A well-known analyst has claimed that a new Mac mini won't launch this year. The report is in direct contrast to earlier rumors that suggested the new Mac mini is all set to hit store shelves in 2022. The current Mac mini was launched back in 2020 with the original M1 chip, and Apple also offers an Intel-powered model that costs more than the M1-powered version.
The Mac mini is Apple's smallest and most economical desktop computer. Above it, lies the all-in-one iMac, while the Mac Pro is the company's largest and most powerful offering in the desktop segment. Apple held an event earlier this week where it added to the Mac lineup with the new Mac Studio. This latest addition attempts to combine the form-factor of a Mac mini with the power and efficacy of the Mac Pro.
In a Tweet on Thursday night, TF International Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said that the upcoming Mac mini won't be hitting the market before next year. The news not only goes against other recent reports from various sources, but is also in direct contrast to Kuo's own earlier claim that Apple is fixing to launch a new Mac mini later this year. Just last week, Kuo predicted that Apple will launch a more powerful Mac mini and a cheaper external display in 2022. While the Studio Display has since been launched, buyers will apparently have to wait until next year for an updated mini.
No New Mac mini In 2022
Kuo offered no further details about the Mac mini, nor any reason why the withdrawal of an earlier prediction. However, it is plausible that Kuo's sources were counting on the Mac Studio being marketed as the new 'powerful' Mac mini. Now that it has been launched under a different name, it seems as though the real next-gen Mac mini will only be unveiled next year. If Kuo's latest assertion is correct, the expensive Intel-powered Mac mini might continue to sell alongside the more affordable M1-powered variant for the foreseeable future.
Rumors about a refreshed Mac mini lineup have been doing the rounds for some time now. According to a report from last year, the next-gen Mac mini could get a radical redesign with a smaller chassis, a plexiglass-like top, and a dual-tone finish. Another report from late last year suggested that the next-gen Mac mini could ship with more ports than the current M1-powered device, including 4x Thunderbolt ports, 2x USB-A ports, 1x Ethernet, and 1x HDMI. In terms of the processor, the next Mac mini is said to be powered by Apple's M2 chip, which is rumored to feature an octa-core CPU (4x performance cores and 4x efficiency cores) and a deca-core GPU.
Source: Ming-Chi Kuo/Twitter