The last time the Mac Mini was updated was in 2012, and analysts and the whole tech industry are expecting Apple to release a refreshed version of the computer sometime soon. And since the tech giant recently sent out invites for a press event scheduled on the 16th, many are anticipating that a new Mac Mini will finally make an appearance.  The company, however, did not specify the device or devices that will be launched on the said date.

And amidst the whispers that the refreshed Mac Mini 2014 will be released on Oct. 16, there are other rumors saying that the launch of the device will be delayed and will appear during the holidays instead.  Some deem that the timing is not right to announce the upgraded Mac Mini on Thursday, thus, the Apple computer will likely appear before the holidays to take advantage of the shopping season.

One of the probable reasons for the delay is the new design of the device. It is speculated that the device will have a new design and form factor. There is a possibility that the new Mac Mini will let go of the CD drive, allowing it to be thinner and smaller.

The Mac Mini 2014 is bound to receive upgrades such as a new processor. It is believed that the refreshed version will be powered by a Haswell chipset, which is a big jump from what the current Mac Mini has. Haswell processors will boost the general speed of the device and improve the graphics performance of the computer.

Other rumored upgrades of the Mac Mini 2014 are 8 GB of RAM, flash drive that is faster than a 500 GB hard drive, and 802.11ac Wi-Fi, which is often referred to as "Gigabit" Wi-Fi.

However, Apple still has to confirm the rumors about the details of the Mac Mini 2014 and its release date.