Mac Mini to be Discontinued?

[celavato]

Boo if true. It's a great Mac for small business. It does what most knowledge workers need -- Office, email, Web, and other such applications. It also performs well as a file server.

What I'd like to see is a price drop with the current configuration since we often work with freelancers who only have a PC. If the Mac mini sold for $300, we could justify buying them for these freelancers to use while they work with us.

 

[Luap]

Gizmodo believes that the Mac mini may have already been discontinued by Apple. According to the site's European retailer sources, Apple has stopped orders for the low end Mac and has reportedly told the retailers not to expect any more.Rumors of the demise of the Mac mini started circulating back in May, 2007, though the most recent reports have claimed that Apple was still working on revising it.

Apple will be reporting their Q4 2008 financial results today, and could reveal more during their conference call.

Article Link: Mac Mini to be Discontinued?

You realise you already posted this story at least once this year already, right? It wasn't true the first time you posted it, and as the MacMini is actually still on sale now, then it isnt true any more now than it was then.

Please, stop with the...

It's so boring. I know you guys don't like to speculate. So why are you doing it? Post news when you have news. Rumours are one thing. Bollocks is another.

 

[ref26]

You realise you already posted this story at least once already, right? It wasn't true the first time you posted it, and as it's still on sale now, then it isnt true any more now than it was then.

Please, stop with the...

It's so boring. I know you guys don't like to speculate. So why are you doing it? Post news when you have news.

Um, the site is called macRUMORS.com!

 

[gkarris]

Well, the Apple Conference call is about to start soon. I called the Apple Store and they DO have them in stock. This usually means if they are discontinued, they will keep them until they sell out.

In order to avoid the panic to find a Mac Cube when that got canned, I'm going to the Apple store in the hopes that I will have one in my hand the moment the announce it being discontinued.

Deciding to do this instead of opening up my old Mini and upgrading it.

If it's replaced instead, I'll wait for the new one and it was just another trip to the Apple Store....

 

[neil51]

Hmmm….Mini and Apple TV merge, no optical drive or firewire (I know, don’t mention the ‘F’ word), 2gb fixed ram, 3.5” HDD for up to 1TB storage, HDMI and Mini Display port (or include an adapter), 3 USB ports with 1 on the front save for plugging in your camera or iPod to sync…$499? Maybe a bit far fetched…better go buy a mini just in case...

 

[zedsdead]

I agree that the Mac Mini is getting discontinued, and a new product, either the "Mac Air," or some kind of Hybrid-Mini/Apple TV is coming - at Macworld.

 

[Wild-Bill]

Adios. Whiners are rarely missed.

Hey AtariKee,

When I want your opinion........................I'll give it to you, fanboy.

 

[snberk103]

.... Rumours are one thing. Bollocks is another.

Perhaps MacRumours needs to rebrand itself... I like MacBollocks, it has a ring to it

 

[BillyBobBongo]

Gizmodo knows nothing!

Long live the Mac mini!

 

[zombitronic]

I hope it gets a proper funeral.

 

[schneb]

You have to remember that Apple is based in Cupertino California. Even with the current housing problem you can't really buy a house there for under $500K and double that price is not unreasonable. You have to figure that the Engineers and managers working at Apple are making enough to live near the campus.

Simple. Create a sister company in Nevada or elsewhere. They do not HAVE to work in Cupertino. That should be the executive branch.

 

[Marx55]

THE MAC MINI IS THE BESTS MAC EVER!!!

Why? Because it is so quiet. Full stop.

Lately Apple is behaving in a fool way: not including Firewire on MacBook Air, MacBook and Apple Display, glossy mirror-like displays, etc. I guess sales will tell Apple about the error... hopefully, so they fix it ASAP!

BTW, my dream Mac desktop is a quiet miniTOWER. MY Dream mobile Mac is a pocketable computer like this, but with Mac OS X inside:

OQO model e2
http://www.oqo.com

or --even better-- a tablet like this:

Next Apple moves will be Books and Games…
http://spidouz.wordpress.com/2008/09/03/next-apple-moves-will-be-books-and-games

THAT WOULD BE AMAZING!

