New Mac mini drops support for aftermarket storage upgrades

9to5mac.com Sep 23, 2026

New Mac mini drops support for aftermarket storage upgrades

Curated by Shubham · TechCapsules · Sep 23, 2026

AI-summarised brief · reviewed before publication

Apple’s latest Mac mini models, the M6 and M5 Pro, have reverted to soldered internal SSDs, ending the aftermarket upgrade option that existed on the earlier M4 and M4 Pro units. Expand Mac mini confirmed the NAND chips are now permanently attached to the logic board, making removable storage modules impossible. The company, which previously sold 1 TB and 2 TB upgrade kits for the M4 line at $300 and $420 respectively, says support for the new models “looks unlikely.” Apple’s own upgrade pricing remains higher, charging $500 for a 1 TB boost and $1,000 for 2 TB on the M6. The change also limits third‑party solutions, though external SSD accessories like Satechi’s enclosure remain viable. Users who rely on expansion will need to redesign workflows.

💡 Why It Matters

· By locking storage to the board, Apple pushes owners toward pricier official upgrades or external enclosures, reshaping how Mac mini power users plan capacity and cost.

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Former Apple retail chief’s new ‘Shop Different’ book now available

Former Apple senior vice president of retail operations Ron Johnson has released a new book, Shop Different: How Retail Revealed Apple’s Genius, co‑written with Zander Nethercutt. The memoir recounts Johnson’s partnership with Steve Jobs from the 2000 hiring to launch the first Apple Store, defying the prevailing belief that the internet would render physical stores obsolete. Johnson details how he earned Jobs’s trust, crafted a service‑first store concept rooted in “love,” and built a retail network that became the most respected and profitable in the world by the time he left in 2011. The book also offers Johnson’s perspective on Apple’s rise to the world’s most valuable company and proposes a future where retailers succeed through connection, service, and experience. It is available on Amazon and Bookshop.org, and Johnson discussed it on 9to5Mac’s Overtime podcast.

💡 Johnson’s insider account demystifies the retail playbook that turned Apple Stores into a global benchmark, giving current and aspiring retailers a proven blueprint for turning brick‑and‑mortar into a strategic growth engine.

appleinsider.com · Sep 23

John Ternus: Apple Vision Pro has a bright future, but a long…

Apple’s newly appointed CEO John Ternus told France’s Canal+ arts program Clique TV that the Apple Vision Pro is “an absolutely amazing device” still in its infancy, likening its stage to the early days of personal computers. He highlighted that early adopters are embracing the mixed‑reality headset and that surgeons have begun using it as a superior alternative to traditional monitors. Ternus acknowledged criticism over recent layoffs in the Vision Pro division but expressed confidence that users are discovering additional applications, which he believes point to a “very bright future” for the product. He also noted that his engineering background does not alter Apple’s long‑standing focus on innovation, product quality, and customer experience, even as the company now spans hardware, services, and a $5 trillion market value.

💡 Ternus’s optimism signals Apple’s commitment to expanding mixed‑reality use cases beyond consumer entertainment, aiming to embed the Vision Pro into professional workflows and cement its role in the company’s broader growth strategy.

appleinsider.com · Sep 23

Neural Engine timeouts & Face ID panics hit Apple’s newest devices

Apple’s hardware launch has encountered problems. Within hours of the September 18 release, owners of the Apple Watch Series 12 and Watch Ultra 4 reported reboots that display the Apple logo before returning to watchOS. Crash logs show a Neural Engine timeout, with a command exceeding the 2,000‑millisecond limit by 20 ms, triggering kernel panics. The failures occur during Siri AI use, watch‑face editing, app launches, calls, workouts, and when idle, and persist despite the watchOS 27.0 build and an update. A group of iPhone 18 Pro users has experienced Face ID‑related kernel panics; one owner logged four crashes in the first day, three tied to Face ID and one to Wallet. Apple has not confirmed the cause or released a fix, and advises customers to install updates and contact support.

💡 Early‑stage crashes threaten consumer confidence in Apple’s flagship devices, pressuring the company to deliver rapid software remedies.

appleinsider.com · Sep 22

Changing SSD storage in Mac Studio is possible while Mac mini loses…

Apple’s latest Mac mini models, the M5 Pro and M6, have reverted to solder‑on NAND storage, eliminating the user‑replaceable SSD slot introduced with the M4 mini two years ago. In contrast, the new Mac Studio retains a slotted SSD architecture, and Apple’s official repair guide now includes instructions for swapping out its SSD modules on both M5 Max and M5 Ultra configurations. Those modules are model‑specific, carry serialized identifiers, and integrate the controller within Apple Silicon, preventing the use of off‑the‑shelf M.2 drives. While third‑party vendors previously offered near‑plug‑and‑play upgrades for the earlier Studio and mini, such options are no longer viable for the current mini. Opening either device voids the warranty, and Apple has not released detailed repair documentation for the mini’s storage.

💡 Professionals who relied on affordable post‑purchase SSD upgrades now face higher upfront costs for the mini, while the Studio’s continued modularity preserves a rare upgrade path in Apple’s tightly integrated lineup.

appleinsider.com · Sep 22

Spectacular Apple Music Hall concert venue opens in London

Apple has opened Apple Music Hall, a 600‑seat concert venue and Spatial Audio recording space inside its UK headquarters at Battersea Power Station in London. The auditorium features a 48‑speaker spatial sound system, a minimum of 16 cameras, two dedicated audio‑recording studios, and a broadcast video control room, enabling live performances to be captured and streamed in high‑fidelity formats. The venue joins the existing Apple Store and corporate offices within the historic power‑station complex, expanding Apple’s physical footprint in the city. Oliver Schusser, Apple’s vice president of Apple Music and International Content, said the hall reflects the company’s long‑standing commitment to music, from the iPod launch to the iTunes Music Festival and Apple Music service. Apple Music Hall is now open to artists and audiences, offering a technologically advanced platform for live music events.

💡 Apple Music Hall gives artists a unique venue that merges live performance with cutting‑edge spatial audio and streaming capabilities, redefining how concerts are recorded and experienced.

bgr.com · Sep 22

What Is Apple Music Select?

Apple announced that Apple Music Select, a limited ad‑free station lineup emphasizing regional content, will be bundled with iCloud+ subscriptions in select markets, replacing the Apple One bundle in those regions. Users with iCloud+ gain free access to the curated stations and can upgrade to the full Apple Music catalog for a modest additional fee. In countries where Apple Music Select is unavailable, Apple will discontinue standalone Apple TV and Apple Arcade subscriptions, folding them into iCloud+ as well. Standalone Apple Music plans are expected to remain at full price for non‑iCloud+ customers, though Apple may eventually integrate them similarly. The rollout’s geographic scope is unclear, with no confirmation that North America or Europe will see the change. The shift mirrors Apple’s broader strategy to consolidate services under iCloud+.

💡 By tying music, TV and gaming services to cloud storage, Apple pushes users toward a higher‑margin, all‑in‑one subscription, reshaping how consumers bundle digital media.