That’s what the folks at AppleInsider say they’re hearing from respected sources. According to the report, some say Apple only created the mini under pressure from shareholders who wanted a sub-$800 Mac, and have since neglected it because they were never crazy about the idea to begin with.
If the “sources” are true, then that’s a shame. I purchased a mini a couple of years ago, and it is the first Mac I’ve ever owned. I was thrilled that I could finally get a Mac for less than the price of a used car. I was always interested in Macs but could never afford them. Along came the mini and I took my first step into the Mac world. Looks like it may be my last.
Quite honestly, the mini is an incredibly mediocre machine hardware-wise, but I’ve been willing to suffer the sub-par performance to get the convenience, reliability, and security of OS X and the great multi-media apps that Apple offers (specifically the iLife suite). And while I’ve become a fan, I can’t see myself ever paying several thousand dollars for the privilege of using a Mac, even if I could afford to do so.
If Apple ditches the mini and doesn’t replace it with something comparably-priced, when my mini finally kicks the bucket I’ll probably end up switching back to a Windows machine. But I’m sure there aren’t enough Apple fans on a budget such as me to make Steve Jobs sweat his yacht payments if that happens.
I got a MacBook for Christmas. It was love at first site!