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I have a feeling they didn't release a "Mac Mini Pro" (M1 Pro/Max) is because the demand would be so high and availability so small, there'd be a huge backlog. Plus lots of current Macbook Pro customers would have opted for that mini.
 
Give me an AS Mac Pro or iMac - this money is burning such a large hole in my pocket, that people are starting to get uncomfortable!

Well, the MBPs were always going to be the big money spinners for Apple, with post-5k iMacs and Mac Pros further down the line. Also, Apple Silicon is always going to be at its most impressive in laptops where its low power consumption has the most impact. While the Mac Pro is the most powerful, I think the MacBook Pro has long been Apple's real "flagship".

One factor in the new Apple Silicon world, an M1 Pro iMac or Mini is going to be pretty much the same innards as a MacBook Pro on a different shaped mainboard, so it will be competing for many of the same components, moreso than when they were using totally different chipsets. In the current chip shortage may be that Apple's first priority is getting MacBook Pros out the door.

Looking at the M1 Pro/Max specs, while it would be great (certainly more than enough for me) in Mini or iMac format, they're going to need the rumoured double/quad M1 Max chips to replace the Mac Pro and maybe even the top end of the iMac range.
 
Think it's dependent on how well the new Macbook Pros sell otherwise they'll sneak out a redesigned, taller, Mac Mini to accommodate the M1 Pro thermal requirements for Christmas sales.
Since Apple's doing a sort of retro thing with the colored iMacs and rumored colored MacBook Airs, I'd like to see them do a new take on the Power Mac G4 Cube. I loved that design. And with the cooler running M1 Pro and M1 Max chips (vs Intel), it shouldn't be too difficult.

Or if they want to keep it fanless like the original, throw the rumored M2 chip in it, or pair an M1 Pro with a large fanless heat sink?
 
Of course the Mac mini is ready. Apple wasn’t going to give anyone a cheaper way to get the M1 Pro yet. Not until these MBPs are on sale for a while.
 
Any chance of a new touch? Wife does not like to use her phone for the net.

I'd say there is a 0.01% chance. Technically, there can never be a 0% chance, but there is basically zero chance of this. Why would anyone want an identical form factor device to do something your first device can already do?
 
Given component supply constraints it makes sense. There might just not be enough of a supply of M1 Pro/Max chips to launch the MBP refreshes alongside the higher-end Mac Mini. I wouldn’t be surprised if the Pro/Max winds up in the new 27” iMac with an option to upgrade to whatever chip they release for the Mac Pro (for a hefty fee).
 
Although it's not a "product" per se, Monterey has yet to drop. I wonder if Apple had planned another event, but given recent chip shortages decided to hold off. Don't they normally have something a little closer to the Christmas season to boost sales? But at this point, many people might be lucky to get the already-announced products in time for the holidays.
 
Since Apple's doing a sort of retro thing with the colored iMacs and rumored colored MacBook Airs, I'd like to see them do a new take on the Power Mac G4 Cube. I loved that design. And with the cooler running M1 Pro and M1 Max chips (vs Intel), it shouldn't be too difficult.

Or if they want to keep it fanless like the original, throw the rumored M2 chip in it, or pair an M1 Pro with a large fanless heat sink?

Love the idea! Let’s have that at Mac mini prices though, not in the pricing orbit of the Mac Pro.
 
I have a feeling they didn't release a "Mac Mini Pro" (M1 Pro/Max) is because the demand would be so high and availability so small, there'd be a huge backlog. Plus lots of current Macbook Pro customers would have opted for that mini.
Of course the Mac mini is ready. Apple wasn’t going to give anyone a cheaper way to get the M1 Pro yet. Not until these MBPs are on sale for a while.
The demand for a Mac desktop “anything” is going to be tiny compared to the laptops. They’ve said previously that 80% of Mac customers purchase MacBooks or MacBook Pros. Beyond that, the next big group is iMacs/iMac Pro’s. THEN come the Mini and the rest. The only thing the Mini would have done is draw on the already limited SoC’s from the laptop systems.
 
Why wouldn't they just update the mini with the added cores? The mini is capable of so much... and I've bought my last iMac. Their options for desktop computers are not good. Either an all in one or a mini computer. Neither of which are updated with any regularity. Or a $6000 Mac Pro that doesn't really perform that well.

My cats were playing on my 2015 5k iMac this morning and they tipped it forward and broke the display. Replacing the display is dicey and expensive, so I ordered a M1 mini with 10Gb Ethernet and an Amazon whatever brand 35" ultrawide display. This is my temp solution until they update the mini. Why my cats like to play on my iMac is anyone's guess, it's happened for months and today was the end. No cats were hurt when it fell, thank god.

Oh, and $2000 for a 14" MBP with a usb-c dock isn't reasonable for a desktop solution.
 
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There’s only two products left:
Big iMac and Mac Pro
The mini won’t see any change for a few years is my guess
I'm guessing the rumors are talking about an actual mini for near future release. I'd say the latest would be when the already released M1 Macs are refreshed. They still have the intel mini in the lineup, I'm guessing it will vanish the same time the M1 Pro one appears. Though I really want an M1 Max Mini, for the name if nothing else ;) But with those thunderbolt lanes and CPU/GPU, you have a pretty impressive upper mid-range desktop.
 
An M1 iMac and Mac Mini with at least an M1 Pro processor and 32GB and 3+ TB4 ports would be a welcome addition. A 32” iMac in an M1 Pro and M1 Max or an M2 release next you would also be welcome, especially one that supports up to 128GB of RAM.
 
HomePod with FaceTime and a new Beats Pill+ please. These are great gifts for Christmas and sell way better at that time of year!
 
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