JPack
macrumors G5
Yes, but not in the case of iPhone 12 mini. Consumers on a tight budget buy something practical on the second hand market, not a mini from the Apple Refurb store.
Apple Begins Selling Refurbished iPhone 12 Mini in U.S. For First Time
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Yes, but not in the case of iPhone 12 mini. Consumers on a tight budget buy something practical on the second hand market, not a mini from the Apple Refurb store.
thejadedmonkey
macrumors G3
I'm going to stock up on 13 mini's, but the screen on the 12 was absolute garbage and I wouldn't take one if Apple gave it to me for free. Heck, I returned my 12 mini and went back to using an original iPhone SE, it was that bad.
People who don't get PWM headaches will never understand just how horrible that screen was.
Not everyone is buying the Pro lineup only, it is like why Apple keeps touch-bar Macbook pro cuz it is the cheapest Pro model, and some Corps like the Pro tag. The same thing, as Apple marked the iPhone 6s as vintage, it could be the chance that they finally discontinued the touched id SKU and make the mini line their budget choice. plus, no more optimization for legacy devices for iOS as well. At the end of the day. Hardware should be EOI as the software is moving forward.
mrat93
macrumors 68020
It’s the perfect size for me IMO. I rarely missed the bigger screen when I had the mini.
me too, it made me pull the trigger since they will be discontinued until this generation. I am sure Apple would bring it back once they have a better solution for the battery. for that ave. 4-6 hrs of screen time is perfectly fine.
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jav6454
macrumors Core
Well, I agree to a certain point. But given the known life span of an iPhone, I can safely assume people would rather spend a bit more in a device that is known to last longer than your average android junk.
That would stretch the budget even further.
Sir_Macs_A_Lot
macrumors 6502a
It's a real shame that the market wasn't stronger for these.
shinkansenwarrior
macrumors 6502
Picked up a starlight 128GB IPhone 13 mini for $580 US in Tokyo before they suddenly jacked up the prices. Now selling at 200 dollars more!!
It feels great in the hand and its weight is perfect. Beautifully crafted device.
It feels great in the hand and its weight is perfect. Beautifully crafted device.
Apple refurb pricing is in line with what some other major resellers charge and Apple's phones are in better condition. With a new battery and outer shell, same 1 year warranty as new, etc. it's essentially a new phone for $100 less than current retail.
Apple Refurbished - includes 1 year Apple warranty, new battery and outer shell
Unlocked 128GB 12 mini - $579
Amazon Renewed Premium - includes 1 year Amazon warranty, guaranteed 90%+ battery life
Unlocked 128GB 12 mini - $629
Gazelle - excellent condition, includes optional 1 year Warranty Life device protection plan
Unlocked 128GB 12 mini - $554
B4U
macrumors 68040
Just because it is inline with other resellers does not mean it is not overpriced though.
Same with saying everyone else are speeding too. 🤔
Today's pricing/discounting is fairly typical of what Apple refurbished iPhone pricing/discounting has been for years.
July 2022 - 128GB iPhone 12 mini is $579 which is 14.7% off current retail and 25.7% off launch retail
July 2019 - 64GB iPhone X was $769 which was 14.4% off then current retail and 23.0% off launch retail
If this is basically what the overall market has been willing to pay, I don't see why Apple would charge less especially since their refurb phones are practically brand new.
Lioness~
macrumors 601
We don’t have an Apple refurb store here in Sweden, but there are many others that sells the refurbd ones. So when I am in buying mode again for new Apple toys, I am sure they will be available for some time.
Hope and think Apple will keep a smaller phone somehow. Maybe not every year.
We’ll see…..
B4U
macrumors 68040
Using percentage change is one way to measure it.
However, when the device starting price was lower to begin with, the dollar amount difference is significantly smaller.
Hence, it makes little sense for the consumers to purchase the older devices when considering they can have the newest ones for not much more.
It had been pointed out from the beginning that the price difference between the 12 mini 128GB vs 13 mini 128GB was only $50. We have not seen such small gap between generation of phones recently.
The price difference between a new 128GB iPhone 12 mini (currently $679) and Apple refurbished 128GB iPhone 12 mini ($579) is $100. As I stated previously, $100 isn't necessarily significant but what is really gained by going new? The $100 could instead get a buyer something like a MagSafe Battery Pack for "free" or an extra 20 months of Apple TV+ or Apple Arcade for "free."
B4U
macrumors 68040
You are really going to go for the higher unlocked 12 mini price just to make a point.
Then don't forget the carrier deals for the lower priced new 12 mini either.
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You are really going to go for the higher unlocked 12 mini price just to make a point.
Then don't forget the carrier deals for the lower priced new 12 mini either.
Yes, there are carrier deals but not everyone qualifies or wants to go that route e.g., they don't have a trade, don't want to switch, don't want a long-term commitment, have a prepaid plan, etc. Carrier deals typically require a postpaid unlimited plan which can cost notably more than some prepaid plans. Buying an Apple refurbished iPhone and having a prepaid plan can end up being a better overall "value" than a carrier deal.
jpotisch2
macrumors newbie
I've had my 12 mini since not long after it came out. I've been absolutely delighted with it. Battery life is okay, definitely not great, but not abysmal. I don't want to spend my day on my phone so – to me (YMMV) – the small screen and limited battery life are actually a feature. I take it out, do what I need to do, then put it back in my pocket, where honest to God I sometimes don't even realize it's there.
Assuming the rumors are true that the mini dies with the 14, I don't see myself getting one at all. Maybe if the battery degrades enough I'll trade it for a refurbished 13 mini in a year or two. Bigger phones hold zero appeal to me.
Assuming the rumors are true that the mini dies with the 14, I don't see myself getting one at all. Maybe if the battery degrades enough I'll trade it for a refurbished 13 mini in a year or two. Bigger phones hold zero appeal to me.