“I don’t even remember the last time I turned on a Mac”

A design decision for the Mac mini has been controversial at first glance, but in practice it seems not!

The launch of the Mac mini 2024 was accompanied by a criticism that several users agreed with: the relocation of the power button to the back. Hours after the announcement, an engineer presented a solution so that it would not be as annoying as expected, even before shipments of the device began.

But, as rarely, Apple has decided to speak out on the matter, arguing why this design detail is far from being a problem.

The Mac mini 2024’s power button is far from a problem

In one interview recent, Apple executives Greg Joswiak and John Ternus justified the new location of the power button arguing that the drastic reduction in size of the Mac mini M4 necessitated a relocation of the button. According to them, the bottom of the device turned out to be the most appropriate position to maintain the functionality and aesthetics of the equipment.

Ternus and Joswiak highlighted that most users do not turn off their Macs frequently, but instead leave them in sleep mode. Therefore, the need to access the power button is less frequent than you might think. In addition, they assured that the new button location is comfortable and easy to press. In the translation of his statements it is explained:

Well, we’ve reduced its size a lot, haven’t we? It is equivalent to half the size of the previous generation. Therefore, we needed to place the power button in the most appropriate place because it is very small. It is comfortable to press. Simply place your finger there and press the button.

In fact, the most important thing is that you practically never use the power button on your Mac. I can’t even remember the last time I turned on a Mac.>

No definitive answer

However, many users have expressed their discontent with this decision. They argue that the bottom location of the button makes it difficult to access and impractical, especially when the Mac mini is under a desk or in a tight space. Others They stick to the recommendation of completely turning off the device to prolong its useful life.

The location of the power button on the bottom of the new Mac mini, while reminiscent of Steve Jobs’ minimalist philosophy, is impractical for those who need frequent access to this feature. But Apple preferred to trust in the possibility that Your Mac can automatically restart after a power outage. Additionally, many users use voice commands or keyboard shortcuts to turn their devices on and off.

In the world of technology, evolution is a norm. And although many Apple decisions have been considered “controversial” changes in principle, over time users tend to adapt. In this case, by not affecting a constant function of the device, it is likely to end up happening.

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