Mac Mini 2017 Rumors: Apple to Launch Update to Mini Desktop System in Late 2017?

By Amee Florence Payno, Christian Post Contributor Tuesday, May 02, 2017

Since a new version of the Mac mini was not announced to be launched back in 2016, fears and rumors began to surface that Apple might have totally abandoned its cheapest Mac. However, recently, the company dispelled such rumors, confirming that the Mac mini is still an important product to the company.

In a press briefing held in April, the Cupertino-based tech company's senior vice president of worldwide marketing, Phil Schiller, mentioned that Apple is still very much interested in developing the Mac mini.

"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. ... The Mac mini remains a product in our lineup, but nothing more to say about it today," Schiller said, as reported by John Gruber of Daring Fireball.

Apple last updated the Mac mini in October 2014. The current models, which are designed to be connected to a display and peripherals purchased separately, vary in price from $499 to $999. The base model of the device is equipped with a 1.4 GHz dual-core Intel Core i5 processor with 4 GB of random-access memory (RAM), 500 GB hard drive, as well as integrated Intel HD Graphics 5000.

The Mac mini is Apple's most budget-focused desktop system, and as such, it features relatively low-end components. For the upcoming upgrade of this mini desktop system, speculations suggest that Intel's Kaby Lake processors or the previous generation of Skylake processors could be used to significantly boost its power.

For the graphics, Apple may stick with integrated graphics much like the current range of Mac mini models. As for its RAM offering, the entry level Mac mini, which currently features 4 GB RAM as standard, may be ramped up to 8 GB in its upgraded model.

As for when the upcoming Mac mini will be arriving, it is very likely that it could arrive in either Sept. or Oct. 2017 since Apple last updated the Mac mini around the same time in Oct. 2014.