Apple Mac Mini: just how committed is Apple about a 2017 Mac Mini refresh?
With no official word yet on a reboot of the aging Apple Mac Mini in 2017, fans of the mini-desktop Mac are running low of hopes, while hanging on existing rumors of a March relaunch.
Apple has put a lot of focus on its iOS ecosystem, and it even brought many features native of iOS, to macOS Sierra, which may be a signal that Apple’s commitment to the Mac may go as far as the MacBook Pro and iMac, and no further.
The last update of the Apple Mac Mini dates back to 2014, only a year after the last update for another endangered product: the Apple Mac Pro.
We might be reading too much into it, but it seems as though Apple may be thinking of a simplification of its brands and products, especially after ending production of products that, whilst beloved, have become rather long in the tooth, such as the Apple Thunderbolt Display, and the 11-inch MacBook Air, to which the 13 inch version is sure to follow, as the last surviving non-Retina Mac.
If the Mac Mini reaches the end of line, there may be no indicators to predict it, aside from market projections and rumors. Typically, Apple begins to discount products that are scheduled for a refresh, or an update, but not products that are going to be cut off from production cycles, such as the Thunderbolt Display and the MacBook Air.
This also means that those who may be wondering about buying a Mac Mini, should snag one now, rather than later, when Apple’s distribution channels begin rationing supply towards a thinning out of existing stock.
Aside from streamlining Apple’s product lines, the reason for Apple to discontinue the Mac Mini may come down to a combination of sales numbers and competing products within Apple.
Considering that purchasing a Mac Mini, along with a display, may cost as much as the cheapest MacBook available, the motivation to buy a Mac Mini might not be as strong, at least according to Apple’s internal projections. Speaking of the latter, such numbers are unknown to the public, for several valid reasons concerning competing companies that may try to tap into gaps Apple may leave open temporarily until future device announcements.
Apple’s next event will be this Spring, most likely in March, as it has been a tradition for a few years now. It won’t be long before Apple makes an official announcement in regard to the Mac Mini, whether we’ll like it or not.
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