Apple is reportedly planning to roll out a new version of the Mac mini and MacBook in October of this year, according to Mark Gurman and Debby Wu of Bloomberg. Apple generally introduces new Macs in the month of October followed by new iPhone announcements in September.
The MacBook that is expected to be announced this year is reportedly going to look similar to the MacBook Air as it would have thinner bezels and a weight of below four pounds. And it is likely going to have a high-resolution 13-inch Retina Display. This is notable because Apple has not built a MacBook Air with a Retina Display yet.
Apple updated the MacBook Air about a year ago with an upgraded processor, but it did not have any other standout features. Gurman’s sources said that Quanta Computer and Hon Hai Precision Industry (known as Foxconn) currently manufacture the latest MacBooks and will be involved in the upcoming models as well.
There is speculation that the new MacBook Air will have a starting price of $999. At this price point, the new MacBook Air is expected to appeal to consumers with lower budgets and for schools looking to make bulk purchases. Apple’s latest computer introductions have been more appealing to consumers with bigger budgets such as a new MacBook Pro and the iMac Pro.
But even more exciting is a new Mac mini. The Mac mini — which has not been refreshed since late 2014 — is a desktop that does not come with a screen, mouse or keyboard. Mac minis usually have a starting price of $499 and many people appreciate it for the lower cost, but this new version is reportedly going to have a higher starting price due to substantial increases in processor and storage hardware. As a result, Apple may consider naming it "Mac mini Pro."
In October 2017, a MacRumors reader had emailed Apple CEO Tim Cook to ask whether a Mac mini is expected to be in the pipeline anytime soon. Cook responded by saying “I’m glad you love Mac mini. We love it too. Our customers have found so many creative and interesting uses for Mac mini. 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's email reply makes the potential of a new Mac mini this year seem even more credible. Plus Gurman has accurately predicted Apple rumors for years.
Apple is also preparing to release macOS Mojave and iOS 12 next month. For Macs, macOS Mojave will include a new Dark Mode, the ability to organize files with Stacks, a revamped version of Finder, more complete metadata, the ability to edit files through Quick Look, Group FaceTime and four ported over apps from iOS — which are News, Stocks, Home and Voice Memos. At the same event, Apple is rumored to be introducing three iPhones, new iPad Pros with Face ID and Apple Watch devices with larger displays in September.
