World of Apple

According to AppleInsider Apple has reassured one fan of the Mac mini via phone that the desktop computer would be addressed in time.

Having read much of the rumours about the Mac minis demise one particular customer contacted Apple’s Bob Mansfield for an answer on the future of the Mac mini. Mansfield didn’t personally reply to the curious customer but Apple’s executive care team did give a timely response via telephone.

“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.”

There is a growing expectation amongst many that the Mac mini could see a revision at Macworld Expo in January.

Despite rumours that Apple would be updating the iMac and Mac mini sometime in November, Apple has today denied any such plans.

In a statement made to Macworld.com, Apple spokesman Bill Evans told the publication that, “Our holiday line-up is set.”

It was recently rumoured that Apple would update the Mac mini and iMac on November 10, in addition AppleInsider had pinpointed November as the stage for an iMac speedbump.

Dennis Sellers of MacsimumNews has gone out on a limb today and predicted that both the iMac and the long stagnant Mac mini will see an update on November 10th (a Monday). But also goes onto state that a Mac Pro update will come at Macworld in January, not the normal destination for a pro orientated product release.

Sellers who makes no mention of sources goes onto to explain that Apple will want to ship new Pro desktops that will work with a new line of Cinema Displays that will feature the Mini DisplayPort connection. Adding that Apple will release new Cinema Displays at sizes of 20, 24 and 30-inches. This would be in addition to the current 23-inch model.

Finally Sellers leaves us hanging by noting that this is not all that Apple will announce at Macworld which runs from 5 - 9 January 2009.

Gizmodo is reporting that Apple may announce during today’s fiscal conference that the Mac mini is being discontinued.

According to Gizmodo’s European retail sources Apple has told them not to expect any further shipments of the Mac mini.

It was first rumoured a year ago that the Mac mini could be close to discontinuation.

AppleInsider have eaten their words and withdrawn a report made last year which stated that the Mac mini would soon be discontinued.

The rumour site originally stated that the Mac mini had seen limited up-take during its first 24 months on the market and would be discontinued in the near future.

The Mac mini recievded its last minor update in August 2007.

According to the rumour site the Mac mini’s future is still uncertain but the bottom of the line Mac lives on for now.

MacScoop is reporting that both the Mac mini and iMac will receive updates in the next few weeks.

Though we don’t have a precise release date, we expect the iMac and the Mac mini refreshes to happen within the next four weeks, inventory clearing being the only constraint.

The site reports that the refresh will mainly bring Intel’s 45nm Penryn microprocessor to both the iMac and Mac mini. The same processors present in the recently updated MacBook and MacBook Pro updates.

The site also expects the Mac mini to upgrade to the GMA3100 graphics chipset used in the most recent MacBook.

Finally MacScoop reports that Apple has been working to reduce the thickness of the iMac but the changes will not make it into this revision.

AppleInsider reports that the Mac mini could be nearing EOL. The rumour site notes that the bottom of the range Mac is being phased out ahead of Mac OS X Leopard’s release and channel partners have been told by Apple not to expect any shipments of its current Mac mini configurations.

AppleInsider announced back in May that the Mac mini was on its last legs but the mini was surprisingly “refreshed” with a moderate hardware update just two months ago.

The rumour site appears unsure whether slowing shipments are simply a pre-emptive measure ahead of Leopards release or whether the Mac mini is finally seeing the end of the tunnel.

Apple has today updated the Mac mini computer, the Mac mini was only mentioned briefly during a question and answer session held at the end of the Special Event.

The update brings Core 2 processors to the Mac mini with a 1.83GHz model and 2.0GHz model starting at $599 as well as;

• 1 GB RAM standard (up from 512 MB on entry model)
• 80 or 120 GB Hard Drives (up from 60/80 GB)
• Integrated GMA 950 graphics
• Gigabit Ethernet, 802.11g wireless + bluetooth 2.0 builtin