A new Mac mini and a Retina MacBook Air are imminent, report says

Enlarge / The 2014 Mac mini is pictured here. This redesign was seen by some users as a downgrade compared to its predecessor, and Apple hasn't overhauled it since. (credit: Andrew Cunningham)

Apple plans to release a new replacement for the MacBook Air (and possibly the current MacBook) with a Retina display later this year, according to a report in Bloomberg. More surprising: the report also claims an updated Mac mini is right around the corner.

The report comes from Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, who has built a reputation recently on breaking news of major Apple initiatives and products before they are announced. As always, his report cites "people familiar with" Apple's plans.

The new Mac mini would be geared more toward pro users than its predecessor, the report says, with more powerful specifications but steeper pricing. The previous Mac mini is something of a cult hit with independent software developers; this report suggests Apple will double down on that. That would move the Mac mini further away from one of its original purposes-cheap consumer home theater PC-likely because that product category has been replaced by devices like the Apple TV or various Roku dongles and boxes, among other things.

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