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

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.