Report: New Mac mini could launch before Apple’s September event

Bloomberg reports Apple could release a new Mac mini as soon as the coming days, potentially ahead of its September iPhone event, marking the first update in almost two years amid surging demand for local AI applications. The new model may feature M5 or M6 chips, and Apple plans to begin manufacturing the Mac mini at its Houston facility later this year.

Bloomberg https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-08-25/apple-to-launch-new-mac-mini-airpods-5-and-oled-ipad-mini-timing-details reports that Apple could release a new Mac mini “as soon as the coming days, potentially” ahead of next month’s expected iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone Ultra event. Here are the details. Likely the last product launch under Tim Cook as CEO As reported by Mark Gurman, Apple is “gearing up to launch a new version of its Mac mini desktop computer for the first time in almost two years,” following a recent surge in demand driven in part by users looking to run AI applications and models locally. From the report: The Mac mini has been a particular pain point for Apple’s supply chain in recent months, with deliveries to customers taking weeks or months to be completed. Cook said the problem would take a while to resolve, and it’s unclear how the new model will affect wait times. Gurman adds that “Apple has tested versions with both the M5 and M6 generations of its processor line,” in contrast with the upcoming iMac revamp https://9to5mac.com/2026/08/23/apple-refreshed-imac-m6-chip-new-colors/ , which will reportedly use M6 chips. Tonight’s report comes just a few weeks after Apple reiterated that it will begin manufacturing https://9to5mac.com/2026/02/23/apple-announces-plans-to-manufacture-mac-mini-in-united-states-this-year/ the Mac mini at its Houston facility later this year, as Tim Cook toured the site https://9to5mac.com/2026/08/13/apples-new-advanced-manufacturing-center-opens-in-texas/ with Trump administration officials. The same site houses Apple’s new Advanced Manufacturing Center and is already being used to produce and ship the company’s AI servers. Apple said earlier this month that it had invested hundreds of millions of dollars into the facility in less than nine months. It remains unclear whether the new Mac mini expected to launch in the coming days is the model Apple plans to begin producing in Houston later this year, though the odds are evidently high. In his report, Gurman also reiterated several details about what Apple has planned for the Mac over the coming months: Additional Macs are coming as well, though they are likely to be further out. That includes an iMac with new color options, as well as a refreshed entry-level MacBook Pro. They will use M6 chips, the upcoming generation. The most significant Mac introduction in the pipeline will be Apple’s first touch-screen computer. The company will add that capability to new MacBook Pro models, in 14-inch and 16-inch sizes, that will also include redesigned cases and OLED screens. Looking further ahead, Gurman reiterated previous reports https://9to5mac.com/2026/07/22/apples-huge-mac-roadmap-revealed-in-new-report/ that Apple is expected to launch new MacBook Air and MacBook Neo https://amzn.to/47vJmkn models next year, as well as second-generation touchscreen MacBook Pro models powered by M7 chips. To read Bloomberg ‘s full report, follow this link https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-08-25/apple-to-launch-new-mac-mini-airpods-5-and-oled-ipad-mini-timing-details . Worth checking out on Amazon Geoffrey Cain – ‘Steve Jobs in Exile’ https://amzn.to/4v3CS5Q David Pogue – ’Apple: The First 50 Years’ https://amzn.to/46Y3nQj MacBook Neo https://amzn.to/47vJmkn Logitech MX Master 4 https://amzn.to/3KmIQN7 AirPods Pro 3 https://www.amazon.com/Apple-Cancellation-Translation-Headphones-High-Fidelity/dp/B0FQFB8FMG?tag=marcmendes-20 AirTag 2nd Generation – 4 Pack https://amzn.to/4sewc3a Apple Watch Series 11 https://amzn.to/46VomDB Wireless CarPlay adapter https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0F6T6N2B1?tag=marcmendes-20 FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More. https://9to5mac.com/about/ affiliate our homepage http://9to5mac.com/ for all the latest news, and follow 9to5Mac on exclusive stories https://9to5mac.com/feature/exclusive/ , reviews https://9to5mac.com/guides/review/ , how-tos https://9to5mac.com/guides/how-to/ , and subscribe to our YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/9to5mac