Apple is preparing the biggest design update to the Mac mini since 2010. It will be the company's smallest computer, about the size of an Apple TV set-top box, and will be released by the end of 2024. This was reported by Bloomberg.
Despite its overall smaller size, the Mac mini can also get a little taller. The current models are 3.58 centimeters high and 19.70 centimeters long and wide. For comparison, the Apple TV is 9.3 centimeters wide and long, and 3.1 centimeters high.
It is also reported that the computer will receive two configurations codenamed J773. One of them will be the base model and will have a regular M4, with components similar to the iPad Pro inside. The second model will be more premium, will receive the unannounced M4 Pro, and will support additional memory and more graphics power.
The company is also testing a Mac mini with at least three USB-c ports on the back in addition to a power and HDMI connector. It is expected that the cost of developing the new computers will be lower, but it is not known whether the price for customers will decrease.
Apple suppliers are planning to ship regular M4 processors this month for the computer's release later this year. Models with M4 Pro will not be ready until October.
The new mini will be one of several new Macs that Apple will introduce over the next few months. There are also plans for an iMac and MacBook Pro with M4 chips, which may also be released by the end of this year. In addition, MacBook Air is being prepared for spring, and Mac Pro and Mac Studio are planned for mid-2025.