Apple Says Mac Mini is 'Important' But Remains Tight-Lipped About Future Updates

[DaveN]

I love my Mac mini but what was great about it they destroyed. Upgrading the ram and putting in 2 HD (one SSD) was what sold me on the mini. Over 5 years running it's still a great machine.

That is exactly what I did with mine. I made the spinning drive my Time Machine drive and maxed out the RAM. It makes a great Mac for my RV and I can download iTunes movies to it for vacations. Plus it gives me a photo editor on the road. I haven't replaced my laptop. No need.

 

[akuma13]

I think with USB-C/Thunderbolt 3 the Mac mini could easily be the central hub of a modular computer. The Mac mini could operate on its own with no problem for an entry level Mac while third party companies could make larger docking stations that could add higher end video, extra drive bays and ports like ethernet.

If they could make this with an even smaller footprint, i'll be all over this. Modular is the way to go with the mini.

 

[schlitzz]

The Mac mini is laptop hardware in a small desktop form factor.

Apple hasn't improved their mac hardware in years (at least anything meaningful), so what makes you think the mini will get better hardware?

Because my mother prefers a wall mounted display, or the Mini hooked up to the huge TV. A Bluetooth keyboard and mouse lets her sit at the kitchen table and browse. Just like her old WebTV. And I've got it set up with a dock at their Winter place. It's a great computer for seniors, those people on a budget, and those that prefer a compact unit that can travel. Why aren't we seeing new models? I'd guess that they're trying to move the mini to an Apple TV type form. Man, if that thing did email, FaceTime, and could print, that, would be great.

 

[OldSchoolMacGuy]

Love my mini. A dual 1TB SSDs inside, 16GB of RAM, i7 and it's solid.

I'd love an update but I'm not naive to believe Apple will reverse course and switch back to upgradable RAM and hard drives in these things.

 

[roland.g]

I downgraded from a VESA mount Quad 27" iMac with 24GB RAM and an SSD (2013 pre 5K models) to a Mac Mini in March 2016. I went 16GB RAM maxed out and an SSD on the 2014 current model. Later I added a USB-C Samsung T3 500GB SSD external drive for my Photos library. Even on the iMac I ran my iTunes library on a 4TB external USB3 Seagate. The Mini serves well for my uses. Web, Mail, personal financial mgmt, iTunes server to Apple TVs, Airplay, some Word, etc. It's a home machine. Sure I'd like 24 or 32 GB RAM capability because I keep a lot open and don't want to reboot that much. But with it connected to a Dell 3440x1440 Ultrawide 34 display I can toggle that display to other inputs and connect my work laptop when I work from home. Whereas the iMac would only support being a second screen to my MBA. And I start music playing through my connected speakers out of iTunes while I use the display to work off my work Dell laptop. It's a nice setup. Doesn't need to be the latest and greatest specs. You want some real power on a headless, used Mac Pros are not too expensive.

 

[CaryMacGuy]

I think it would be an interesting product if they scrapped the existing form factor and went with something about the size (maybe a tad bigger) of an Amazon Fire Stick. The electronics in modern Mac laptops are close to that size. Stick an HDMI port on the end and someone could plug it into the back of an HDTV for a 50 ft computing experience or plug it in the back of a monitor for a clean desktop computing experience. I think one could even sneak a couple of Thunderbolt 3 ports on it if it were that size.

 

[Eadfrith]

Poor Mac Mini, even MacRumors didn't consider this news important enough to make the main news page. I almost missed it.

 

[extricated]

I upgraded my 2010 21.5" iMac to a 27" in 2013. Based on cost and how I use it at home, I think a mini would have been a good move. I told myself I'd wait for the next mini before replacing my current iMac.
... still waiting. haha

 

[Crzyrio]

My prediction is the "new" Mini will appear about the time the A10 or A11 CPUs come out and are able to run MacOS (which will have converged a lot more with iOS) "decently". Then, the Mini will be released in the form factor of the current Apple TV case. I hope I'm wrong, but I think the days of the "power-user" Mini are over - ended with the Quad-core 2012 model (glad I have mine).

