Apple may let go of Type-A port in new Mac device
Over the last several years, Apple has become a trendsetter in in technology industry. It let go of the 3.5mm audio jack, and touchID fingerprint sensor from iPhones and several iPad versions and forced people to get wireless earphones and become accustomed to facial biometric security. Though, it was met with little scepticism in the initial days, it has become a norm and other rival brands have followed suit.
Last year, the European Commission forced Apple to replace the lightning port for type-C in most of its products, to bring uniformity among other devices.
Now, the company is reportedly planning to take another drastic measure in Mac devices.
Mark Gurman of Bloomberg citing reliable resources has revealed that Apple has removed the Type-A USB port on an upcoming Mac Mini. This is the most significant change in Mac devices since 2010.
The new Mac Mini.
Credit: Apple
The new Mac Mini rumoured to be launched next month, is said to come with a compact form factor, almost like the portable Apple TV box. It is expected to measure 1.4 inches in height. It will have five type-C ports (two front and three in the back). Though there won't be Type-A port, Apple will retain three legacy ports-- ethernet, HDMI connector and a headphone jack.
Going by the trend, Apple, will eventually remove other physical ports by the end of this decade, provided it manages to develop innovative contact-less communication technology to deliver stable wireless connectivity between devices.
The new Mac mini device is said to come with new M4 silicon with significant upgrades in terms of performance and speed over the predecessor.
In a related development, the Cupertino-based company is all geared up to launch the successors of the iPhone 15 and 15 Pro series next week on September 9.
It is said to come in four variants-- iPhone 16, 16 Plus, 16 Pro, and 16 Pro Max.
The regular iPhone 16 will sport a 6.1-inch screen and the 16 Plus will be offered in a 6.7-inch size. They are expected to come with the powerful Apple A18 silicon.
The 16 Pro and the 16 Pro Max will be available in 6.3-inch and 6.9-inch, respectively. They will feature Apple A18 Pro silicon.
All four will support the much-awaited Apple Intelligence feature. It will work systemwide seamlessly, including native apps such as Siri digital assistant, Notes, iMessage, Mail, Photos app and even third-party apps installed across all devices.
Besides voice and text responses, Apple Intelligence, which comes integrated with Image Playground will be able to churn out synthetic photos on iPhones with just text prompts.
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