iPhone 12 mini How is everyone liking their iPhone 12 Mini after 3 or 4 months?

[Abstract]

As some people have said, the Mini will display exactly the same screen elements as the 5.8” XS and 11 Pro, but smaller. If you want text to be larger, change the font size in iOS and/or in Safari.

The XR and iPhone 11 (both 6.1” and lower resolution ~325ppi) screens display screen elements as the previous XS Max and 11 Max. This is actually why I chose the XR over the XS, because strictly in terms of content, the XR was just a physically smaller Max.

The new iPhone 12 (6.1”) actually displays everything a bit larger than the older 6.1” iPhones (11 and XR), despite the screen being the same size. Apple changed the way it displays stuff because the iPhone 12 has a higher res OLED display (~460ppi) than the 11/XR (~325ppi) and Apple couldn’t use the same multiplier as before.

 

[DeepIn2U]

As some people have said, the Mini will display exactly the same screen elements as the 5.8” XS and 11 Pro, but smaller. If you want text to be larger, change the font size in iOS and/or in Safari.

The XR and iPhone 11 (both 6.1” and lower resolution ~325ppi) screens display screen elements as the previous XS Max and 11 Max. This is actually why I chose the XR over the XS, because strictly in terms of content, the XR was just a smaller Max.

The new iPhone 12 (6.1”) actually displays everything a bit larger than the older 6.1” iPhones (11 and XR), despite the screen being the same size. Apple changed the way it displays stuff because the iPhone 12 has a higher res OLED display (~460ppi) than the 11/XR (~325ppi) and Apple couldn’t use the same multiplier as before.

Still you can lower the font size on the iPhone 12 to get the desired screen real-estate.

I love my 12 mini ... simply LOVE it.

 

[Abstract]

Still you can lower the font size on the iPhone 12 to get the desired screen real-estate.

I love my 12 mini ... simply LOVE it.

The iOS default is usually the 2nd smallest size. You can’t make things on the iPhone 12 much smaller than the default (except in Safari). Also, changing the font size doesn’t change the size of the other screen elements (icons and such).

The iPhone 12 is much better for those who thought the XR and 11 screens made everything too small.

 

[BigDO]

I dont use bluetooth and cellular data is still on, but my wifi is obviously faster so Im using that.
Im not a power user, just use it as a phone, not as multimedia consumption device and since most of the time these days is spent indoors, battery life is certainly much better due to stable wifi data connectivity when I use it occasionally. I also tend to use power saver mode given that I dont need everything being synced to cloud instantly.

Happy for you, but it’s a completely insular use case not really relevant to the battery life discussion.

 

[taneff]

I also love my Mini but I tried a 12 again, as it was on sale, and I can read so much better. Not within iOS itself but within third party apps. Text size in apps is soooooo small on the Mini and I am not the youngest with the best eyesight. Reading stuff within a third party app is way way nicer on the normal 12. Within iOS you can set the text size to your liking, not so with almost all third party apps I use. And of course video is nicer too on a big screen. Battery isn't, at least on the first day, that much better but it was the first and second day of owning the normal 12, it needs some time.

But after using the 12 for two days and the Mini before I just can't go back to a "normal" big sized iPhone. Within the iOS system everything just seems bigger with some more content showing, nothing special there. As known iOS doesn't take any advantage of a bigger screen. Just look at iOS on the Pro Max. It feels like iOS is still developed for smaller screens (iPhone 6, 5, 4S etc.) and they never really adjusted iOS to all those sizes for taking advantage of the bigger screens.

At the end after all the months and owning a 12 twice for a short time I think I am gonna stick with my Mini, even with the display of my current Mini being not as sharp and cool as that of my current 12. Mini display is more yellow and a bit washed out compared to my new 12. But the Mini is just the perfect size for my hands. Not too small, not too big. Not too heavy, not too light. Perfect! Now if Apple could only get the display mode settings on the Mini right. In my opinion standard is too small where zoomed mode is way too big.

 

[macdogpro]

Now everytime I go out I see giant phones on everyone‘s hand 😅
Gonna be hard to ever switching to bigger iPhones. I always forgetting the mini is in my pants front pocket.