That device is called an Apple TV.

 

[phrehdd]

Both the Mac Mini and Mac Pro line up being seriously challenges finally gets Apple to possibly wake up and invest a little in these two lines. So much for leading the pack, being innovated or whatever. Apple is just another company now and can't believe anything they say until it comes to fruition (roll out the damn new line so we can actually see if you were BS-ing us or not).

Giving us an anemic if not castrated Mac Mini was insulting, stuffing a proprietary set up in tube loses its "wow" factor in about 30 seconds and then we realize we are still paying the Apple tax to stay in the game. Apple please don't tell us the Mac Mini is important after your last roll out still being pathetic. Shut up and just roll out a competitive SFF with MacOS running on it.

 

[opeter]

OK, so he said something, but didn't really tell anything. Like real politics.

 

[Kabeyun]

My 2011 Mac Mini i7 Quad Core 16GB Server is anything but a "toy" as you put it. I use it to run Logic and Cubase and they are quite demanding apps.

Completely agree. My late 2010 quad core i7 mini with maxed RAM and now a 1 TB OWC Mercury SSD is a beast. I do a lot of video transcoding and it can still do this kind of math better than any other Mac besides a Pro. A return to socketed RAM would be welcome if they give us beefy processors again.

I'm also intrigued by the allusion to Apple monitors. They got out of the monitor game last year but maybe they're listening (although I'd rather they listen regarding AirPorts).

 

[Juicy Box]

Apple last updated the Mac mini in October 2014, a span of over 900 days, according to the MacRumors Buyer's Guide.

Considering the 2014 "upgrade" was pretty much a downgrade from the 2012, I wonder what the next upgrade will look like.

Nothing more to say today !!!! So the mac mini is not dead. Its clear they focus for this year imac and macbooks and for next mac pro. So in 2019-2020 probably mac mini

It is sad to say, but you might be right about this.

 

[Chuckythebear47]

Apple today introduced reshuffled Mac Pro configurations and pricing, and revealed that it's working on a "completely rethought" Mac Pro alongside an Apple-branded pro display that will launch beyond 2017. However, Apple remained tight lipped about the Mac mini, beyond noting that it's an "important" product in its lineup.

Apple marketing chief Phil Schiller via Daring Fireball:Apple last updated the Mac mini in October 2014, a span of over 900 days, according to the MacRumors Buyer's Guide.

The current Mac mini models, which are designed to be connected to a display and peripherals purchased separately, range in price from $499 to $999. The base model is equipped with a 1.4GHz dual-core Intel Core i5 processor with 4GB of RAM, a 500GB hard drive, and integrated Intel HD Graphics 5000.

Article Link: Apple Says Mac Mini is 'Important' But Remains Tight-Lipped About Future Updates

 

[69650]

Logic tells me if they haven't updated it for 3 years it's probably approaching end of life status within Apple. They have been trying to position the iPad as their education and entry level device instead of the Mac mini.

 

[Chuckythebear47]

"The Mac Mini remains a product in our lineup, but nothing more to say about it today."
Remains a product? That doesn't sound too promising... Why so secretive about the Mini's future? Doesn't Apple realize that the more they stall, the more consumers are venturing away to PC's. I'm taking about folks that need to run musical and video interfaces and other peripherals, not tablet people. Laptops are not for everyone.... I will not buy an antiquated machine that cannot be upgraded to extend its service life. I have owned Macs starting with the G4 tower and all the way up to my 2012 Mac Mini that finally took its last breath in January (very sad day for me) ....
I love my IPhones and my IPads, but I would love to see a Mac Mini release. I don't have $2,000 + dollars for a Mac Pro. Apple #$% or get off the pot!!!

