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We think the best value Mac for developers is the 13in MacBook Pro which costs £1,249/$1,299, although we’d recommend adding 16GB RAM at point of sale for £1,429/$1,499 if you can afford it. Mar 26, 2018 This is based on the evolution of my personal iOS development environment, which progressed like so: Mac Mini + cheap monitor; to. My first Macbook (the short-lived unibody 13' non-pro) + same cheap monitor; to. Macbook Pro + Apple Cinema Display, which is about the most flexible configuration I've ever experienced. I have a ton of screen real estate in addition to a portable.
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If you are interested in developing apps for the iPhone, you can make them with Apple’s Mac Mini. The iPhone runs the iOS operating system, and you can only develop iOS apps using Apple computers. The Mac Mini is Apple’s smallest computer, as of the date of publication. Its motherboard, memory and hard drive meet the requirements for developing apps. You will need to obtain optional peripherals to do your programming work.
Mac Mini Specifications
If space is a premium in your work environment, you could use a Mac Mini instead of a larger Mac desktop or laptop computer. The Mac Mini is 1.4 inches tall, 7.7 inches wide and 7.7 inches deep. Apple sells two Mac Mini models, as of the date of publication. The basic model has a 2.3 GHz dual-core processor and 2GB to 8GB of memory, and the more expensive model has a 2.5 GHz dual-core processor and 4GB to 8GB of memory. Each model comes with a 500GB hard drive or an optional 750GB hard drive or 256GB solid-state drive. A Mac Mini is equally as good a choice for developing iOS apps as the iMac or MacBook, according to Apple’s In-House App Development Accelerator Guide.
![Best mac for ios development Best mac for ios development](/uploads/1/2/6/0/126050391/284688420.jpg)
IOS App Development
If you want to develop apps for the iPhone, you need to become a registered Apple Developer, and then download the iOS Software Developer Kit to your Mac Mini. Apple provides developers access to the iOS Dev Center, from which you can download the software you need, as well as programming and development guides, information about iOS human interface guidelines and a tutorial for building your first app.
Display
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![Mac Mac](/uploads/1/2/6/0/126050391/867497427.png)
The Mac Mini consists of an enclosure holding the motherboard, memory and hard drive. It does not come with a display, so you will need to get an optional display to see your work when you develop iOS apps for the iPhone. You can use an Apple display or a third-party display that connects to a USB, HDMI or Thunderbolt port on the back of the Mac Mini.
Keyboard and Mouse
You need a keyboard and a mouse or trackpad to interact with the Mac Mini computer. Apple sells wireless keyboards and mice, as well as a wireless trackpad that works like a trackpad built into a laptop. You can also use a third-party corded keyboard and mouse or a third-party wireless Bluetooth keyboard and mouse with your Mac Mini.
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About the Author
Julius Vandersteen has been a freelance writer since 1999. His work has appeared in “The Los Angeles Times,” “Wired” and “S.F. Weekly.” Vandersteen has a Bachelor of Arts in journalism from San Francisco State University.
Photo Credits
- Peter DaSilva/Getty Images News/Getty Images
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Cite this ArticleChoose Citation Style
Vandersteen, Julius. 'Is Mac Mini Good for iPhone App Development?' Small Business - Chron.com, http://smallbusiness.chron.com/mac-mini-good-iphone-app-development-32385.html. Accessed 04 September 2019.
Vandersteen, Julius. (n.d.). Is Mac Mini Good for iPhone App Development? Small Business - Chron.com. Retrieved from http://smallbusiness.chron.com/mac-mini-good-iphone-app-development-32385.html
Vandersteen, Julius. 'Is Mac Mini Good for iPhone App Development?' accessed September 04, 2019. http://smallbusiness.chron.com/mac-mini-good-iphone-app-development-32385.html
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