iPhone 13 mini I switched back to the 13mini and wow

[Miat]

I think people will need to eventually adapt to these changes, just as we did with 3.5” > 4” > 4.7” > 5.5” > 5.8” > 5.4” (minis) > 6.1” > 6.5” > 6.7” and soon to be going into 6.9”.

Except if phones become too big to fit into any reasonable size pocket – and they are pushing that limit now – they will have to be carried in bags, and then you might as well just get an iPad with 5G.

The Mini iPad is about the same price as the iPhone 13, with all the functionality of the iPhone (and maybe more), but with a much bigger screen (8.3 v. 6.1").

Once you switch to carrying it in a bag the options for larger screens goes up dramatically. Most bags will comfortably carry at least 10" screens. Standard small backpacks will handle much bigger than that. I can comfortably fit my 13.3" M2 Air in mine.

The convenience of phone size is a very real thing, and no marketing or extra features or better tech will ever get around that. I just can't see phones ever getting much bigger than what is currently on offer.

 

[klasma]

I see. Are all OLED iPhones eligible for free screen replacement due to green screen?

Within the warranty period, sure.

 

[splifingate]

The convenience of phone size is a very real thing, and no marketing or extra features or better tech will ever get around that.

Aye; it's just a hub for interaction.

When AAPL eventually condenses such functionality into teh Watch--or something such-similar--(cue: Dick Tracy), all this friction over who has the bigger d*** phone will sunset such things

My Mini is a Beast.

I don't currently foresee it failing its stature.

 

[Quackington]

Nice one, OP. I’m going in the opposite direction. I’ve been using a 13 Mini for the past 3 years and have decided that above all, I value battery life. So come the new phones launch in a month or so, I’ll probably be switching to the Plus or Pro Max models. I’ll have two weeks to return it if it’s too big and I don’t like it, and if that happens, I’ll just get one of the standard size 16 models.

 

[User #07242024]

Within the warranty period, sure.

My 13 Pro got its screen replaced because of green screen for free after warranty expires. Is this special treatment for iPhone 13 Pro only or all OLED models?

 

[the future]

Funnily enough I have both the 13 mini and 15 pro max. I actually don’t find the images from the pro max to be noticeably better quality than the mini. (…) I took a load on both iPhones as well as a little Sony RX100 VII the last few days and the quality bump from the actual camera is very large even though it’s a tiny pocket camera.

Interesting! Could you post one or two pics taken in the same place with the 15 PM and the RX100? I would love to get a smaller (and cheaper) phone again and the RX100 is small enough that I might actually take it with me regularly.

 

[Stormz]

13 Mini owner. While I like the size and would buy it again, I would not be unhappy if it was a bit longer, thicker and therefore weightier in my pocket. The battery hasn't been a problem for me (yet) but I understand other people's concerns. The other iPhones are just way too big for my liking.

 

[darktux]

See, that is the difference: Apple offers plentiful variants for team "huge", but most likely dropped everything for team "fits in hand and pocket". So it does not sum up to "to each his own!" any longer.

Doesn’t take too long and the iPhone Pro Max is as big as an iPad Mini. And I remember the times people were complaining about phablets. Now every new phone is a phablet. I just want an iPhone 5 sized phone.

 

[Chidoro]

Now something else is the worst-selling iPhone, should that one get discontinued?

That’s their intention.
And being the Pro Max is still the best selling model, another max sized phone not selling great by Apple’s measures isn’t a surprise.

Mini was the only small model and it still didn’t sell well.

 

[darktux]

I don't know what I'll do when my 13 Mini is no longer viable. Most phone makers would call the sales numbers of the Minis a success, but obviously weren't raking in the cash for Apple as much as they can do with larger phones sadly.

I still thuink the screen on the 13 Mini is big and perfectly capable! I went SE I -> 12 Mini -> 13 Mini when the talk of it being the last came about. I use 6.1 and 6.7 inch iPhones at work and hate them.

The SE1 had the perfect size. They just should have put a bezzleless display in that housing. Easily 4.7” at a comfortable size. I just hope that Sony picks up its Compact series again, which I used to own before the 1st gen SE.

 

[darktux]

I fully agree. We mini owners flock to the forums and post how we love it and if they gave us a new mini we’d buy it. 💯 true. But most people want the big screen. That is the dealbreaker. An ex of mine, bought a 14 pro max, I said but you need two hands, why? Her answer I’ll get a pop socket case. Problem solved.

We didn’t have the numbers. I assume the physics Challenges also played a role. The slow sales didn’t justify the effort. I like the idea of maybe every five years or so releasing a mini and maybe for that scenario there would be a large enough market.

