iPhone 13 mini Goodbye to my 13 mini

[antonrg]

I've done a similar thing just a couple of weeks back. I've held onto my 13 mini since summer 2022 and, honestly, it has been a perfect device. Its form and size is still the best out there. However, its age was starting to show and even though my battery was also at 80%, I decided not to wait for it to drop to 79% to change it with Apple (the phone was still on Apple care). It took me some time to get used to the 17, but the positives outweigh anything else. It's just a great phone and does feel like it's a proper upgrade from 13 series - something I did not find with previous models. Seeing that Apple is not going back to smaller models, I think upgrading to 17 (not Air, it's too big and uncomfortable, it just feels weird) is the best option on the market now for iPhone users, particularly those with 13 mini. I kept my mini just for personal archive. It's a great phone and I am not planning to part with it, just won't use it as my main device anymore.

PS the guy at the Apple Store in Paris told me he knows and sees a lot of minis either being upgraded to 17 or people just bringing back the bigger phones they bought to go back to using the mini, including his own brother who refuses to let go of it.

 

[graffixnyc]

I had the 13 mini, then got the 14 pro, used that for a little while and then went back to the 13 mini and have been using it up until this past November. I love that little device. I recently got the base 17. I really miss my smaller device but with it not having features that newer models have screen refresh, Apple intelligence (although its not great in the current form) and things like that made me upgrade. I also noticed my 13 slowed down a bit and was more laggy with ios 26.

I really wish Apple would make a new mini. I guess the only chance we have is if they release a flip iPhone.

 

[ClaraStahlbaum]

I never understood the appeal of the Mini. You have less phone space. Less room to type. Less to see. If you complain about phones being too big, just buy the regular model and not the Pro or Pro Max.

 

[rui no onna]

If you complain about phones being too big, just buy the regular model and not the Pro or Pro Max.

The regular model is the same size as the Pro though. 🤷‍♀️

 

[antonrg]

I never understood the appeal of the Mini. You have less phone space. Less room to type. Less to see. If you complain about phones being too big, just buy the regular model and not the Pro or Pro Max.

To some of us, portability outweighs bigger screen. 5.4 inches is not a small screen. With current tech, Apple could even make it a little larger, but nowhere near the 6.3 inches the iPhones are at now. Mini is an excellent form factor for one handed use, sports, overall portability and it’s more than enough for occasional YouTube while you are commuting.

 

[headlessmike]

I never understood the appeal of the Mini. You have less phone space. Less room to type. Less to see. If you complain about phones being too big, just buy the regular model and not the Pro or Pro Max.

It will depend on how you use an iPhone. I have a 6.1" iPhone 11 and can use it just fine with my big hands, but the most important factor for me is portability when on the go. I don't watch videos on my iPhone and the only browsing I do is to look up information in short bursts. If you ask me, the best iPhone size we've hand so far was the original 3.5" size, and I have a 3GS and 4S here next to me, so it's not just some nostalgic recollection of the past, but I also understand why most people prefer larger iPhones. At home or work I do prefer a larger screen as well, but then I just use an iPad or Mac.

 

[geta]

I never understood the appeal of the Mini. You have less phone space. Less room to type. Less to see. If you complain about phones being too big, just buy the regular model and not the Pro or Pro Max.

If only the regular models had smaller screen size…

 

[bzgnyc2]

I never understood the appeal of the Mini. You have less phone space. Less room to type. Less to see. If you complain about phones being too big, just buy the regular model and not the Pro or Pro Max.

I find the Mini too big for my needs. The regular model is doubly too big. I don't need more screen space. More important to me is something smaller, less obtrusive in my pocket and easier to use one-handed.

If we could all freely mix and match, hardware, OS, and apps, I am sure a smaller player would make a phone that made me happy if Apple didn't.

 

[rwh63]

I find the Mini too big for my needs. The regular model is doubly too big. I don't need more screen space. More important to me is something smaller, less obtrusive in my pocket and easier to use one-handed.

If we could all freely mix and match, hardware, OS, and apps, I am sure a smaller player would make a phone that made me happy if Apple didn't.

"If we could turn back time": iPhone 4s!

 

[bzgnyc2]

"If we could turn back time": iPhone 4s!

Nice

I kept my OGSE as long as I could...

If they took that same form factor and went edge-to-edge on the screen, I would have been good with that. I probably even would have liked something with a 4.5-4.7" screen as long as 0 bezel.

