Tim Cook email claims Mac mini 'important part' of Apple's product matrix

AppleInsiderAppleInsider
Posted:
in Future Apple Hardware
In response to an email concerned about the future of the Mac mini, Apple CEO Tim Cook responded that the Mac mini will continue -- but didn't share any specifics about the product's future.




A MacRumors reader wrote to Cook, asking if there was "anything in the pipeline" regarding the Mac mini, that was last updated over three years ago.

Cook responded affirmatively, "while it is not time to share any details," the product is still "an important part of the product line going forward."




The response is not the first time that an Apple executive has said that the Mac mini survives at Apple. In April, Phil Schiller briefly noted the product when discussing a new Mac Pro and professional iMac that turned out to be the iMac Pro.

"The Mac mini is an important product in our lineup," said Schiller at the time. "We weren't bringing it up because it's more of a mix of consumer with some pro use."

There have been no credible rumors about the Mac mini in some time. The 2014 Mac mini was generally regarded as a down-grade from the 2012 model, with the entry-level model seeing a slower processor than the predecessor but granted a price cut, plus quad-core i7 processors completely stricken from the line.
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 118
    netroxnetrox Posts: 1,421member
    I love my Mac mini.
    RacerhomieXwelshdognetmagellama
  • Reply 2 of 118
    appexappex Posts: 687member
    Apple should make a Mac mini TOWER plus Thunderbolt 3 display 5K retina 27-inch.
    mike54
  • Reply 3 of 118
    calicali Posts: 3,494member
    It must be annoying for Tim to have every reply posted online. No wonder he keeps them short and vague.

    “Introducing Mac Mini with A12 processor”

    Would you buy it?

    But really with iPads and Apple TVs running A-processors and MacBooks/iMacs being more efficient I see Mac Minis becoming less important and becoming a smaller niche.
    RacerhomieXwatto_cobra
  • Reply 4 of 118
    bkkcanuckbkkcanuck Posts: 864member
    I have had really no doubts that the Mac Mini would get updated, I just felt that it's future and the future "modular" mac pro would likely be intertwined (not necessarily forming the same product line, but the market slotting would depend and relate to the lowest end of the module mac).
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 5 of 118
    MacProMacPro Posts: 19,727member
    I'd love my mac Mini a lot more if it was easier to swap out the internal HD and RAM ... jeez what a PITA on my late 2012 i5, 4GB RAM model.  I use it as a headless a server for Plex and Home sharing.  It is soooo (f****g)  slow I have to upgrade something.  I don't mean its serving operations, it works fine, I mean doing anything on it directly.  I can go for coffee while waiting for it to open System Preference for example.  What have folks found to be the best bang for the buck, SSD or RAM or both?
    edited October 2017 mike54
  • Reply 6 of 118
    maltzmaltz Posts: 454member
    Considering that my Mac Mini, made in 2012, is still by far the fastest Mac Mini ever made, one might argue that it's been over *5* years without an "update"...
    netroxcgWerksZooMigocecil4444ksecmike54asdasd
  • Reply 7 of 118
    MacProMacPro Posts: 19,727member
    maltz said:
    Considering that my Mac Mini, made in 2012, is still by far the fastest Mac Mini ever made, one might argue that it's been over *5* years without an "update"...
    I have to think my configuration is too low end if that's the case, mine sucks.  I am more than happy to throw RAM and an SSD at it if there is hope.  
  • Reply 8 of 118
    lkrupplkrupp Posts: 10,557member
    Money talks and bullshit walks. Time for Tim to start DOING something instead of making bullshit promises. 
    edited October 2017 JWSCcanukstormcgWerksjbdragonzeus423mike54dysamoriacropr
  • Reply 9 of 118
    techprod1gytechprod1gy Posts: 838member
    This is a good example of an area where Apple does not get it. You have to update these things regularly to stay relevant (I mean the mini not Apple so chill out). They have done this on other products as well. Just my personal take it is BS and they need to do a better job.
    cgWerksmike54dysamoria
  • Reply 10 of 118
    lkrupplkrupp Posts: 10,557member
    cali said:
    It must be annoying for Tim to have every reply posted online. No wonder he keeps them short and vague.

    “Introducing Mac Mini with A12 processor”

    Would you buy it?