 

[iLLUMI]

I think there's a paradigm shift of sorts coming where we'll start looking at our phones as more than just a combined phone, camera, iPod and tablet.
As most of you know Samsung have introduced DeX which enables a Galaxy phone to become a mini computer of sorts.
Apple could possibly be pursuing that path and in fact I'm sure I've read that rumor somewhere before that they are actually looking at that. ??
So if iPhones gain Mac functionality then Mac Mini's may become obsolete.
Is a combined phone/tablet/iPod/camera/desktop computer the next wave of tech?
I think it would be super cool if it is. Apple could do away with Mac Mini's as every iPhone owner would have it built into their phone. They would end up selling way more iPhones that way too.
Many people here at MR have said iPod Touches are now somewhat obsolete. At least for iPhone owners they are. So if an iPhone gained Mac Mini capabilities then would iPhone owners still want a Mac Mini? Probably not.

But I guess we'll have to wait and see what comes our way.

 

[Chuckythebear47]

This is what happened when most people started getting maxed out Mac Minis for half the price of the iMacs with the same specs/performance. Remember those Quad core I7 processor and that RAM replacement? This is why they decided to kill this line. Basically the Mac Mini is just a "toy" for people who never used a Mac and want to try it (these people get MacBooks anyway).

[doublepost=1491331469][/doublepost]Disagree with that statement.... I know plenty of musicians and producers who use that Mac Mini "Toy" for pre-production with Pro-Tools 11 and Logic. The Mini is quite a useful machine otherwise I would not be voicing my concern regarding the it's future.

 

[litmag01]

I suspect if the sales numbers were good this wouldn't even be a discussion.

 

[maui-time]

Basically the Mac Mini is just a "toy" for people who never used a Mac and want to try it (these people get MacBooks anyway).

I don't consider any of my minis toys (on my third). I just don't have room on my desk for an iMac. I switch my displays between my employer's provided machine (Win7) and my Mac mini. I prefer the always on functionality of the mini over my MBP at my desk, driving the dual monitors, and three RAID enclosures.

Not everyone with a mini is a naive switcher.

 

[star-affinity]

"The Mac Mini remains a product in our lineup, but nothing more to say about it today."
Remains a product? That doesn't sound too promising...

Good then they actually said it's important.

“On that I’ll say the Mac Mini is an important product in our lineup and we weren’t bringing it up because it’s more of a mix of consumer with some pro use. … The Mac Mini remains a product in our lineup, but nothing more to say about it today.”

http://daringfireball.net/2017/04/the_mac_pro_lives

 

[maui-time]

I don't see Apple changing the future mini. It will not switch back to an upgradable device. It will remain an appliance. I'd guess a CPU bump and at least two USB-C (TB3) ports, but the rest will be the same. The CPU will still be in the 15W classification using dual cores, integrated GPU, max 16GB of overpriced RAM, and PCIe flash or Fusion storage.

That's unfortunate in my opinion, but that's how Apple rolls.

 

[UltimaKilo]

Just slap Kaby Lake on it and be done with it.

 

[1050792]

I don't consider any of my minis toys (on my third). I just don't have room on my desk for an iMac. I switch my displays between my employer's provided machine (Win7) and my Mac mini. I prefer the always on functionality of the mini over my MBP at my desk, driving the dual monitors, and three RAID enclosures.

Not everyone with a mini is a naive switcher.

I called the new Mac mini's toys metaphorical, as they use laptop components, dual core CPU's and non upgradable RAM with a stock 5400rpm HDD. If you read my post carefully you would notice that I pointed out that the Mac Mini some years ago was much better value than an Imac (we are talking desktops here) because Mini had user upgradable RAM, quad core i7 CPU and much faster storage.

 

[maui-time]

I called the new Mac mini's toys metaphorical, as they use laptop components, dual core CPU's and non upgradable RAM with a stock 5400rpm HDD. If you read my post carefully you would notice that I pointed out that the Mac Mini some years ago was much better value than an Imac (we are talking desktops here) because Mini had user upgradable RAM, quad core i7 CPU and much faster storage.

Ok, and I agree. Maybe the "Toy" caught my eye. I too would prefer a return to the modular Mac, be it mini, cheesegrater, etc.