Is Apple going back to its roots?

However, could the newly launched refresh of the Mac Mini line be an indication that Apple is going to spend more time at its roots? For after rumours had persisted for some months that stocks of certain Mac products were becoming scarce, leading to the inevitable speculation that new products were on the way, Apple announced at its most recent Worldwide Developers' Conference last month that there was fire to this particular smoke.

As such, it unveiled its latest Mac Mini machine, giving the product the kind of overhaul it hadn't enjoyed for a couple of years (save for some minor specification revisions). Apple introduced new casing, greater power efficiency and more powerful specifications, and it proved the most immediate way to address criticisms that desktop computers were of decreasing interest to the firm.

Granted, the new machine has already come in for criticism for the sheer amount of money that it costs, but there's always been a premium for enjoying Apple's computer products, and always will be. However, that Apple is refocusing on its computer line has generated speculation that it's going a little back to basics, and addressing what remains a very sizeable segment of its business.

The proof of whether that it true or not, of course, will come in the months ahead. There's no new MacOS X version due soon, after Snow Leopard was launched in the middle of last year. Yet rumours persist that we'll be getting new iMacs and Mac Pros shortly. However, while both lines haven't enjoyed a full update in some time, Apple is remaining customarily mum on the topic.