Apple has begun to pull the built-in modem from the Mac line up. First models to get the treatment are the new iMac G5 and the Mini (but only the higher end models). To make up for the shortcoming, Apple has created the Apple USB Modem, pictured left, for $49. A little steep if you ask me, for a modem. But in typical Apple fashion, it's smaller than any external modem I've seen. And it supports caller-id which has me thinking it might be a great replacement for my large external serial modems I use for ncidd (network caller id daemon) and ncidpop.
This is certainly a trend that will continue until none of the machines they sell offer internal modems, not unlike the original CRT iMac that didn't come with a floppy. People will whine and complain for a while and they'll forget about it. They always do.