Currently this is just a rumor and I haven’t found any confirmation of it yet but allegedly a Mac Mini enthusiast sent an email to Bob Mansfield, Mac hardware engineering chief, regarding the possible demise of the product.
Mansfield didn’t personally reply but a colleague did reply, not stating a time table for a Mac Mini update but assuring the enthusiast that the company was well aware of the system’s market value and suggested that enthusiast be patient.
“I got a prompt reply by phone from an Apple executive care person essentially giving me no new information but assuring me that Apple knew the mini was a popular machine and to be patient,” the customer told AppleInsider. “I certainly appreciated the contact, and I think it was a nice way of letting me know that rather than bug their head guys.”
The Mac Mini hasn’t received any significant updates in over a year and this has started to worry many Mac Mini enthusiasts of the possible discontinuation of the computer.
There have been several rumors of the Mac Mini being discontinued for about a year now and none of them have seemed to come to pass but with MacWorld coming and with so many updates happening recently (entire iPod lineup and entire notebook lineup) one has to wonder what will be announced at MacWorld.
There have been many rumors of updates to the iMac lately and it is possible that we could see a refresh at MacWorld but it is more likely that the iMac will only get speed bumps and the only announcement made about it would be in the form of a press release.
I truly think that we could see a brand new Mac Mini replacement at MacWorld. Not necessarily a new revision of the Mac Mini but a computer that would sit in the same price bracket with maybe even a new design.
The addition of the new Nvidia chipsets and DisplayPort would make the Mac Mini much more appealing to a lot of consumers and a spec jump that would bring it up to par with the current MacBooks is much needed.
I will continue to tell Mac Mini lovers not to get their hopes up, the Mac Mini hasn’t exactly shown any sign of being that well liked by Apple but don’t be too surprised if we see new ones at MacWorld.