AppleInsider StaffHaving read a blog post speculating that a discontinuation of the current Mac mini line overseas may be indicative of the product's ultimate demise, one advocate of the tiny desktops fired off an email with his concerns to Apple's newly-crowned Mac hardware engineering chief Bob Mansfield.
Although Mansfield didn't issue a personal reply, a colleague in Apple's executive care division did almost immediately, offering no timetable for a Mac mini update but assuring that the company was well aware of system's market value, and suggesting the customer continue to exercise patience.
"I got a prompt reply by phone from an Apple executive care person essentially giving me no new information but assuring me that Apple knew the mini was a popular machine and to be patient," the customer told AppleInsider. "I certainly appreciated the contact, and I think it was a nice way of letting me know that rather than bug their head guys."
Fans of the diminutive desktop have become increasingly restless in recent months, as the mini continues to grow long in the tooth. The 6.5-inch square systems haven't seen significant architectural advancements in years and were last refreshed with component updates over a year ago.
Apple's behind-the-scenes customer guidance appears to back similar reports which have recently stood out in resistance to claims that the mini may again be on the chopping block. Following AppleInsider's report on the beginnings of a Mac mini overhaul earlier this year, an entrepreneur with a vested interest in the prolonged development of the computers spoke out in a report titled "The State of the Mac mini."
He outlined the mini's popularity among businesses, particularly small organizations, as well as those in the hospitality, entertainment, and security sectors. Expressing certainty that a new version of the mini was on the way, he outlined several features expected in future models.
One of those feature revelations, to which AppleInsider can lend a nod, suggests that Apple will offer new options that will allow the systems to better cater to the server and storage markets for which they've become extremely popular.
"In ordering a Mac mini from Apple, there will be an option to have two SATA HDDs and eliminating the optical all together," the report said. "With the new Remote Disc introduced with the Macbook Air, this option will be tempting for many."
Although there's no evidence to make a solid prediction at this time, overdue updates to the Mac Pro and Mac mini, combined with Apple having forgone a once-planned bump of its iMacs ahead of the holiday season, next January's Macworld Expo could be shaping up to be a Mac desktop-tinged affair.
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143 Comments
The mini is a nice machine, but I don't understand why Apple doesn't make it better.
It should have the same HW as a MBP. Losing the optical disk might be a good way to boost storage without increasing size.
I still think that the mini and the AppleTV should be one kick-ass device.
The mini is a nice machine, but I don't understand why Apple doesn't make it better.
It should have the same HW as a MBP. Losing the optical disk might be a good way to boost storage without increasing size.
I still think that the mini and the AppleTV should be one kick-ass device.
I agree and it wouldn't take much- just discontinue AppleTV, add it's software to the mini, add an HDMI port and boom - it's a combo of both. I would keep the optical drive though -with an option for blu-ray.
A mini with two hard drives would solve another problem besides offering server services, and that is storage for all your media downloaded from an AppleTV. Perhaps we will see a redesign to conform to the AppleTV enclosure dimensions and a stackable option might come to fruition. A media mini stack as it were. Blu-Ray would make sense here as well since it displays in 1080p and it will be a long time before we see 1080p downloads. Not everyone needs or wants 1080p so it doesn't seem like it would compete with their iTunes strategy. A stackable option would allow people to pick and choose how they consume media and Apple gets to sell hardware.
I agree and it wouldn't take much- just discontinue AppleTV, add it's software to the mini, add an HDMI port and boom - it's a combo of both. I would keep the optical drive though -with an option for blu-ray.
I definitely agree. The Mac Mini is awesome for home theater systems and would be even better if they combined the Mac Mini and the AppleTV.
I've been so tempted the last couple of months to get a Mac Mini and hook it up to my DirecTV satellite box with EyeTV and use it as my DVR, DVD player and media player. Combing the two would make the whole process a lot easier and consumer friendly.
It's sounding more and more like Apple *intended* to update the Mini (and perhaps the iMac as well), but that "something happened."
Add in the fact that they barely got the MacBook and MacBook Pro out the door recently (with some members of the group missing in action no less), and it almost looks like you could use the word "struggling" to describe their performance of late.
Oh well, at least we won't have to see that "beleaguered" word ever again.