Dan Moren, writing for Macworld, starts with this Phil Schiller comment:
“The Mac mini remains a product in our lineup. Nothing more to say about it today,” Phil Schiller told reporters, according to John Gruber.
and then digs into the past and potential future of the Mac mini. Good read.
I love my 2012 Mac mini. I don’t like the fact that you can’t update the memory on the 2014 though.
More speculation. Schiller and Federighi were very specific with the language that they used, likely for good reason. It’s funny how nerds who normally parse every last detail of Apple’s intent at other times are running amok with what was said (and what wasn’t said) in that briefing.
Like “…we want to architect [the new Mac Pro] so that we can keep it fresh with regular improvements…” (please note the use of the word “we”), “The Mac mini remains a product in our lineup” is very specifically phrased. It says nothing about that product’s longevity, because they weren’t ready to commit to it.
I love the existence of the mini; I inherited one of the original models, which I put to work running older software as the occasion arises. A 2012 mini is my wife’s desktop.
I have a hard time imagining the Mac mini being unavailable to potential older switchers who are considering replacing their Windows desktop rigs. Unless, of course, Apple believes they’ve switched enough of them.
I too love my 2012 Mac mini. I use it as an archiving center and as my streaming computer for baseball and other live events. It’s surprisingly fast and it is running very well with MacOS Sierra.
I hope that Apple will continue to not only offer the mini, but upgrade it on a regular basis for many years to come. It is my intent to purchase another one while continuing to use both my iMac and looking forward to replacing my 2009 Mac Pro with the newer ones Apple recently revealed were in the works.
Well, you can’t upgrade the RAM on any of Apple’s notebooks anymore either. Apple no longer charges eye watering prices for extra RAM, so I really don’t see the problem – just order your computer with the maximum possible RAM when you buy it and you’re done.
I was expecting a response like this. It’s easy to say to just buy the maximum possible RAM and that “Apple no longer charges eye watering prices for extra RAM” but you need to consider that some people don’t have the luxury of spending the extra money up front. Despite the lower cost of RAM upgrades from Apple, I was still able to max out my 2012 mini for half of what Apple would have charged. I added an SSD too so I could set up a fusion drive at a lower cost than Apple’s price. Saved myself a couple hundred dollars between the two upgrades.
As for the notebook comparison, I’m a little less critical there since there is a trade-off in terms of potability that is not necessary in a desktop.
“The Mac mini remains a product in our lineup. Nothing more to say about it today,” Phil Schiller told reporters…
And then a few paragraphs later, we get: “If we take Schiller’s comment as the Mac mini sticking around, what might a new model look like?”
The one does not at all follow from the other. “The Mac mini remains a product in our lineup” is an utter non-statement. Yes, it’s a product in your lineup. There was absolutely no inkling of a commitment to improving it. Don’t over-read Schiller’s statement, people.
See Gruber’s report… Schiller: “On that I’ll say the Mac Mini is an important product in our lineup and we weren’t bringing it up because it’s more of a mix of consumer with some pro use. …”
IOW, the meeting focused on Pro usage. Considerably more positive than the quote being bandied around.
I use a 2012 Mini. I do this because it’s quite a little powerhouse and I prefer the lower profile of the 27″ Cinema Display to the bulkier cross-section of a 27″ iMac. I also like the ability to upgrade display and computer independently as needed.
Therefore it greatly disappoints me that Apple has effectively broken Steve Jobs’ promise to make the best possible products by neutering newer iterations of the Mini. The reason couldn’t be more obvious: they make more money forcing those buyers to purchase either a pro laptop or an iMac. It doesn’t surprise me, but it disappoints me.
“I also like the ability to upgrade display and computer independently as needed.”
Another great reason that I love the mini.
Ok, well that makes more sense. The article should definitely have used your quote instead of the one it used. The quote they used just didn’t carry the rest of the thesis.
Google is paying $97 per hour! Work for few hours & have longer with friends and family! !wr341c:
On monday I got a great new mclaren f1 from having earned $12778 this last four weeks.. 3 to 5 hours of work a day… Weekly paychecks… Bonus opportunities…Its the most-financialy rewarding I’ve had.. It sounds unbelievable but you wont forgive yourself if you don’t check it
!wr341c:
➽➽
➽➽➽➽ http://GoogleFinancialCashJobs341MarketPower/GetPaid$97/Hour… ★✫★★✫★✫★★✫★✫★★✫★✫★★✫★✫★★✫★✫★★✫★✫★★✫★✫★★✫★✫★★✫★✫★★✫★✫★★✫:::!wr341u:………