Apple has increased its iPhone model sizes by a lot in the past few years, but when it comes to computers, looks like the tech giant is going the opposite way. As per a report by Bloomberg, Apple is planning to launch its smallest ever Mac Mini this year with the latest M4 and M4 Pro chips. Notably, this is expected to be the first major design change since 2010.
As per the report, the said Mac Mini is likely to be the almost the same size as an Apple TV that is 1.4-inch high right now, or maybe slightly taller than that. Other than that, it is expected to be feature an aluminium shell. The people working on the device revealed that the upcoming Mac Mini is “essentially an iPad Pro in a small box”.
Apple has reportedly tested Type-C ports on the back of the Mac Mini models along with power cable and HDMI port. The device is likely to be available in two versions: one with the standard M4 chip, similar to the iPad Pro, and one with an M4 Pro chip. Additionally, it is expected that the base model is likely to start shipping to the suppliers this month while the high-end model might not be ready until October. This will be the first time that Apple’s Mac lineup is coming with the same M4 chip. Apple will also launch its iPhone 16 series later this year.
In other news, it was recently reported by CNBC citing Counterpoint Analyst, that Apple will start charging its customers for Apple Intelligence features. Neil Shah, partner, Counterpoint Research, told CNBC that Apple is likely to put $20 premium for AI features as part of Apple One subscription bundle. He stated, “Software and services makes it more lucrative for Apple to pass it on with the Apple One subscription model.”
Additionally, Ben Wood, chief of research at CCS Insight, told CNBC, “Apple is one of the few connected devices companies that has successfully monetised the value-added services it offers. On this basis, it can’t be ruled out that Apple may choose to charge for more advanced features within its Apple Intelligence offering.”