Apple’s Mac Mini redesign is not just limited to losing important ports, but portability and new connectivity options, according to a report.
Apple’s much-awaited Fall event is just a week away, and while this year’s iPhones are expected to offer a stop-gap solution, the Mac Mini will likely get a redesign.
In his latest Power On newsletter, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman said that Apple’s new desktops will reach the warehouses in September and start retailing in October.
He adds that the new Mac Mini Pro with M4 Pro chip will have five USB C ports – three on the back and two at the front.
Among other connectivity options, Gurman’s sources suggest that there will be an ethernet port, an HDMI port, and a headphone jack. The new Mac mini is also expected to have an internal power supply.
Gurman hasn’t said anything about the number of ports on the standard version of the Mac mini with an M4 chip. This cheaper version will likely have only three USB-C ports at the back, along with other key connectivity ports.
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While the ports at the front are a welcome addition, it looks like Apple is ditching the USB-A ports. Apple’s Removal of USB-A ports on the Mac Mini could trigger a trend and suggest that it’s probably time to bid our goodbyes to the old and trusted port.
However, a quick look at most computing devices from Apple will tell you that the USB-A port was already past its expiry date and was in line to get fired.
That said, considering the number of accessories like thumb drives, wired keyboards and mice, and others that still rely on the good old USB-A port, this decision will likely force users to search for their USB-C adapters again.
Gurman adds that Apple is also working on a cheaper, stripped-down version of Magic Keyboard, likely to launch “by the middle of next year.”