Last week Apple sent out emails to developers who took part in the Universal App Quick Start Program to return Developer Transition Kit by March 31. The Developer Transition Kits are Mac mini featuring A12Z chips that the Cupertino tech giant provided for development purposes ahead of the release of the M1 Macs.
When Apple announced the 2 year-long transformations of the Intel Core processor to Apple Silicon for Mac mini, the company allowed registered developers to receive early access to Apple Silicon in Mac mini featuring an A12Z chip for $500. The DTK was designed to help developers adapt their apps to the new processor, but were also sent out with the expectation that hardware will be returned after the company starts to sell Apple Silicon Macs in stores.
Developers in possession of the Developer Transition Kit asked to return the hardware to Apple by 31 March
In the emails, Apple provided instructions for shipping and plans to begin collecting the DTKs next week. The DTK features a 512GB SSD, 16GB RAM, two USB-A ports, two USB-C ports, an HDMI 2.0 port, and A12Z bionic chip that was initially used in the 2020 iPad Pro models.
Thanks again for participating in the Universal Quick Start Program and committing to building great apps for Mac. We’re following up with shipping instructions to return the Developer Transition Kit (DTK) that was loaned to you as part of the program. Please take a moment to review these details and ship all DTKs back to us by March 31, 2021.
As we mentioned in our last email, upon confirmed return of the DTK, you’ll receive a credit for 500USD in the form of a one-time use promo code valid until the end of 2021. You can use it toward the purchase of a new M1 Mac or other Apple products ordered through the Apple Store Online.
Apple initially planned to give developers $200, however, it later increased it to $500 after developers complained about the low credit amounts and technical issues that were encountered throughout the testing process.
Developers were required to pay $500 to acquire one of the DTK Mac mini units. Upon returning the unit, Apple is giving a $500 credit that can be put toward the purchase of any Apple product. The code is not applicable to AppleCare+ and Apple Gift Cards. Also, Apple will not be adjusting the amount for developers who are in other countries, each developer will receive the equivalent of $500.
The Cupertino tech giant also stated that the DTK Mac mini will no longer receive any software updates, which might render them unusable after an amount of time. Developers who refuse to return the devices to Apple will not be receiving credit and could get banned from the Apple Developer program.
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