I get however that larger screens are better for influencers and gamers, where Apple get's most of its app store revenue these days. Also if your phone is your primary computer. None of those are me.

 

[a_drive]

Is it bad that I still prefer using my 2016 SE over my 13 mini in 2026? I’m even running iOS 13 and everything functions perfectly except most 3rd party apps. Mine still works well for my needs.

 

[BillyBurke]

Wife signed up for a Lifetime 4 Line Unlimited "Damn near everything" line some years ago with T-mobil and we are still going strong with it. I have a 13 Mini set up as the "House Line". I take it with me when I travel. Just LOVE T-Mobil when traveling. When ever airplane is landing and the phone locks onto a carrier, I get a welcome message from T-Mobil.

 

[ger19]

Final update. Simple summary is also the obvious one. I like everything about the iPhone 17 except the size.

I’ve found that while it does fit nicely into my jeans pocket, it doesn’t fit as well in things like my winter coat pocket or the casual pants that I wear around the house. I’ve paid attention to the size and ability to use it one handed and for me, I don’t find it much different. I can get it out of my pocket and open it up with one hand and a flip of my thumb. I don’t really think I ever really used my mini one handed too much so, I don’t see this as a drawback. I think in general, it was worth the switch and I’m used to the larger size though I would give an honest look at a new mini if one ever came back. In the absence of that, I’m satisfied with the switch to the larger phone.

 

[Macdctr]

This is what matters . . . that you have gotten a phone you're comfortable using. What works best for you. Congrats! 👍

I discovered the 13 mini in December and have been using mine since as a backup iPhone. I do love just how small and compact this iPhone is and how comfortable it is to use. No wonder there's such a loyal following for this iPhone. It is an amazing device.

 

[raykv23]

IPhones nowadays have a practical lifetime of 7-8 years regarding OS/app support.

Glad Apple and more recently Google is doing that. My current iPhone (the SE 2020) is six years old–well, technically, seven since it uses A13 Bionic from 2019–and it still works amazingly. Of course, only issue with it is for some reason, using camera makes everything slow and laggy and using a keyboard with fat fingers is a pain in the neck.

 

[scrane]

"If we could turn back time": iPhone 4s!

Losing 1/3 of the front surface to bezels is stupid. I was really glad to dump my2016 SE for a 13 mini.

 

[Macdctr]

I went full 13 mini this week by placing my Air and 17 Pro away for the week. Going to see how well the 13 mini handles my day to day task during this upcoming week 🙂

 

[rwh63]

I went full 13 mini this week by placing my Air and 17 Pro away for the week. Going to see how well the 13 mini handles my day to day task during this upcoming week 🙂

Im thinking of plugging in my western electric rotary phone and answering machine for a month!

 

[Macdctr]

Im thinking of plugging in my western electric rotary phone and answering machine for a month!

The 13 mini is not that bad to use today. It comes down to how you want to use the phone. For media consuming I have my MacBook Pro with a 32 inch external display or my iPad Pro to use so I have other means for consuming media content. To be perfectly honest, I find the small 5.4. inch footprint refreshing as this iPhone fits in completely inside your pocket. I like the one handed usability of this iPhone and that it does run the current iOS more than good enough for my use.

However with your comment I found it amusing. Thanks for the laugh 😆

 

[ClaraStahlbaum]

Losing 1/3 of the front surface to bezels is stupid. I was really glad to dump my2016 SE for a 13 mini.

A lot of people have nostalgia for the old iphones. I don't for that specific reason. A "home button" takes up so much space it is unreal, and simply impractical to use in the modern day.

 

[xpxp2002]

Says who? You?

Heh. I still miss the Home Button. It's frustrating how many times I'll be trying to swipe up from Safari to go home, but it pulls up the address bar instead. Or I reopen an app and see that the swipe up to go home also inadvertently pressed a tab at the bottom of the app when it was being closed because the gesture lives on top of screen space that an app is supposed to also use at the same time.

Between the loss of the home button and the addition of functionality that necessitates quick access, like Wallet, Camera, and even power, the remaining buttons and gestures are simply too overloaded.

On a related note, I was thrilled that Apple finally allows disabling swipe on Lock Screen to open Camera. For years, I used to have the camera fly open numerous times while trying to swipe away notifications. Notifications that you can't swipe down to dismiss when they're fresh anymore since like iOS 15, so now you have to wait for them to hit the Notification Center, then do a bunch of unnecessary extra steps of pulling down Notification Center and swiping them away a second time to get rid of them.

