Apple was originally expected to announce the new iPad mini 7 alongside its upgraded Macs in early November, but it saw fit to introduce the new model almost 15 days early. This left us questioning when the new Macs might arrive with the M4 chip refresh, and it appears that the launch time frame might be sooner than expected. A tipster now claims that Apple will launch the redesigned Mac mini as soon as this week, and the device will feature five USB-C ports in its I/0.
Apple expected to launch redesigned Mac mini this week with five USB-C ports
Apple is expected to announce new 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models with an M4, M4 Pro, and M4 Max chips alongside the new 24-inch iMac. However, the machines will not feature any major design changes, and the internal upgrades would only be the reason why users should consider upgrading from the M3 variants. On the flip side, the M4 Mac mini poses a different story, as we are expecting Apple to redesign the device completely, offering the machine in a much smaller package.
Sonny Dickson claims that he expects the new Mac mini to be released this week. While we can not be too certain about the release time frame, Apple does release new products before a major software update rollout. Yesterday, Apple released the RC builds of iOS 18.1, iPadOS 18.1, and macOS Sequoia to developers, which means that the updates could be released to the general public on October 28.
I just heard a rumor that the new Mac Mini might be released this week, expected to feature 5 USB-C ports.
— Sonny Dickson (@SonnyDickson) October 22, 2024
With the time frame in mind, Apple's iPad mini 7 will receive a day-one update of iPadOS 18.1, but on the same day, Apple will also make iOS 18.1 and macOS Sequoia available to the public. It would be the perfect opportunity for Apple to launch the new M4 Mac mini and other Macs. The company will possibly announce the new Macs via a press release, similar to what it did with the iPad mini 7. This is because if the company wanted to launch the new Macs through a dedicated event, it would already have sent out press invites to select media personnel.
However, if the company plans to release the products a bit later in November via a dedicated event, it will send event invites soon. Other than the release time frame, Sonny Dickson also mentions that the redesigned Mac mini will launch with five USB-C ports compared to two USB-C ports on the current model. We will share more details on the products as soon as additional information is available.
About the author: Ali Salman is a technology reporter for Wccftech mobile section with a specialized focus on Apple and the intellectual property that drives mobile innovation. He has cultivated a unique expertise in analyzing and deconstructing complex technology patents, translating dense legal and technical documents into clear, insightful reports on future products.
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