Apple to remove USB-A ports from upcoming next-gen Mac mini, reports Gurman

Apple’s next Mac mini, which is expected to launch before the end of the year, won’t include any USB-A ports as part of its rumored full redesign, according to a report by Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman.

Currently, the Mac mini with the M2 chip features two USB-C ports and two USB-A ports, while the M2 Pro variant comes with four USB-C ports and two USB-A ports. In his “Power On” newsletter on Sunday, Gurman explained that the new Mac mini equipped with the M4 Pro chip will instead have five USB-C ports. Three of these USB-C ports will be positioned on the back, and two on the front, similar to the design of the Mac Studio. The redesigned Mac mini will maintain its ports for ethernet, HDMI, and 3.5mm audio, and it will continue to have an internal power supply.

Last month, Gurman noted that the next-generation Mac mini featuring the M4 and M4 Pro chips would undergo its first significant design change since 2010 when the iPhone 4 was launched.

The new design is expected to be closer in size to an Apple TV but might be slightly taller than the current model, which stands at 1.4 inches high. It will retain its aluminum shell. People involved in the project describe it as “essentially an iPad Pro in a small box.”

Gurman also reported that suppliers in China are slated to start shipping the new Mac mini models with the M4 chip in early September, with the M4 Pro model following in October. This new M4 generation of Apple silicon marks the first time Apple will use the same chip generation across all its Mac models. Updates to integrate the M4 chip into the MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, iMac, Mac Studio, and Mac Pro are planned for the next year.