook Pro with chips from the M4 line. The MacBook Air will launch in spring, and the Mac Pro and Mac Studio will debut mid-year.
Another big deal for Apple is the switch to the M4 processor. All of the company’s Macs now have the same chip generation, which is a first. Apple has installed the M4 chip in the iPad Pro, which will power new AI functions later this year.
A representative for Cupertino, California-based Apple wouldn’t say anything about the company’s plans.
The new Mac mini might be bigger than the current one, even though it looks smaller overall. The type we have now is about 1.4 inches tall. The new version will still have a shell made of aluminum.
The Apple TV box is about 3.7 inches wide, which is less than half the size of the Mac mini right now.
Apple has tried models that have at least three USB-C ports on the back of the mini. The back of the mini also has a place to plug in the power cable and an HDMI port for connecting to TVs and monitors.
Read More: Musk Will Invite Tesla Board to $5 B xAI Investment
New Mac Mini: A Smaller, More Powerful iPad Pro?
People who worked on the new Mac mini say it’s an iPad Pro in a small box. This is done to take advantage of the fact that the company’s own silicon needs less power. The new Mac mini might be cheaper to make, but it’s not clear if the company will pass any savings on to customers. The current Mac mini starts at $599.
Apple is making two versions of the new Mac mini. The code names for both are J773. The first one will use the M4 chip’s base design, which is the same as the part inside the iPad Pro. A more powerful Mac mini with an M4 Pro chip that hasn’t been mentioned yet will also be available. Support for more memory and more processing power is built into that part.
This month, Apple suppliers will start sending out pieces of the standard M4 version, which will come out later this year. People won’t be able to buy units with the more advanced M4 Pro until October. The M2 and M2 Pro chips were added to the Mac mini for the last time in early 2023. As part of the first line of Macs with Apple chips, it got the M1 chip in November 2020.
Moving to its computer systems helped boost sales and speed up the upgrade process. But Mac sales have slowed down since the pandemic when people were rushing to get their home offices ready.
Last quarter, this group brought in about $7 billion, which is 2.5% more than the same time last year.
