Apple on Mac mini M4: Had no room for another power button
John Ternus and Greg Joswiak told a Chinese influencer how the controversial button design on the Mac mini M4 came about.
Mac mini M4 from below: The culprit is at the top right.
(Image: Apple)
(Almost) no Apple product is without (minor) controversy: Be it the name "iPad", the Magic Mouse, which cannot be charged during operation, or most recently the strangely placed power button on the Mac mini M4. So far, Apple has not commented on the latter problem, which means that the small Mac has to be lifted (slightly) to start up. However, according to a Chinese influencer, two senior managers have done so, as the local portal ITHome reports.
Button is "almost never" pressed
According to the report, head of hardware (and potential Cook successor) John Ternus and global marketing director Greg Joswiak explained the background to the decision. The size of the Mac mini has been greatly reduced. "It's about half the size of the previous generation." This is why the power button had to be placed in the "most appropriate place" "because it is so small".
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Apple assumes that the new position is "easy to reach". "Just slide your finger underneath and press the button." Ternus and Joswiak also reminded us that we "almost never" press the power button on our Mac, leaving it in sleep mode. They themselves could not remember the last time they had done so.
Hype about a non-existent problem?
In fact, this statement is correct: In contrast to earlier Windows systems, Apple users have rarely shut down their desktops for years. Notebooks, on the other hand, are only closed. Both types of machine then remain in sleep mode. This means you don't have to wait for them to boot up when you wake them up again – with the Mac mini, for example by moving the mouse or pressing a key.
If you are still annoyed by the Mac mini M4 button problem, there are now a number of ways to solve the problem. The upgrades that can be produced using 3D printers have recently been joined by a particularly elegant solution: with a plastic base, it is possible to switch the compact Mac on or off simply by pressing the upper part of the housing. The "Mac mini M4 Power Button Base" can also be found for free on Thingiverse. "Simple base for the Mac mini M4. It turns the mini into a large power button. Simply press the top to turn the mini on."
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