 

[iSee]

...I know you guys don't like to speculate. So why are you doing it? Post news when you have news. Rumours are one thing. Bollocks is another.

This is classic! You are operating under a seriously flawed premise my friend! LOL!
Quiz:
MR - speculation = what?

 

[telmerco]

I have a mini in a closet that is the brains behind my home theater - TV, DVDs, and iTunes all displayed on a large plasma. A bluetooth mouse and keyboard along with the iPhone Remote app (and now the Air Mouse app) make this such a simple easy to use setup. Would be a shame to pay for a monitor that I don't need (can also remote login via share the screen from my macbook pro). Sad to see it go.

 

[celavato]

Hmmm….Mini and Apple TV merge, no optical drive or firewire (I know, don’t mention the ‘F’ word), 2gb fixed ram, 3.5” HDD for up to 1TB storage, HDMI and Mini Display port (or include an adapter), 3 USB ports with 1 on the front save for plugging in your camera or iPod to sync…$499? Maybe a bit far fetched…better go buy a mini just in case...

What about a merged Apple TV, mini, and Time Capsule? They all have the same form factor.

 

[jephrey]

Maybe someone mentioned this before.

The ONLY reason I might be good with discontinuing the mini is if it's somewhat absorbed into the tv. This is quite a possibility, especially as blu-ray drives become more common in devices. Could be good. I think it's quite likely.

 

[madmaxmedia]

Most people dont buy an iMac of amazon =/

No, but most people probably don't buy a Mac Mini off Amazon either. It is significant that Amazon sells more Mini's than iMac's. (if that is indeed the case.)

 

[schneb]

Actually that is apple's problem. If you want to make money you have to sell products at prices people can afford. The more products you have covering multiple price points the more people who can and will buy your products.

I agree. With todays economy, people do not buy on impulse and hold tight to their cash. Gone in 2008 is a $1-$2k Mac purchase just because it is cool and stylish. The average person is looking for something they can afford.

 

[darkblu]

Rumors of the mini's demise have been greatly exaggerated. But, I think they are true.

It's primary purpose for existence when introduced was to encourage switchers, by not forcing them to buy new peripherals (BYOKM). That the mini took on a life of it's own was perhaps an unintended result.

The only reason to have it around is to have an inexpensive computer coupled with a larger monitor. But with the mini at $600 and a 20" monitor at $600 you are likely to go with an iMac and get better graphics and a larger hard drive. (I understand you can buy a less expensive monitor from another vendor, but that doesn't help Apple).

I am using a mini right now, because I didn't like the glossy screen of the iMac and had an Apple cinema display already. The mini is also useful as a inexpensive server or development machine, but these uses are most likely not producing the numbers Apple wants to see.

Apple makes their money by keeping a simplified product line and keeping it around for a long time. That's how they get 30% of the money with only 10% of the computers. This also allows them to spend a lot of engineering time to come up with stuff like the Unibody enclosure. iMacs and MacBooks are the money makers for Apple and they have publicly stated again and again their lack of interest in the low margin budget PC. Better to let Dell and HP fight over the scraps.

As the economy tanks, it would seem like the appropriate response for Apple to enter this market, but that just hasn't been Apple's approach. Remember the last downturn and Apple's response? They said they would innovate through it by investing in research. That strategy worked brilliantly and set them up for the last four years of rapid growth. Their strategy is always counterintuitive; I expect them to drop the mini and eventually the white MacBook and have basically three Mac products: iMac, MacBook Pro (MacBook is a MacBook Pro now), and the PowerMac.

You may not like it, but that's what my crystal ball says.

i have to agree with your crystal ball, as much as i hate the reasoning behind it. i'm one of those who've been using a (G4) mini for their server and development needs for almost four years now. from that perspective i can state that the mini has been the best $500 i've ever spent on desktop equipment. also, trying to be a conscious consumer, i value the ability to reuse/share the HID peripherals i already own, while running at a fraction of the power consumption of other desktops. how's that for being green, apple? oh, that's right, to you customers are green as long as they're buying your latest and greatest.

bottomline being, me and the likes of me are not a market apple would care about (it's just a coincidence that many of us are developers apple might prefer to keep), ergo they don't cater to us.

so what do people like me do? for me it was simple - i went out and bought an overpriced (yet much cheaper than any other mac), somewhat outdated C2D mini last week, so i could move on with my plans for iphone development. i'm sure that second mini will return its money many times over. i wish it was as power-efficient and cool as its older G4 brother but it's still quite a runner. plus, my G4 mini is still far from retirement.

so, apple, no imac/macbook for this customer (hint: i'm not buying stuff just because i can afford it). best of luck with the college kids (i hear you're really after them), and don't mind the crumbling economy.

sincerely, a loyal customer.