 

[BigDO]

I also love my Mini but I tried a 12 again, as it was on sale, and I can read so much better. Not within iOS itself but within third party apps. Text size in apps is soooooo small on the Mini and I am not the youngest with the best eyesight. Reading stuff within a third party app is way way nicer on the normal 12. Within iOS you can set the text size to your liking, not so with almost all third party apps I use. And of course video is nicer too on a big screen. Battery isn't, at least on the first day, that much better but it was the first and second day of owning the normal 12, it needs some time.

But after using the 12 for two days and the Mini before I just can't go back to a "normal" big sized iPhone. Within the iOS system everything just seems bigger with some more content showing, nothing special there. As known iOS doesn't take any advantage of a bigger screen. Just look at iOS on the Pro Max. It feels like iOS is still developed for smaller screens (iPhone 6, 5, 4S etc.) and they never really adjusted iOS to all those sizes for taking advantage of the bigger screens.

At the end after all the months and owning a 12 twice for a short time I think I am gonna stick with my Mini, even with the display of my current Mini being not as sharp and cool as that of my current 12. Mini display is more yellow and a bit washed out compared to my new 12. But the Mini is just the perfect size for my hands. Not too small, not too big. Not too heavy, not too light. Perfect! Now if Apple could only get the display mode settings on the Mini right. In my opinion standard is too small where zoomed mode is way too big.

I’ve also done that, and the iPhone 12 is just too big. I love the mini, but I do wish that Apple stuck with the 5.8” form factor, and flattened the edges and lightened it up. In terms of diensions the difference between 11 Pro and 12 is small (the dims which increased) but the difference is big for one handed use.

 

[VaruLV]

Happy for you, but it’s a completely insular use case not really relevant to the battery life discussion.

People often look at numbers and think that mini wont be enough for them, my use case scenario shows that non power users who need compact and super lightweight phone will get by just fine.
What else is there to discuss in theory aside from most folks claiming 4-6h of screen time?

 

[nburwell]

Now everytime I go out I see giant phones on everyone‘s hand 😅
Gonna be hard to ever switching to bigger iPhones. I always forgetting the mini is in my pants front pocket.

I bought a 12 Mini second hand (already have a 12) to try out, and my 12 feels huge compared to the Mini. I love how the Mini fits comfortably in my hand (not that the 12 doesn't, but I don't have huge hands).

 

[Martyimac]

I have a 12 mini for daily use and a 12 as an emergency replacement if needed. Today I just got the 12 out to update iOS and was astonished at how BIG it was and ungainly compared to my mini. It just confirmed my choice to go to a mini.
I will stay with this size iPhone going forward. Hopefully  will keep this size as an option going forward.

 

[QCassidy352]

Had mine since launch day and love it. Battery life is a total non-issue, as it easily lasts through the day for me. If I could trade this useless ultra wide lens for a telephoto, it would be a near-perfect phone.

 

[LFC2020]

 

[NewBench]

Bought mine recently and love it. Honestly the perfect phone for me - battery life is fine for me, the screen is beautiful, it's so much lighter than my XS and best of all, it's the perfect size for a phone - one handed use, and not a constant weight in my pocket.

I was waiting a long time for a small phone without a home button from Apple and this is it. Hope they continue to make a small phone (or at least smaller than the 12/12 Pro) for years to come.

 

[Jeanjord]

i remember that time in january 2019 when i saw clip of iphone 11 concept by gunho lee, fullscreen display on the se body wow that’s the phone i want to replace my 6s if it was real. newer iphone doesn’t buy me (7-11,se2) and amazingly apple make it real (almost) with 12 mini. I’m happy and enjoy with it. I don’t care with the popularity, tiny battery, sales number, even stop production of 12 mini. It’s just legit upgrade from my 6s.

 

[omelet1978]

I guess the 12 Mini falls into a nich category given the supposed low sales BUT from doing some research it looks like there will be a 12S Mini next fall. I'm happy to be the nich consumer who buys the 12 Mini though since for my day to day existance it's a lot more manageable for using it with one hand.