The intuitiveness of iOS has declined significantly over the past 10 years as they've added features while removing buttons and functionality that made using the OS simpler and more straightforward.

 

[Macdctr]

I just grabbed my 5C to check its software update and battery charge levels . . . boy is this device small! As I go thru the various iPhones I have to check battery charge levels and software updates, I can see why there are those who really love the compactness of the 13 mini and just how nice having a full screen in this form factor is!

The iPhone 13 mini is old regarding tech however it is not as dated as the iPhone X is and able to run the current iOS (18 or 26) good enough to provide a good user experience. At least from my use case it does. I am using my 13 mini (in various iOS - 17/18/26) as my primary iPhone this week while my other iPhones (13 Pro/Pro Max, 15 Pro/Pro Max, Air and 17 Pro) are placed on their pedestals in my iPhone cabinet until the time comes I choose one of those to use for the week.

I enjoy having these options where I can select a random iPhone to use for the week. It is like getting to play with a new iPhone every week. I'm not the typical iPhone user . . . that's for sure 🤣 🤣 🤣

 

[valinda]

My brother will use his until it breaks. 😆

 

[elmarjazz]

I just finished installing iOS 26.3 on my iPhone 13 mini 256gb which I’ve had since new. It still runs great and does everything I bought it for in a very compact and light size, and its still a beautiful iPhone with its classic easy to hold squared edges, silver sides and white glass back, also no big bump dual cameras with all the features (except RAW, but I have a app for that). I usually have an APPLE dark green leather case on it, but it really has a special feel in the hand naked. It does need a replacement battery, and I’ve been thinking of putting that money towards a new iPhone. Had been thinking a 17 or AIR, which are upgrades in every way (except for size of course), but at a major cost difference. Even wondering about the 17e coming soon. But really? Is it just boredom, or the upgrade cycle thought and something ‘new?’ The 13 mini is something special, not the latest or greatest, but very cool in its own way. And, a simple battery replacement seems the most cost effective way to have a ‘new’ iPhone that should last at least 2-3 more years. The 4gb of RAM may be its limitation problem, but until that becomes a real issue, or some significant new tech happens, I think I’ll be staying in the 13 mini fan club.

 

[Macdctr]

I just finished installing iOS 26.3 on my iPhone 13 mini 256gb which I’ve had since new. It still runs great and does everything I bought it for in a very compact and light size, and its still a beautiful iPhone with its classic easy to hold squared edges, silver sides and white glass back, also no big bump dual cameras with all the features (except RAW, but I have a app for that). I usually have an APPLE dark green leather case on it, but it really has a special feel in the hand naked. It does need a replacement battery, and I’ve been thinking of putting that money towards a new iPhone. Had been thinking a 17 or AIR, which are upgrades in every way (except for size of course), but at a major cost difference. Even wondering about the 17e coming soon. But really? Is it just boredom, or the upgrade cycle thought and something ‘new?’ The 13 mini is something special, not the latest or greatest, but very cool in its own way. And, a simple battery replacement seems the most cost effective way to have a ‘new’ iPhone that should last at least 2-3 more years. The 4gb of RAM may be its limitation problem, but until that becomes a real issue, or some significant new tech happens, I think I’ll be staying in the 13 mini fan club.

I have the new Air since launch day and got my 17 Pro in December and I do use these iPhones but I don't use these iPhones as my primary iPhones as I cycle thru my 15 Pro, 13 Pro and 13 minis (backup iPhone) on which iPhone I will use for the week.

The minis that I have (entire 512GB, 256GB, and 128GB in every offered colors) are checked weekly for their battery charge levels as well as any required software updates (iOS 17-iOS 26.3 RC) then one of them is selected for use for the upcoming week.

I did not plan to get all these 13 minis until I have had a few weeks using my first 13 mini, my green 512GB example, and realized just how perfect this small compact full screen form factor really is. Even today I prefer using my 13 mini over my Air and 17 Pro as it is still capable of doing every day tasking (email, text messaging, phone calls, and some YouTube videos and Facebook). Yes sometimes I do see a lag but not to a point that it is bothersome. The 4GB RAM the 13 mini has is the primary limitation but as a secondary iPhone is not an issue.

I still use my Pro series iPhones for GPS navigation (use of the Waze app) and use of its camera setup for photography when the opportunity presents itself. Seeing posts like this above shows just why there are people who really love using the 12/13 minis even today. I will be using my 13 minis as my backup iPhone for many years to come.