 

[Joe The Dragon]

A very telling quote from Steve Jobs before his return to Apple:



http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Steve_Jobs

I think that is exactly what he is doing. First he ends the Microsoft feud and allows Windows to catch up in features to the Macintosh. Then he moves us over to Intel and then makes it so that we can install Windows on our computers and now he is removing features from Macintoshes while keeping the premium prices, making us less likely to buy a Macintosh. He is gradually ending the PC/Mac war and moving us over to the PC camp.

and the thing is if M$ did not F* vista as it did then apple would be in bad scape now but now that vista flopped apple should have a $1200+ head less desktop.

 

[zombitronic]

Well, earnings are out and the Mini is still living. Living dead, maybe, but still "living."

 

[Hattig]

If this is true then that's my next Mac purchase plans killed off. I was going to get one (once Apple updated it) for my London place for working on during the week rather than the old iBook - it's a small place and I don't want to have two screens in the room. I'm just glad I didn't buy the monitor I had spotted that seemed ideal (T220HD) for my needs (because of the varied inputs) because of Apple's switch to Mini DisplayPort.

I am really hoping that this means that Apple have got a formfactor change in mind, but otherwise will be kind of similar to the current model. And use the NVIDIA chipset, of course.

 

[kresh]

Ah, this sheds light...

It is all becoming clear. It is one of two situations:

1) Steve Jobs really has something terminal. He is obviously scrambling to secure his legacy as the world's most influential technology leader. Who cares about Apple's lineup. It's all about impossibly thin miracles of technology, made using radical manufacturing techniques that will burn his name forever in the history of the tech world. He wants to be a Leonardo Da Vinci, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, or Dr. Zefram Cochrane of the computer industry. He craves the idea of people speaking his name 500 years from now when they discuss computers on Alpha Centauri.


2) Steve Jobs hast realized that while the G4 Mac Mini was an astounding deal, the current Mac Mini is horribly over priced for what it is.

I'm betting on number 2.

 

[MacFly123]

They better replace it with something in the same category if they discontinue the Mini. I want one in my car but have been waiting for a refresh because it hasn't been worth buying for a while since it is so outdated.

Really not a good idea especially with the way the economy is now people will be more and more interested in something like the Mini!

Most switchers I know don't even know about the Mini (they know the laptops and the iMac) and when I tell them about the Mini they get all excited and impressed at how small it is. Apple needs to update it and make an ad for it.

Please Mini don't go!

 

[k2spitfire88]

Actually that is apple's problem. If you want to make money you have to sell products at prices people can afford. The more products you have covering multiple price points the more people who can and will buy your products.

While that is true, Apple's strategy isn't hurting them yet, as they are the fastest growing computer company, even with there prices. Heck, I just spent 1800 on the new macbook, and honestly, it was the best 1800 i ever spent. EDIT: The reason I say this is that people are willing to buy a Mac, regardless of price, just because of the ease of use. I showed many of my friends the simplicity of OS X, and they either have bought, or want to buy a new Mac, ASAP. Apple realizes people will buy their products, and that is why they can afford to handle business they way they do.

I want a Mini to be an iMac but with out the screen, about 2.4 GHz, 4 GB memory, up to 750 hard drive and those new Nvidia graphics like the new MacBook's. That I would buy. not the crap Apple currently sell.

Apple would never sell that in the future. Once that becomes considered low end, they would sell them at the mini price point, but not now, as it would be ridiculously underpriced for Apple. Remember, for them, it is all about the margin, and that kind of product, at the mini's price point would not give it to them.