Currency Differences Prompt Apple to Lower International Mac Mini Prices

Apple has lowered prices on its Mac mini computers in select international markets, bringing significant savings to some nations, while prices North America remained unchanged by the company.

In Europe, the company lowered its most expensive Mac mini model in price by €150, bringing the new price to €999, the biggest discount in the Mac mini line.

U.S. prices remained unchanged, at $699 and $999 for both the lower and higher-end Mac mini devices, respectively. The new prices due in fact make it cheaper for European consumers even compared to the U.S. prices.

The higher end model boasts a $2.66GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor with 4GB of RAM, and has two 500GB hard drives. Besides the higher end specs comparative to the entry-level Mac mini, the top-level model includes the company’s Mac OS X Snow Leopard server, which allows an unlimited number of users to sync information across multiple computers and mobile devices including the company’s iPad and iPhone.

The Mac Mini is the smallest OS X powered computer offered by the company, and does not include a display; rather, it is the equivalent of a computer tower usually used with Windows machines.

About four months ago, Apple updated its Mac mini line, which now also includes HDMI connectivity.

The device is likely of more value to business travellers who could easily travel with the small device, and connect it to a computer, not only having their files with them (like an external hard drive), but to have all of their traditional applications with them as well.

The change in price targets select international markets that do not use the U.S. dollar. The price change likely comes as the company tries to maintain leveled prices across different markets, hence not all markets experienced a price decrease.

The Apple stock (NASDAQ:AAPL) is trading up about 1.5-percent at $308.4 per share in near mid-day trading.