There will be massive changes again for Apple's M4 Mac mini that are coming soon as the company will reportedly now remove the USB-A ports that have been available since the device was introduced.
According to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman in his latest Power On newsletter, this change means that the Mac mini will now have five USB-C ports.
In addition to these changes, Apple is also working on introducing a budget Magic Keyboard that will join the new Mac mini's release.
Apple M4 Mac mini to Remove All USB-A Ports for the First Time
Since Apple introduced the Mac mini, it featured USB-A ports, and it is the only existing Mac computer that features Type-A ports. However, that is about to change in the upcoming entry of the M4 Mac era. According to Gurman, there will be two versions of the Mac mini coming. One will feature the base M4 and the will have the M4 Pro.
This release, which is speculated for a November launch, will reportedly five USB-C ports instead. The previous Mac mini M2 only had two Thunderbolt 4 USB-C ports, while the M2 Pro featured four Type-C ports. Both feature two USB-A ports.
It was not revealed by Gurman if the new M4 Mac minis will have additional USB-C ports. There has also been no mention if all of these five USB-C ports will be Thunderbolt 4 versions.
Given the changes, the M4 Mac mini will have five USB-C ports, ethernet, HDMI, and a headphone jack. It will also include an internal power supply, said Gurman.
New Budget Magic Keyboard Coming From Apple
Apart from these changes, Apple is also working on offering a budget version of its Magic Keyboard that will be meant for the M4 Mac mini's use. The keyboard will likewise be compatible with other devices.
It was revealed by Gurman that this is for the "non-Pro" devices, including entry-level iPads and Macs.
Apple's M4 Mac Revamp Plans for 2024
Apple started the year with a massive iPad event that took place last May called the "Let Loose," and it was during this event that Apple introduced the M4 chipset for its devices. It was featured on the iPad Pro, which also featured a new OLED display that is capable of tapping into Apple Intelligence.
This marks the first time that the iPad was prioritized over ths Macs in terms of getting Apple's latest Silicon-based chip as it skipped the M3 for the iPad Pro.
There are speculations behind Apple's plans to also revamp almost the entire Mac lineup with the M4 chipset, focusing specifically on its MacBook Pro, Mac mini, and iMac. However, while initial reports claimed that the MacBook Air will also be part of these changes, recent claims from analysts only mentioned the upgrade for the three computers mentioned earlier.
The Mac mini seems to also be receiving this M4 upgrade from the Cupertino-based tech giant, particularly with the upcoming changes that will come in the speculated release. Should all speculations be accurate, the Mac mini will follow the MacBook lineup's footsteps in leaving behind USB-A ports, with USB-C set to take over the experience.
Related Article: Apple Nears M4 Chip Completion, Hints on Overhauling Mac Line