But let us not forget, end of day… Push come to shove, we mini users will try to hang on but at some point we bite the bullet and buy the bigger phone. Some in this thread already did. Others, like me, will hold off. We will replace the battery get maybe another 2-3 years and then upgrade. What other option do we have? Apple knows this… They need/want to compete in the big phone market. Higher prices, more prestige and competition. There are no small phone alternatives…

soo no real incentive for Apple,
Philly

Being completely honest, if I can’t find a small size alternative in the Android ecosystem I will continue using the 13 Mini until it falls apart and I can’t get a replacement. And then just stop using a smartphone altogether. I won’t carry an extra bag just for my phone.

 

[ssledoux]

My oldest two grandkids have the SEs (2022 version), and every time I pick them up I think, ”wow if I could only give up all the extras of my giant phone.” I love the size, weight and even form factor of that phone. If I only used my phone as a phone, it would be perfect.

 

[Lioness~]

Being completely honest, if I can’t find a small size alternative in the Android ecosystem I will continue using the 13 Mini until it falls apart and I can’t get a replacement. And then just stop using a smartphone altogether. I won’t carry an extra bag just for my phone.

Agree, when I need something bigger today than my iPhone mini, I bring my iPad mini.
But I hope Apple gets into foldable/flip eventually, if they don't, I would buy a small Samsung flip phone. My iPad mini and Mac's still keep me in the Apple environment.

 

[thadoggfather]

Agree, when I need something bigger today than my iPhone mini, I bring my iPad mini.
But I hope Apple gets into foldable/flip eventually, if they don't, I would buy a small Samsung flip phone. My iPad mini and Mac's still keep me in the Apple environment.

I’m really digging my mini 6 and iPhone 13 mini combo and 15 inch m2 air

The mini iOS devices is such a breath of fresh air

I’m used to iPad mini5 tbh but still mostly used 11” pro as my main. Back to mini for a while with mini6

iPhone 13 mini feels so great in my pocket and up to my ear and in hand

Apple needs a dedicated ergonomics department

 

[Dhonk]

I had the mini 12 in use for a couple years and absolutely loved it. I actually went to the 14 Plus (for travel and battery), now I'm on the regular 15. I see no need for pro devices. I'd love an updated mini. It could even be a tiny bit bigger. There's a lot of space between the mini 12 and regular 15 that could allow it to grow.

As many have stated, Apple never pushed the mini. I had a lot of friends and students that assumed the mini was tiny based on the name, but once they saw it and felt it, they immediately wished they had it. Apple should have advertised/promoted it heavily for students. Ultimately me loving the device convinced about 6 other people to get minis. They've all moved on--not because of the size--but because they broke the screen or desired USB-C. And Apple just hasn't made a new mini. The SE 4 really should be a mini, maybe even a little bigger.

 

[Argon_]

Some people loved the mini size but most people didn’t — so it was discontinued due to poor sales

Sales were cannibalized by the SE.

I don't want to carry a piece of toast in my pocket, but needed an upgrade. I preordered the 13 Mini, and it will get a new battery when needed.

 

[klojewski]

Love my 13 mini and want to get a new phone. they just keep getting bigger though I guess I'll have to wait for a foldable.

 

[crawfish963]

We need a mini with regular/zoom lenses, the largest battery they can cram in it, and a 90hz display.

 

[AirpodsNow]

I’m really digging my mini 6 and iPhone 13 mini combo and 15 inch m2 air

The mini iOS devices is such a breath of fresh air

I’m used to iPad mini5 tbh but still mostly used 11” pro as my main. Back to mini for a while with mini6

iPhone 13 mini feels so great in my pocket and up to my ear and in hand

Apple needs a dedicated ergonomics department

I also initially had both the iPad Mini 6 (after a 5) and 13 mini with a MacBook 16”. That was a good combi for me at that time. Somehow I didn’t really like the mini 6 ‘jelly’ scrolling, i just couldn’t adjust to it. So got to an ipad pro 11” now, it’s a shame. Next iPhone would most likely be the regular size since the mini is no longe Offered. I have gone back to the iPad mini 5, but the screen is just not as clear/sharp/quick as the ipad pro m4. I guess once the mini goes to oled, it would be fantastic again.

Yeah, it’s juggling what combination of iPhone/ipad/mac works for everyone. I’m quit pleased using my MacBook less and less due to the Magic Keyboard iPad combo. It’s fun to use it as a ‘laptop’ and tablet mode.

I wonder if there are actually more synergies possible with all these apple devices. It’s a bit of a shame that it’s different os’es and different app-world, but only photos/files/messages etc are shared. I believe there must be something possible that there can be more synergies, like being able to use mac-like features on the iPad and iPad apps stuff on the mac. With the iPhone mirror it’s actually quite impressive to use iOS apps on the Mac.

