New 'professional' Mac mini, low-cost MacBook refresh coming soon says report

AppleInsiderAppleInsider
Posted:
in Future Apple Hardware edited August 2018
Apple appears poised to add a "professional" Mac mini to its product line later in 2018, and has a new low-cost MacBook in the works.


Low-cost MacBook

A new report from Bloomberg on Monday claims that a new low-cost MacBook will look similar to the MacBook Air, but have thinner bezels around a 13-inch display. The display on the unit is said to be a Retina model, but at a higher dot-per-inch count than other products.

This appears to be related to previous rumors about a resurrection of the MacBook Air, and the continuing rumors surrounding a new MacBook that have been circulating for most of 2018.

The MacBook was last refreshed on June 5, 2017. The MacBook Air got a minor, and mostly unheralded, spec increase at the 2017 WWDC as well.

Apple manufacturers Quanta and Foxconn are said to be tapped for manufacturing duties.

Mac mini

The report has little in the way of specifics on the rumored Mac mini refresh. Citing sources familiar with the matter, Bloomberg says that it will be focused on "Pro" users like "app developers, those running home media centers, and server farm managers" and will make it more expensive than the versions currently available for sale.

Bloomberg expects the refresh to happen after a September iPhone launch event.

It has been very nearly four years since the Mac mini was updated, and six since the last well-regarded model that could be considered a "pro" model was released. The latest revision also has poor user drive upgradeability, and no option for user RAM expansion.
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 197
    claire1claire1 Posts: 510unconfirmed, member
    Designed By Samsung

    My goodness that thing is ugly! Or am I looking at it from the wrong angle?
  • Reply 2 of 197
    bkkcanuckbkkcanuck Posts: 864member
    I have been expecting them to make a more 'pro' mac mini... I just hope this is actual reality rather than my fantasy in print :open_mouth: 
    razorpitmike54longpathcaladaniancgWerksxleggs
  • Reply 3 of 197
    rogifan_newrogifan_new Posts: 4,297member
    So a lower cost MBA with retina screen? Not buying it. I could see a better screen than the current model. But a screen as good as the rMB or rMBP? And cheaper? No way. Also wouldn’t said product just make the rMB obsolete?
    commentzilladoozydozen
  • Reply 4 of 197
    Mike WuertheleMike Wuerthele Posts: 6,861administrator
    claire1 said:
    Designed By Samsung

    My goodness that thing is ugly! Or am I looking at it from the wrong angle?
    What you are looking at, is the underside of a pair of Mac minis.
    crossladking editor the graterazorpitbonobobwilliamlondonpulseimagesmacseekerdouglas baileywatto_cobraairnerd
  • Reply 5 of 197
    seanismorrisseanismorris Posts: 1,624member
    claire1 said:
    Designed By Samsung

    My goodness that thing is ugly! Or am I looking at it from the wrong angle?
    Well... you are looking at its butt.
    netroxRayz2016crossladmknelsonlarz2112GG1Eric_WVGGking editor the graterazorpitbonobob
  • Reply 6 of 197
    netroxnetrox Posts: 1,421member
    "The display on the unit is said to be a Retina model, but at a higher dot-per-inch count than other products." Hard to believe that part.
    randominternetpersonbaconstangwatto_cobradoozydozen
  • Reply 7 of 197
    rogifan_newrogifan_new Posts: 4,297member
    So is this going to be a Mac Mini Pro? And is there something that will actually make it “pro” or is it just a way for Apple to raise the price? Customers will be pissed if the only new Mac Mini is one that’s more expensive.
    razorpitmike54dysamoria
  • Reply 8 of 197
    dr. xdr. x Posts: 282member
    Please correct the following line: "It has been very nearly four years since the Mac mini was updated, and six since the last well-regarded model that could be considered a "pro" model was released. The latest revision also has poor user drive upgradeability, and no option for user RAM expansion."

    Should be: "It has been nearly four years since the Mac mini was updated, and six since the last well-regarded model that could be considered a "pro" model was released. The latest revision also has poor user drive upgradeability, and no option for user RAM expansion."

    Remove the word "VERY."
    edited August 2018 retired4good
  • Reply 9 of 197
    bkkcanuckbkkcanuck Posts: 864member
    rogifan_new said:
    So a lower cost MBA with retina screen? Not buying it. I could see a better screen than the current model. But a screen as good as the rMB or rMBP? And cheaper? No way. Also wouldn’t said product just make the rMB obsolete?
    Does not have to be lower quality, they could shave off the starting SSD to 128GB (enough for many) [ about $100 market value there, a little from the CPU - Core-M tray price was $281 before, probably the same quality as in the 2015 ... a little cheaper... ]... you could probably get to the point of making it to $999.  The rMB would not be obsolete, it will still be the iPad of the computer option -- with enough power for many and almost as portable as an iPad ... 

    williamlondon
  • Reply 10 of 197
    SpamSandwichSpamSandwich Posts: 33,407member
    Would love to see Apple offer a NUC-sized computer (or smaller... it could theoretically be about the size of a pack of playing cards) to replace the Mini. Then again, they got rid of my favorite iPod, the Shuffle, and replaced it with... nothing.
    edited August 2018 randominternetperson
  • Reply 11 of 197
    bkkcanuckbkkcanuck Posts: 864member
    rogifan_new said:
    So is this going to be a Mac Mini Pro? And is there something that will actually make it “pro” or is it just a way for Apple to raise the price? Customers will be pissed if the only new Mac Mini is one that’s more expensive.
    I think the market that the original Mac Mini was aimed at (the starter market) is not the market of today.  As such I don't think they should be aiming for the market where the only computer you end up getting is a dog running on spinning rust.   People that are new to the Mac ecosystem are more likely to buy a laptop or a low-end iMac.
    canukstormbaconstangmike54watto_cobradoozydozen
  • Reply 12 of 197
    StrangeDaysStrangeDays Posts: 12,877member
    So is this going to be a Mac Mini Pro? And is there something that will actually make it “pro” or is it just a way for Apple to raise the price? Customers will be pissed if the only new Mac Mini is one that’s more expensive.

