Apple doesn't try. There's thinner devices out there with M.2 slots, the Surface Pro X for example is 4mm thinner than a M3 MBA and yet has an insanely easy to

Apple doesn't try. There's thinner devices out there with M.2 slots, the Surface Pro X for example is 4mm thinner than a M3 MBA and yet has an insanely easy to access M.2 slot. The other Macs are even more egregious in their lack of at least an M.2 slot. The Mini in particular could have multiple with all the wasted space in the chassis but nope, not a design goal so they don't care.