Apple Mac mini leak reveals delayed release date, additional I/O options, and obligatory price hike

The expected 2022 Apple Mac mini is seemingly AWOL; however, new details about the compact PC have been produced by LeaksApplePro (via iDropNews). First up are some reasons why the redesigned Mac mini wasn’t part of Apple’s recent keynote alongside the new MacBook Air and MacBook Pro. Not only would it arguably have been overkill, with the Mac mini possibly being overshadowed by its illustrious laptop relatives, but also it is reported that “production problems” in China have caused supply issues. It wouldn’t be a great move for Apple to launch a Mac mini if there weren’t enough units for people to buy.

The source assures readers that the wait for the Mac mini 2022 (or even 2023) will be worth it though. The little PC may be released at the end of 2022 or start of 2023 and apparently “it’s absolutely beautiful”. Apple has purportedly kept color choices to a single option of white, but the redesigned M2 Mac mini gets a glass top, a svelte body, and even more ports than were previously leaked.

Renderings provided by Jon Prosser/Ian Zelbo showed the Apple Mac mini with a power connector, 4x USB Type-C, 2x USB Type-A, 10 GB Ethernet, and an HDMI port on the rear. New renderings show the same selection on the back (although organized slightly differently) while the front of the small device now also features a handy SD card reader and a 3.5 mm audio jack.

The increased connectivity options would certainly be welcomed by fans of the Mac mini but the expected price hike may not be as warmly embraced. The report states a price increase of US$100 for the computer, bringing the entry-level unit price up from US$699 to US$799. However, this seems reasonable as the 2022 or 2023 Apple Mac mini will undoubtedly feature plenty of upgrades over the current model, along with a refreshed look, and more than likely a more-powerful chipset in the form of an Apple M2 series SoC.

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