 

[weezin]

I went iPhone 4 -> 5 -> 8 -> 13 Mini and couldn't be happier. I love this phone.

I actually bought a 14 Pro initially, but after getting it, decided that it was too big and too heavy. Returned it and got the 13 Mini and couldn't be happier. I'd love a bit better battery life, but that's it. The rest is great.

I've even thought about buying another 13 mini in case mine dies for some reason, just to have a backup as I don't think Apple will release another small phone anytime soon. Too bad, this small cohort of Mini users really are enthusiastic about them!

 

[2024]

Then you have a very minimalistic iPhone usage pattern, which does not correspond to a vast majority of smartphone users. I can make my iPhone 12 mini last all day too (with 84% of original battery capacity remaining), but it will be a very light touch experience.

I'm no power user, so I didn't buy it expecting to do power user things. My screen time averages 4-5 hrs a day, mostly browsing, texting, taking/sharing photos, and occasional phone calls / face time. My battery's max capacity is down to 82%, but still I only have to charge it overnight while I'm sleeping. I'm happy with it for my use cases (including fitting into my front jeans pocket).

 

[one more]

I'm no power user, so I didn't buy it expecting to do power user things. My screen time averages 4-5 hrs a day, mostly browsing, texting, taking/sharing photos, and occasional phone calls / face time. My battery's max capacity is down to 82%, but still I only have to charge it overnight while I'm sleeping. I'm happy with it for my use cases (including fitting into my front jeans pocket).

It is not just about screen time, as mine is also about 4:45-5 hrs per day, but also things like Bluetooth, CarPlay, etc., etc. The more features Apple adds on, the more power it will require. Having said that, as an ex-mini 12 user, I am happy it still works for you in a small and light package. 👍

 

[xxFoxtail]

Agree, when I need something bigger today than my iPhone mini, I bring my iPad mini.

That's why I’m a little mixed on it. I use my 14 Pro (with a Clicks keyboard case) as an iPad mini mini of sorts. I can fully do all of my personal and professional tasks on it. While I could also do them on my old 12 mini, the size was just a little bit too small and I needed to supplement it with an iPad or computer (I’m talking about photo editing, word processing, email and spreadsheets, I don’t use social media or video streaming on my phone). Which, was fine for the two years I owned my mini. But at the same time, replacing two devices with one is appealing to me.

I'm just a little back and forth about it because it was nice actually being able to fit my mini phone in my pocket. If they came out with a new one, I think I’d at least give it another shot. With phones getting larger with the 16 Pro, I think my 14 Pro might be my last Pro phone.

 

[one more]

An interesting bit re: screen sizes from this recent MR article:

“Another intriguing finding was the interest in larger displays for the ‌iPhone 16‌ series. Despite the current ‌iPhone 15 Pro‌ Max already boasting a 6.7-inch screen, over half of the respondents (54.9%) indicated they would welcome even bigger iPhones. The finding chimes with expectations that the iPhone 16 Pro models will have slightly bigger displays.

However, there was a notable gender divide on the issue of display size. The majority of men (62.1%) were in favor of larger displays, while women are more evenly split, with 47.8% expressing interest in bigger screens. Some female respondents cited concerns about handling and holding larger devices comfortably.”

New iPhone 16 Thermal Design High on Buyers' Wishlist, Survey Suggests

A recent survey conducted by SellCell suggests that a significant majority of iPhone users are planning to upgrade to the upcoming iPhone 16 series,...

www.macrumors.com

 

[thadoggfather]

An interesting bit re: screen sizes from this recent MR article:

“Another intriguing finding was the interest in larger displays for the ‌iPhone 16‌ series. Despite the current ‌iPhone 15 Pro‌ Max already boasting a 6.7-inch screen, over half of the respondents (54.9%) indicated they would welcome even bigger iPhones. The finding chimes with expectations that the iPhone 16 Pro models will have slightly bigger displays.

However, there was a notable gender divide on the issue of display size. The majority of men (62.1%) were in favor of larger displays, while women are more evenly split, with 47.8% expressing interest in bigger screens. Some female respondents cited concerns about handling and holding larger devices comfortably.”

New iPhone 16 Thermal Design High on Buyers' Wishlist, Survey Suggests

A recent survey conducted by SellCell suggests that a significant majority of iPhone users are planning to upgrade to the upcoming iPhone 16 series,...

www.macrumors.com

Smells BS’y to gaslight people into getting excited about something they’re generally likely ambivalent or even unaware is coming soon