    But really with iPads and Apple TVs running A-processors and MacBooks/iMacs being more efficient I see Mac Minis becoming less important and becoming a smaller niche.
    If it runs macOS without compromise and all Mac apps along with it... YES I would buy it.
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 11 of 118
    65026502 Posts: 380member
    Can't imagine how Apple treat a current product they don't love.
    mike54dewmeasdasd
  • Reply 12 of 118
    lkrupplkrupp Posts: 10,557member
    And by the way, where has the iMac Pro gone? Announced at WWDC but not a whisper from Apple or the rumor mill. Supposedly “later this year”?
    curtis hannah
  • Reply 13 of 118
    canukstormcanukstorm Posts: 2,700member
    lkrupp said:
    And by the way, where has the iMac Pro gone? Announced at WWDC but not a whisper from Apple or the rumor mill. Supposedly “later this year”?
    During WWDC Apple said it will go on sale in December.  Same goes for HomePod
    StrangeDaysstompywatto_cobra
  • Reply 14 of 118
    vision33rvision33r Posts: 213member
    Apple as usual is waiting for Intel to give them a volume discount to make any production worth doing.  That's Tim Cook's known for.


    watto_cobra
  • Reply 15 of 118
    1STnTENDERBITS1STnTENDERBITS Posts: 460member
    bkkcanuck said:
    I have had really no doubts that the Mac Mini would get updated, I just felt that it's future and the future "modular" mac pro would likely be intertwined (not necessarily forming the same product line, but the market slotting would depend and relate to the lowest end of the module mac).
    Whaaaaa?  Mac Mini started at $500.  The Mac Pro started at $5000.  The new modular mac is probably going to start higher since the iMac Pro is going to start at $5K.  The pricing of the Mac Mini has never been relative to the Mac Pro.  Heck it really hasn't even been priced relative to the iMac.  I do think it will be modular and I hope to Jeebus it won't disappoint like that downgrade in 2014.

    edit: as pointed out by Mike, the MP started at $2200.  Sentiment is still the same... especially the hope that the new Mini won't fake out like the 2014
    edited October 2017
  • Reply 16 of 118
    Mike WuertheleMike Wuerthele Posts: 6,861administrator
    1STnTENDERBITS said:
    bkkcanuck said:
    I have had really no doubts that the Mac Mini would get updated, I just felt that it's future and the future "modular" mac pro would likely be intertwined (not necessarily forming the same product line, but the market slotting would depend and relate to the lowest end of the module mac).
    Whaaaaa?  Mac Mini started at $500.  The Mac Pro started at $5000.  The new modular mac is probably going to start higher since the iMac Pro is going to start at $5K.  The pricing of the Mac Mini has never been relative to the Mac Pro.  Heck it really hasn't even been priced relative to the iMac.  I do think it will be modular and I hope to Jeebus it won't disappoint like that downgrade in 2014.
    The Mac Pro started at $2499 for the quad 2.66, and $2199 for the quad 2.0 -- but your overall point is not wrong.
    1STnTENDERBITSnetmagewatto_cobra
  • Reply 17 of 118
    StrangeDaysStrangeDays Posts: 12,879member
    lkrupp said:
    Money talks and bullshit walks. Time for Tim to start DOING something instead of making bullshit promises. 
    Yes he’s lying just to upset you while twirling his waxed mustache....
    macxpressmike54stompywatto_cobra
  • Reply 18 of 118
    StrangeDaysStrangeDays Posts: 12,879member

    This is a good example of an area where Apple does not get it. You have to update these things regularly to stay relevant (I mean the mini not Apple so chill out). They have done this on other products as well. Just my personal take it is BS and they need to do a better job.
    Yes, the only PC company to not only survive 40 years in business but actually thrive, doesn’t get it. Poor guys. They could really use some consultants from the rumor sites, huh. 
    edited October 2017 mike1tokyojimumacxpressTuubornetmagewatto_cobrarandominternetperson
  • Reply 19 of 118
    raoulduke42raoulduke42 Posts: 85member
    MacPro said:
    I'd love my mac Mini a lot more if it was easier to swap out the internal HD and RAM ... jeez what a PITA on my late 2012 i5, 4GB RAM model.  I use it as a headless a server for Plex and Home sharing.  It is soooo (f****g)  slow I have to upgrade something.  I don't mean its serving operations, it works fine, I mean doing anything on it directly.  I can go for coffee while waiting for it to open System Preference for example.  What have folks found to be the best bang for the buck, SSD or RAM or both?
    Both would help, the SSD more so. I had a 2009 MacMini (older style case) that was my main machine for almost eight years because I swapped in an SSD and max ram.  Check out Other World Computing (aka macsalesDOTcom). Your mini has a 6G sata connector, better CPU, and the ability to take 16GB RAM... all good things. An SSD and some more RAM in that thing would make it feel like new.
    1STnTENDERBITScecil4444watto_cobra
  • Reply 20 of 118
    1STnTENDERBITS1STnTENDERBITS Posts: 460member
    cali said:
    It must be annoying for Tim to have every reply posted online. No wonder he keeps them short and vague.

    “Introducing Mac Mini with A12 processor”

    Would you buy it?

    But really with iPads and Apple TVs running A-processors and MacBooks/iMacs being more efficient I see Mac Minis becoming less important and becoming a smaller niche.
    I'm going to go out on a limb and say he knows, and anticipates the replies will be posted online.  It's literally free marketing.  Every Apple-centric website has this story posted and all Tim did was repeat what Phil Schiller said 6 months ago... almost word for word.
    dysamoriawatto_cobraasdasd
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