Will the Mac mini be rebranded Mac Neo?

[WebHead]

Just a random thought I had. The "mini" moniker is getting long in the tooth, plus it would improve consistency across desktop/notebook lines.

The addition of colours could give it a sales bump too.

 

[TechRunner]

"Mini" is the brand within the brand. It has instant recognition, and is also a descriptor for the device. I find it hard to believe Apple would rebrand the Mini to Mac Neo.

 

[JoeG4]

HELLO NEO!

 

[Basic75]

You're missing the "who cares" in the poll 😎

 

[Bazza1]

Only if they replace it's processor with an iPhone one. Fewer ports. With the base model at $US400 (or less).

 

[Moonjumper]

No, but there might be a new Mac below the Mini called the Neo, possibly a smaller Mini with an A-series chip and no fan.

 

[Nekronos]

It wouldn't improve consistency, there is only one product called Neo and the mini is not a similar device.

It makes little sense from a branding perspective unless they were to put an A chip in it and I wouldn't expect that.

 

[CharlesShaw]

No, but there might be a new Mac below the Mini called the Neo, possibly a smaller Mini with an A-series chip and no fan.

But it would still require a monitor keyboard mouse/trackpad so saving a couple hundred more is negligible for a desktop.

Unless it connects to the TV, but I don't see them making the ATV into a Mac or even giving it Safari, or giving the Mac the ATV interface option, since they know that most everyone in the room watching the TV already has a browser on the device in their hand.

 

[turbineseaplane]

The Apple TV is the Mac Neo, hiding in plain sight.

I've always wished they'd let that be what it could be.

 

[maflynn]

The Apple TV is the Mac Neo, hiding in plain sight.

I've always wished they'd let that be what it could be.

Apple tried gaming on the apple tv, and it landed with a thud. I don't see them turning apple tv into some sort of console

 

[turbineseaplane]

Apple tried gaming on the apple tv, and it landed with a thud. I don't see them turning apple tv into some sort of console

Those two things are not related.

The Macbook Neo is not a gaming focus either.

 

[henryrodrigo]

Only if they replace it's processor with an iPhone one. Fewer ports. With the base model at $US400 (or less).

Imagined a $299 MacMini Neo with A18 ? Or even a A19 Pro with 12Gb Ram ? This thing would sell like ice water in the desert!

 

[4sallypat]

I'd love to see a iMac Neo with Axx instead of Mx for lower costs since some don't need all that performance.

 

[frou]

I don't see the point of making a Mac Mini absolutely tiny as long as it still needs to plug into the mains power socket.

 

[JPack]

Mini is mini. Neo is Neo.

Mini is intended to target developers who create apps to keep the Apple ecosystem flourishing, especially the iPhone. Apple needs a cheap, but not weak desktop for this group.

Neo is intended for first time Mac owners, students, and anyone looking to do everyday productivity.

This is why Mac mini offers a Pro chip option while the Neo doesn’t even let you choose 1TB.

 

[sublunar]

Imagined a $299 MacMini Neo with A18 ? Or even a A19 Pro with 12Gb Ram ? This thing would sell like ice water in the desert!

I think we won’t see a neo with a19 till every m series Mac is updated to m6 (to ensure there can’t be any controversial single core benchmarks)

 

[sublunar]

Apple tried gaming on the apple tv, and it landed with a thud. I don't see them turning apple tv into some sort of console

They aren’t willing to commit to the level of software support for console gaming. What’s there seems enough for them.

 

[sublunar]

The Apple TV is the Mac Neo, hiding in plain sight.

I've always wished they'd let that be what it could be.

This would make sense if Apple really wanted that and the A18 pro seems to be the cpu I’d pick rather than the heavily rumoured a17 pro. Would need switchable OS though.

 

[weaztek]

Imagined a $299 MacMini Neo with A18 ? Or even a A19 Pro with 12Gb Ram ? This thing would sell like ice water in the desert!

Sounds like the specs of my iPad. No thanks for me.

 

[bapegg]

Who knows what Apple will do.

I can see Apple adding a lower cost Mac Neo in addition to the Mac Min and Mac Studio now that the Mac Pro has been officially discontinued.

It would make more sense to put the A18 Pro into the Apple TV.

 

[ignatius345]

Neo literally means “new”. The Mac Mini is not new.

And I also don’t see them making a desktop Mac below the Mini. They’ve finally got a pretty much perfect good/better/best lineup for desktops and laptops and I’d be kind of surprised if they mess with that. Decision fatigue is real, and 3 slots is very managable conceptually IMO.

 

[Non-Euclidean]

You're missing the "who cares" in the poll 😎

I think it was missing the choice "No, and the suggestion is utterly ridiculous"

 

[saintmac]

I don't think apple would rebrand mini into neo.

However I'd be super interested if they launched a Mac neo that would be even smaller than the mini and would be powered by usb-c. You could plug it into any modern display and it would just work.

Would just need one usb-c (thunderbolt 3+ ideally) port.
Could have a M5 chip or an A19 pro.
No internal power. No or tiny battery. Possibly no fan.

Who else would be interested ?

 

[sublunar]

I don't think apple would rebrand mini into neo.

However I'd be super interested if they launched a Mac neo that would be even smaller than the mini and would be powered by usb-c. You could plug it into any modern display and it would just work.

Would just need one usb-c (thunderbolt 3+ ideally) port.
Could have a M5 chip or an A19 pro.
No internal power. No or tiny battery. Possibly no fan.

Who else would be interested ?

Other people have said that USB-C isn't flexible enough to deliver the varying peak power demand, portable products use battery for power and drain from that and use USB-C to charge the battery by my understanding. That's why the small electricals that Apple deploy use the C7 'figure of 8' plug and built in PSU.

And the Neo only has 1 USB-C port at USB3 speeds, with a further one at USB2 speeds. Not very impressive IO there.

Far better would be to buy a refurb Mini with M class CPU or wait for the many deals going from third party retailers.

 

[Basic75]

Apple should just

1. bring the Apple TV user interface to the Mac,
2. rename the next Apple TV to Mac nano and let it run macOS.

They sort of did 1. in the past with Front Row.

For the future I don't think they'll do any of this.