Apple’s next version of the Mac mini – expected to debut this year – could be its smallest desktop computer yet, and powered by Apple’s own M4 chips.

The device will be much smaller than its predecessor, closer to the size of an Apple TV set-top box, claimed a report by Bloomberg’s Apple specialist Mark Gurman.

The company is believed to be upgrading all its Macs to the latest M4 chips. The M4 chip is already featured in the new iPad Pro which was released in May.

The M4 is powerful enough to power AI features that will be available as part of its upcoming Apple Intelligence service.

Apple is preparing two versions of the new Mac mini, both codenamed J773. The first will use the base configuration of the M4 chip.

A higher-end Mac mini will use a yet-to-be-announced M4 Pro chip. It will include support for additional memory and graphics horsepower.

The upcoming Mac mini may be taller than the existing version which is around 1.4 inches high. It will though still feature an aluminium shell.

Apple has tested models with at least three USB-C ports on the back of the mini, in addition to an area for plugging in the power cable and an HDMI port that allows it to connect to TV sets and monitors.

The current Mac mini starts at A$999, while the 16-core GPU version with 512GB storage costs A$1,999.

The entry-level model of the new mini is reported to be cheaper to make than the existing entry-level mini, but it’s not clear if Apple will pass on any savings to consumers.

Apple suppliers are planning to begin shipping units of the standard M4 version this month for a release to customers later in the year.

Units with the higher-end M4 Pro won’t be ready for consumers until at least October.

The Mac mini was last updated in early 2023 with M2 and M2 Pro chips. It gained the M1 chip in November 2020 as part of the first range of Macs with Apple’s silicon.

Beyond the Mac mini, Apple is reported to be preparing versions of the iMac desktop and MacBook Pro too with chips from its M4 line, all of which are slated for a release this year.

Additionally, there are MacBook Airs believed to be in development for the last quarter of this year, and Mac Pro and Mac Studio models are planned for the middle of next year.