    Here we go again. First you complain about it being too old, too low-spec’d...now with new hardware you’ll complain that it’s too expensive. Classic.
    SpamSandwichbkkcanuckmike1tmayking editor the gratebonobobmwhitepscooter63DAalsethfastasleep
  • Reply 13 of 197
    wood1208wood1208 Posts: 2,913member
    Hope new 13" Macbook is replacing Function Keys Macbook Pro with everything same(screen,internal hardware,ports) as 13" touchbar MBP. but NO stinking touchbar. I am ok with base model of new Macbook to start low cost but Apple should offer upgrades with quad core i5-8259U processor, 16GB RAM, over 256GB SSD. Basically with upgrades it is Function Keys equivalent of touchbar MBP..
    edited August 2018
  • Reply 14 of 197
    entropysentropys Posts: 4,166member
    rogifan_new said:
    So a lower cost MBA with retina screen? Not buying it. I could see a better screen than the current model. But a screen as good as the rMB or rMBP? And cheaper? No way. Also wouldn’t said product just make the rMB obsolete?
    I don’t think Apple sold too many rMBs. Ived into unusablity. The current MBA would outsell it in multiples.
    williamlondon
  • Reply 15 of 197
    randominternetpersonrandominternetperson Posts: 3,089member
    SpamSandwich said:
    Would love to see Apple offer a NUC-sized computer (or smaller... it could theoretically be about the size of a pack of playing cards) to replace the Mini. Then again, they got rid of my favorite iPod, the Shuffle, and replaced it with... nothing.
    That would be a sweet product.  It would be a niche product of course.  But a phone-sized a MacBook Pro without a battery, keyboard, or screen, would be pretty cool.  (Ok give it a very small battery so it can survive an accidental unplugging, but still.  Just a little box with a few USB-C thunderbolt ports (and an audio port, I suppose).  
    SpamSandwich
  • Reply 16 of 197
    rogifan_newrogifan_new Posts: 4,297member
    StrangeDays said:
    So is this going to be a Mac Mini Pro? And is there something that will actually make it “pro” or is it just a way for Apple to raise the price? Customers will be pissed if the only new Mac Mini is one that’s more expensive.

    Here we go again. First you complain about it being too old, too low-spec’d...now with new hardware you’ll complain that it’s too expensive. Classic.
    So releasing a new model with updated specs means they need to increase the price?
    irelanddysamoria
  • Reply 17 of 197
    rogifan_newrogifan_new Posts: 4,297member

    entropys said:
    rogifan_new said:
    So a lower cost MBA with retina screen? Not buying it. I could see a better screen than the current model. But a screen as good as the rMB or rMBP? And cheaper? No way. Also wouldn’t said product just make the rMB obsolete?
    I don’t think Apple sold too many rMBs. Ived into unusablity. The current MBA would outsell it in multiples.
    I think they’d update it with an additional USB-C port before they’d kill it off. Also I think the biggest issue was price not specs.
  • Reply 18 of 197
    thttht Posts: 5,443member
    randominternetperson said:
    SpamSandwich said:
    Would love to see Apple offer a NUC-sized computer (or smaller... it could theoretically be about the size of a pack of playing cards) to replace the Mini. Then again, they got rid of my favorite iPod, the Shuffle, and replaced it with... nothing.
    That would be a sweet product.  It would be a niche product of course.  But a phone-sized a MacBook Pro without a battery, keyboard, or screen, would be pretty cool.  (Ok give it a very small battery so it can survive an accidental unplugging, but still.  Just a little box with a few USB-C thunderbolt ports (and an audio port, I suppose).  
    From wishful thinking Mac mini thread:


    SpamSandwichrandominternetpersonwatto_cobradoozydozen
  • Reply 19 of 197
    mike1mike1 Posts: 3,284member
    Mike Wuerthele said:
    claire1 said:
    Designed By Samsung

    My goodness that thing is ugly! Or am I looking at it from the wrong angle?
    What you are looking at, is the underside of a pair of Mac minis.
    With the bottom panel removed.
    king editor the gratewatto_cobra
  • Reply 20 of 197
    bkkcanuckbkkcanuck Posts: 864member
    So is this going to be a Mac Mini Pro? And is there something that will actually make it “pro” or is it just a way for Apple to raise the price? Customers will be pissed if the only new Mac Mini is one that’s more expensive.

    Here we go again. First you complain about it being too old, too low-spec’d...now with new hardware you’ll complain that it’s too expensive. Classic.
    So releasing a new model with updated specs means they need to increase the price?
    Unless you have your heart set in Apple continuing to sell one with 5400RPM hard drive and 4GB of RAM (RAM is more expensive right now)
    edited August 2018 mwhitewatto_cobra
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