There are times when Apple’s product design makes perfect sense, is lauded by all, and a great new product rolls out the gates ready to go.
And there are times wherein the company makes such a weird decision that its entire customer base wonders what they were thinking.
Apple’s decision to place the 2024 Mac mini’s power button underneath the unit falls into the latter category, and Apple executives have begun to address the issue at hand. The new Mac mini, which has been downsized to about half the size of its predecessor, has also led to a strange issue wherein it’s difficult to find and press the power button underneath the desktop. Apple’s Vice Presidents, Greg Joswiak, Apple’s Senior Vice President of Worldwide Marketing, and John Ternus, Senior Vice President of Hardware Engineering, explained to IThome. They emphasized that the compact form factor still makes it easy to access the button by tucking a finger underneath to press it.
On previous Mac mini models, the power button had been located in a more conventional location along the back panel of the device. It could be found along other ports and connections, and was easy to power on and off without having to move the device.
Apple’s executives have defended the power button’s location by stating that “Honestly, most people almost never use the power button on a Mac.”
It’s been noted that Mac users rarely power off their devices completely, relying instead on sleep mode. As a result, reaching for the power button isn’t a daily or even weekly task for most users.
Even so, a number of users have expressed concerns as to the power button’s new location, especially in scenarios where physical access to the button is necessary. The need to lift or tilt the device to press the button could be inconvenient in cluttered or tight spaces.
The Mac community has responded with innovative solutions to this design change. For instance, engineer Ivan Kuleshov created a 3D-printed lever mechanism that allows users to press the power button without lifting the Mac mini.
Stay tuned for additional details as they become available.
Via AppleInsider and IThome