Upgraded Mac Minis Confirmed by Apple

[MacRumors]

After initial rumor reports and subsequent user reports about speed upgraded Mac Minis quietly making their way into Apple's distribution chain, eWeek confirmed updates with Apple.

Apple is not re-labeling the Mac Minis—even with last-minute stickers—so buyers have no way of knowing if they are getting what's marked on the box, or if it's something better.

Clearing inventory is speculated as a possible reason for the unadvertised upgrades.

 

[Lacero]

Sounds great. This should pacify some holdouts and boost sagging sales.

 

[KC9AIC]

Well, it's about time. Delivering a product other than what you're advertising, even if it's better, is just odd.

 

[martinlk]

Well, it's about time. Delivering a product other than what you're advertising, even if it's better, is just odd.

What do you mean "it's about time"? They're still doing it. Sucks big time!

 

[Trowaman]

So, this should be official next Tuesday?

I just want to see the upgrade calendar reset so we can count to new models again.

 

[1984]

The 1.33/1.50 versions are the new models. The 1.25/1.42 versions are the old models. However, both are being sold as current models with no differentiating between them, not even by model number. It's going to be a real mess for Apple retailers, AppleCare and customers. It's truly bizarre but then we have seen Apple pull the Mac mini test drive offer after less than a day, kill off the iPod mini in it's prime, switch to Intel, etc.

 

[superduperjacob]

Clearing inventory is speculated as a possible reason for the unadvertised upgrades.

Apple must have a massive sticker inventory that they need to get rid of.
Very strange to ship updated products without marking them as updated in any way.

 

[JDOG_]

So Apple confirmed it...yet didn't. Okkkay then.

Confirmation means something on the Apple page

 

[InfiniteLoop1]

Any luck with video memory, 64mb or the same as the new iBook??

 

[CmdrLaForge]

I think that this is really a strange behavior from Apple. If you buy a computer you should know what you get and not just have to hope that you get what you want.

Cheers
LaForge

 

[tech4all]

Any luck with video memory, 64mb or the same as the new iBook??

According to this post it will have 64MB vRAM, but not support Core Image. (that's from someone who apparently received one of the "new" Mac minis)

 

[Marble]

This seems a little sneaky to me. Sure people are either getting what they paid for or better, but if someone was waiting on a little update to the line then they've either got to gamble or wait until the next proper update.

I'm not sure I get why they're doing this: it hasn't been advertised so it's unlikely to boost sales, it hasn't been well publicized so it doesn't make sense as an incentive to clear inventory, and even if it did give incentive to some people, those people would be buying in the hope that they get something better than stock, which they might not.

 

[Huked on Fonick]

Silly apple

This makes no since....Why wouldn't they announce it if it was a new model, how can you have excess inventory of a model that doesn't exist yet and has better specs, so you have to sell it as a lesser model, but not mention it???
Not even a sticker???? All i can think of was that apple is building up inventory of the new models in anticipation of high demand for them this coming christmas season and they got packaged in the wrong box.....or the manufacture made a future computer(how they get the parts?) by mistake and put it into the current generation boxes...

I bet apple doesn't know which boxes are affected, whatever the reason is. I wonder if this upgrade is permanent(with stickers being added and boxes changed) or just temporary. Maybe there be a period of chaos and turmoil where no one will no what there getting. Fist fights will break out, Apples phone lines clogged and apple stores over run with angry mobs who feel riped off because there neighbor got a better MAC mini.....











Wait, I forgot. Apple only has 3 percent market share........Right now

 

[mad jew]

Apparently Apple has completely given up on conventional mini upgrades.

I suppose this is good news, although it'd be nice if the consumer actually knew what they were buying.

 

[DaftUnion]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but is this the first time Apple's done this?

 

[Doctor Q]

Why would anybody not return a mini if they didn't get the new model? Or wait on their purchase now that it's clear an upgrade is in the works?

 

[oskar]

Sounds great. This should pacify some holdouts and boost sagging sales.

I agree this will help people waiting for updates wait a little longer, but I think Apple hasn't officially announced this because it wouldn't help sell the older models unless they dropped prices.
I feel that Apple has been doing a lot of strange things lately as someone else pointed out, or as Jobs said, they've been very bold with their marketing strategies. Maybe they're just trying new methods to see how it affects sales. With no Intel macs coming for about another 8 months, it's hard to tell what will happen.

 

[abrooks]

Why would anybody not return a mini if they didn't get the new model? Or wait on their purchase now that it's clear an upgrade is in the works?

Because most people who buy these machines wouldn't realise the difference if it slapped them in the face.

 

[oskar]

This makes no since....Why wouldn't they announce it if it was a new model, how can you have excess inventory of a model that doesn't exist yet and has better specs, so you have to sell it as a lesser model, but not mention it???

[snip]

Huh? Apple supposedly wants to clear out old inventory before these models are announced, not the new ones...

 

[Chaszmyr]

Why would anybody not return a mini if they didn't get the new model? Or wait on their purchase now that it's clear an upgrade is in the works?

You wouldn't know if you got the new model until you opened the box, and if you opened the box you would have to pay a 10% restocking fee to return it.

 

[Capn_Moho]

1.33/1.25 = 106.4%
1.50/1.42 = 105.6%

Awesome. Actualize the synergist superiority of teh new models.

I bet the marginally faster chips were obtained—with the advertised chips—at a similar price in order to meet a production quota.

 

[1984]

As far as I can figure, Apple had a ton of excess inventory a few months ago and were considering using Overstock.com to clear them out. Instead they decided to just upgrade the memory to 512MB and include Airport/Bluetooth on more configurations. This was a couple months ago at the same time the iBook actually got a legitimate update. Clearly this didn't do much to clear the stock. I'm not sure this is correct though. They also removed the modem from some models which indicates that it wasn't excess inventory but rather models currently in production. It's all very confusing. To be honest, I don't think they know what the hell they are doing these days.

They have already switched manufacturing over to the new 1.33/1.50 models so logically they should just to drop the price on the older models or clear them out through Overstock.com. What they are doing right now is idiotic. It's just causing a lot of confusion and ill will.

 

[1984]

Well, the "faster" processor speeds are not important except to differentiate between the new and old models. The faster hard drive, extra graphics memory and improved Superdrive are much more significant. The Superdrive in particular goes from 4x to 8x with the addition of Dual layer support.

 

[shadowmoses]

I find this all a bit odd,i have no idea why they are not just updating them in a standard fashion....We will probably see the official update come next tuesday or even today........

ShadOW

 

[JoeG4]

I think this is stupid. Just mark the old ones down $50 and sell the new ones at the regular price.