As time is going by the 12 Mini's battery life is matching up with my old iPhone XS. In the original post I made I said I was a little tempted to swap it out for an 11 Pro but as time is going by I'm just content to keep the 12 Mini.

 

[LFC2020]

More important question, what will the mini fans do if apple discontinue the mini. 🤔

Replace it with a iPhone SE once software support is finished?

 

[Barbareren]

More important question, what will the mini fans do if apple discontinue the mini. 🤔

Replace it with a iPhone SE once software support is finished?

No way. The SE is a budget phone, the Mini is high end. Apples and oranges.

 

[LFC2020]

No way. The SE is a budget phone, the Mini is high end. Apples and oranges.

Correct, but for the small form factor lovers they might not have another choice, hopefully apple realize the mini is overpriced, can see it staying in the lineup and selling even better if it gets a price drop.

 

[Robbosan]

Correct, but for the small form factor lovers they might not have another choice, hopefully apple realize the mini is overpriced, can see it staying in the lineup and selling even better if it gets a price drop.

$1199AUD for 64gb is a lot, have never seen anyone with one myself.

 

[subjonas]

More important question, what will the mini fans do if apple discontinue the mini. 🤔

Replace it with a iPhone SE once software support is finished?

That could be in 6 years so who knows what the iPhone lineup will look like then, and what the SE form factor will be. But mostly likely, all the models will be too big for me (as they are now) and I won’t have much choice but to just choose the smallest phone available. I prefer to pay for flagship features, but if it’s the budget model, so be it. Unless it’s a crazy feature like 3D printing from air molecules, small size is more important to me.

 

[LFC2020]

$1199AUD for 64gb is a lot, have never seen anyone with one myself.

Same here, don’t care how much you want a small flagship device, that price is nuts for a mini. 🤦‍♂️🤷‍♂️

Reckon they should keep the form factor drop the oled panel, use last year processor, lower the price, then replace the current SE with the mini as the new budget phone.

 

[macdogpro]

Same here, don’t care how much you want a small flagship device, that price is nuts for a mini. 🤦‍♂️🤷‍♂️

Reckon they should keep the form factor drop the oled panel, use last year processor, lower the price, then replace the current SE with the mini as the new budget phone.

I’m down with current mini form factor, LCD panel and lower storage capacity, but not last year SoC.
Bigger battery and slightly lower pricing also welcome.
Even don’t mind with single lens camera. As long as they keep the main camera spec and feature on par with the regular iPhone.

 

[Barbareren]

Correct, but for the small form factor lovers they might not have another choice, hopefully apple realize the mini is overpriced, can see it staying in the lineup and selling even better if it gets a price drop.

I don’t agree that it’s overpriced at all, compared to other Apple products. If Apple decides to drop the Mini from the lineup, I certainly wouldn’t be willing to buy an under-specced SE just for the smaller form factor alone. But to each their own of course.

 

[ericwn]

More important question, what will the mini fans do if apple discontinue the mini.

Replace it with a iPhone SE once software support is finished?

Make yourself a reminder and check back in at that time - should be fun.

 

[taneff]

I would buy the bigger phone, not the current SE even with better specs. It would have to be at least a "Mini-11", talking about full display with maybe a bit bigger bezels and LCD, that would be ok, but not the current style SE2.

I love smaller phones but the SE2 is just too old in style. The big bezels and really small battery and not Qualcomm modem.... I couldn't go back, that why is has to be a 12 models, at least all the specs besides camera and OLED and maybe the very small bezels. If Mini wouldn't exist I would have bought the normal 12.

I think if people, at least with smaller hands and not allday-scoialmedia-use, would give the Mini a chance they would love it. But it is hard to try them out these days in store, holding this very comfortable small phone in the hands first. 12 Mini is imo one of the biggest smartphone losers of the pandemic. People don't need smaller phones as many stay at home + they can't try it and hold it to get an impression of the comfort of the size. I don't think price is the nr.1 reason for it's low sales but of course 100$ less would make it more attractive.