I know, and I haven‘t said that Apple must be a charity, not need to become that defensive, we’re just customers, remember. But that doesn’t conflict with the fact (or opinions, if you want) that some products are a bit overpriced (not saying the base mini is), and Apple likes to keep a good benefit margin. If new enclosures are a bit more expensive, I don’t think it would add too much to the costs…
Actually a smaller case would lower Apple's cost. Aluminium (I'm Australian so that is how we spell aluminum I think you spell it) which is still expensive metal, despite China building excess coal fired power stations that end up waiting for use so they power alloy smelting hence cheap aluminium at the moment. But it is still not a low cost metal. Reduce the metal, you reduce the price, and significantly.
And forget the tooling costs. They were amortised years ago. A redesign would be cheap. Apple have several designers. And tooling wears out. So it would have been regularly replaced. So the next replacement comes along - then put in the new tooling and product, and save production costs. i'd also reckon that today's motherboards could be made thinner and cheaper too.
Cost of manufacture is not a reason for Apple leaving the units external appearance the same.
I wonder too - has anyone put a micrometer over the casing of a Mac Mini? While its externals would appear the same, I would be disappointed if with the M processors, Apple did not make the casing thinner. Which would lower costs, and improve cooling. Then again, no need to improve cooling in such a big casing (relative to what could be achieved).
