Rumored Mac mini update will arrive much later than expected, says Ming-Chi Kuo

Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo now expects Apple won't release a revised Mac mini until 2023, instead of the 2022 that he previously predicted.

Ming-Chi Kuo has tweeted his updated predictions for Apple's major hardware releases in 2022 and 2023. Following his first version on March 6, 2022, the revised tweet pushes the Mac mini into 2023.

Predictions for Apple's new desktop products:
1. 2022: More powerful Mac mini and more affordable external display (27-inch without mini-LED).
2. 2023: Mac Pro and iMac Pro.
— (Ming-Chi Kuo) (@mingchikuo) March 6, 2022

Kuo offers no further details about the Mac mini, nor why he believes it's been moved.

A major update to the Mac mini has been rumored for some time, with claims from mid-2021 including a radical redesign of the smallest Mac Apple currently sells.

While retaining the same general square puck shape, the design of the Mac mini is thought to include a metal rim and a polycarbonate top, along with rubber feet instead of a circular base.

An AppleInsider render of the rear of an updated Mac mini

Around the back are thought to be considerably more ports than the first M1 Mac mini, with four Thunderbolt ports accompanied by two USB-A ports, Ethernet, and HDMI. Borrowing the idea from the 24-inch iMac, it is also speculated that the Mac mini could inherit the magnetic charging connection.

The analyst has also recently predicted that Apple may not release any new hardware with mini LED technology in 2022, because of current cost concerns. That had meant no "Studio Display Pro," but his claim of a non-mini LED monitor fits with analyst Ross Young's claim that another display is already in production.

16 Comments

Stabitha_Christie 569 comments · 3 Years

About 2 years ago

Suggestion to AI, if you are going to talk about the revised tweet in the story maybe you should quote it rather than the older one that has the Mac mini still coming out this year.

As for the predictions go, In 2020 Tim Cook said the transition would take two years. There are two possible ways to interpret that. I think he meant two years from when he said it, June of 2020. But maybe he meant two years from when it started, November 2020. Using either date the Mac Pro has to come out this year or Apple has missed its deadline. So 2023 seems unlikely and I’m guessing WWDC in a few months.

That said, Tim Cool also said there would be new Intel Macs as well and those haven’t materialized. Maybe Apple will release one final Intel Mac Pro alongside the new M-series for customers that can make the move yet? Or maybe Apple just had a change of plans?

mjtomlin 2690 comments · 20 Years

About 2 years ago

Stabitha_Christie said:

Suggestion to AI, if you are going to talk about the revised tweet in the story maybe you should quote it rather than the older one that has the Mac mini still coming out this year.
As for the predictions go, In 2020 Tim Cook said the transition would take two years. There are two possible ways to interpret that. I think he meant two years from when he said it, June of 2020. But maybe he meant two years from when it started, November 2020. Using either date the Mac Pro has to come out this year or Apple has missed its deadline. So 2023 seems unlikely and I’m guessing WWDC in a few months.

Nothing wrong with missing a deadline on such a marginal product. But... I don't think they'll miss anything. The Pro will be announced at WWDC and released in the Fall.
Tim Cool also said there would be new Intel Macs as well and those haven’t materialized

A few months after Tim said that, they released a new Intel-based 27" iMac, which has now gone the way of the Dodo. (But I believe will come back with the next gen Pro/Max.)When they do announce the new Mac Pro with Apple Silicon, they will also update and continue to sell the Intel model, as a large chunk of their pro-level customers' workflows may be tied to Intel. They also continue to sell Intel-based Mac mini because they are still extremely popular with server farms.

Stabitha_Christie 569 comments · 3 Years

About 2 years ago

mjtomlin said:

Stabitha_Christie said:

Suggestion to AI, if you are going to talk about the revised tweet in the story maybe you should quote it rather than the older one that has the Mac mini still coming out this year.
As for the predictions go, In 2020 Tim Cook said the transition would take two years. There are two possible ways to interpret that. I think he meant two years from when he said it, June of 2020. But maybe he meant two years from when it started, November 2020. Using either date the Mac Pro has to come out this year or Apple has missed its deadline. So 2023 seems unlikely and I’m guessing WWDC in a few months.

Nothing wrong with missing a deadline on such a marginal product. But... I don't think they'll miss anything. The Pro will be announced at WWDC and released in the Fall.
Tim Cool also said there would be new Intel Macs as well and those haven’t materialized

A few months after Tim said that, they released a new Intel-based 27" iMac, which has now gone the way of the Dodo. (But I believe will come back with the next gen Pro/Max.)When they do announce the new Mac Pro with Apple Silicon, they will also update and continue to sell the Intel model, as a large chunk of their pro-level customers' workflows may be tied to Intel. They also continue to sell Intel-based Mac mini because they are still extremely popular with server farms.

I didn't say there was anything wrong with missing the deadline, I just think the odd that prediction is in 2023 when Apple has stated that they will be done with the transition by then. Given Ming-Chi Kuo completely bungled the most recent round of predictions I'm also taking the 2023 thing with a large grain of salt.

I guess they did do an update. Man, how did I miss the Comet Lake update in Aug 2020? Okay, you have no way of knowing how I missed that. That was totally an unfair question to ask you. I'm guessing I saw the news but since it wasn't Apple Silicon I didn't pay it much mind.

mike1 3431 comments · 10 Years

About 2 years ago

Stabitha_Christie said:

I didn't say there was anything wrong with missing the deadline, I just think the odd that prediction is in 2023 when Apple has stated that they will be done with the transition by then. Given Ming-Chi Kuo completely bungled the most recent round of predictions I'm also taking the 2023 thing with a large grain of salt.

What?! The Mac Mini was among the first to move to Apple Silicon, so being whether the next Mini launches in 2022 or 2023 has nothing to do with Apple meeting their 2-year transition plan.

Stabitha_Christie 569 comments · 3 Years

About 2 years ago

mike1 said:

Stabitha_Christie said:

I didn't say there was anything wrong with missing the deadline, I just think the odd that prediction is in 2023 when Apple has stated that they will be done with the transition by then. Given Ming-Chi Kuo completely bungled the most recent round of predictions I'm also taking the 2023 thing with a large grain of salt.

What?! The Mac Mini was among the first to move to Apple Silicon, so being whether the next Mini launches in 2022 or 2023 has nothing to do with Apple meeting their 2-year transition plan.

You are correct, the next Mac mini has nothing to do with Apple meeting the timeline. If you look at my original comment you will see that I was talking about he Mac Pro and Ming-Chi Kuo's prediction that it will move to Apple Silicon in 2023. That would mean Apple missed it's self imposed timeline of two years.

Quote from my original post:
"Using either date the Mac Pro has to come out this year or Apple has missed its deadline. So 2023 seems unlikely and I’m guessing WWDC in a few months."