The Mac mini is still an “important part” of Apple’s lineup, according to CEO Tim Cook. The most affordable macOS machine has gone without an update for three years, but fans should not be worried about it getting the chop.

The Mac mini proved popular after bring introduced in 2005. It made owning an Apple desktop incredibly affordable for the first time. Apple has introduced eight updated versions of the machine since then, but the current model is now over three years old.

That makes the Mac mini, despite its affordable price tag, a bad purchase for any macOS user.

You still get a spinning hard disk drive as standard, its Intel processors are outdated, and the base model comes with a measly 4GB of RAM. There are a generous number of connectivity ports, however — including traditional USB and an SD card slot.

The Mac mini isn’t dead

The Mac mini has been ignored, while the rest of Apple’s lineup has been improved with fancy new designs and the latest technology. Most fans have already accepted that it’s dead; we’ve just been waiting for Apple to officially discontinue it.

But that’s not going to happen. At least not yet.

Cook told one Mac mini fan in an email that, “while it is not time to share any details, we do plan for Mac mini to be an important part of our product line going forward.”

Cook echoes similar comments made by Phil Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of worldwide marketing, back in April. “The Mac Mini is an important product in our lineup,” he said after the iMac Pro’s unveiling. “But nothing more to say about it today.”

It looks certain Apple will update the Mac mini, then — we just have no idea when. With iPhone X and HomePod right around the corner, it seems unlikely the refresh will come this year, but Apple could be planning a surprise for the holiday season.

Via: MacRumors