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Sure, but how would that be any more ‘expensive’ than any other iPhone manufacture that has completely different internal components from different models varying across their lineup? That’s like saying the ‘iPad mini is more expensive to make than the 9.7 iPad Air’, we all know that it requires different a manufacturing process when you have a smaller, condensed sub model sharing similar components, but obviously there are some differences with technology with the camera, ect.
every time that you have to produce different size part and different ones, its more expensive because you are using an entirely different line to make them. The 12 and 12 pro get a majority of their parts from the same tooling. In any item made, that is more expensive. Its why VW using the same platform for all cars.
 
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Happily, proprietary screws are both advice and a warning. They keep 80% of the people who want to go inside from doing so. And that's a great thing. Yes, if you really do want to go inside, you'll have to go spend $3 for a suitable tool.

I love the proprietary screws. My worst phone repairs are when some idiot buys a kit and severly botches a repair - then it's up to me to dig around, waste some time, and tell the customer that it's been totally destroyed by ineptness. Then they claim that no one was inside. Yeah, right.
 
How do we know that? Has that been tested? The only comparison we can make is with the original iPhone SE and we don't know if that sold so well because of the price or the size.

I'd like to find out.
It doesn’t exist...that’s how I know. The world has changed since iPhone SE.
 
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I’m just curious when they will post how much all the parts cost and the ensuing outrage on this forum about how Apple’s gross margin is absurd 😆
 
I’m just curious when they will post how much all the parts cost and the ensuing outrage on this forum about how Apple’s gross margin is absurd 😆
I dont think their margin is absurd. eg Aldi sells cassette radios for 30x what they presumably paid for the whole assembled thing.
 
How do we know that? Has that been tested? The only comparison we can make is with the original iPhone SE and we don't know if that sold so well because of the price or the size.

I'd like to find out.
Of course you want to find out because that’s not your billion dollar mistake when if flops
 
Of course you want to find out because that’s not your billion dollar mistake when if flops
Apple has never made a 3.5 to 4.7 phone that has flopped. I think it's a safe bet that a new phone that size wouldn't either. The whole "world has changed" logic confuses me. That's like saying red jackets are the most popular color jacket when the clothing manufacturer only makes red jackets. Makes no sense at all.

We don't know if the world has changed or not. You can't know that if you're only given one choice.
 
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If the only one purchasing it were men, you'd be right.

However every iPhone using woman I know in my circle of friends wants the iPhone 12 mini.
I’ve heard it both ways: “we have tiny pockets and want the 12 mini” vs “we have basically no pockets and carry our phones in purses, so the 12 Pro Max is great”.
 
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I have my mini, but it still wish it were smaller, it is not mini enough. I did try an iPhone 12 in a shop they were obscenely big.
Agreed, I think 5.2” would’ve been absolutely perfect. That said, 5.4” is still very well suited for one-handed use. Now let’s just hope that the mini doesn’t suffer the size-creep like all other phones have over the years.
 
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I'm not surprised that the Taptic Engine is smaller; on my mini I can barely feel its pulse. There used to be a way to adjust how forceful it was, but I can't find that setting in iOS anymore.

So far my battery life has been fine, but probably because I turned off 5G.

I LOVE my mini in all ways but the battery life. I expected a noticeable battery life hit coming from 11 Pro Max, but holy moly....light web browsing at 50% brightness or less for 10 minutes and I’m hemorrhaging battery. 5G turned off, nearly all background activity turned off, etc.

Does this sound similar to your experience?

I’m afraid if I do anything other than look at the phone every so often during the day, it will be dead halfway through my work day! (I used to end my entire 14 hour day at 50% on my max after moderate use).

Unless Apple quickly comes out with a great battery case or MagSafe attachment (which would be AWESOME)..I may need to return it :(
 
I wish the mini were a little smaller. Let's not pretend this is a small phone. It's a normal sized phone in a world full of huge phones. Give me an iPhone Nano. iPhone 4 sized phone with a 4.3 inch screen. That would get people's attention.
Why stop there? They should make an iPod Nano sized phone with a 1" screen. (mic drop)
 
I LOVE my mini in all ways but the battery life. I expected a noticeable battery life hit coming from 11 Pro Max, but holy moly....light web browsing at 50% brightness or less for 10 minutes and I’m hemorrhaging battery. 5G turned off, nearly all background activity turned off, etc.

Does this sound similar to your experience?
Not mine. So far I haven't seen a big hit to battery life. But then, my usage might not be average. I rarely make phone calls. I check various apps during the day, like Mail and Messages, and play some games -- but not frequently. I also close an app after I'm done with it. I do shoot a lot of video, although during the pandemic I haven't been doing much of that. So I'll see how it holds up when things start getting back to normal. I do have a separate power pack, so I don't worry about running out of juice under those circumstances. But it will be interesting to see how far I can get before running low.

UPDATE: After about four hours of having the mini in my pocket and not using it, the battery went from 65% to 58%. There are no background apps running, so I don't know why it's bleeding power when it's sitting there unused.
 
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While this is common, there is a 'cult' of people who want a smaller phone and would sacrifice screen size (and battery life) for such a device. We have been asking for YEARS for this and Apple finally listened... They wouldn't have bothered to make it if there wasn't a demand.
It’s also all relative. I’m coming from an iPhone 7, so the mini is both the biggest screen and longest battery life I’ve ever had in a phone. And there are many like me coming from 6/6s/SE/7/8.
 
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Somebody I know who went from an OG se to an (unhappily at the time) XS, now refuses to downsize to an mini. While choice is good I wouldn’t be surprised if this was the least selling device.
Just to offset your anecdata of 1, I'm only considering the mini. Still using the original SE because every phone since then was too big (and too heavy).
 
I hope we have a 12S/13 Pro mini next year.

I think it’s probably unlikely, the biggest reason being that it will be difficult to impossible to fit the extra features of the Pro into the mini. For instance, if they can somehow fit a third camera into a chassis this small, then the Pros would probably get a fourth, making that the new ‘Pro’ standard. At a certain point, size and features are incompatible. Apple did really well I think packing what they did into it.
 
I wish the mini were a little smaller. Let's not pretend this is a small phone. It's a normal sized phone in a world full of huge phones. Give me an iPhone Nano. iPhone 4 sized phone with a 4.3 inch screen. That would get people's attention.
I'm with you. I just switched from a 2016 iPhone SE to the iPhone 12 mini and after a few days, it still feels awkward to use with one hand. Swiping up with your thumb to go home or reaching the software buttons on the top or bottom row is really uncomfortable. But I can still grip it firmly with one hand so that's good.

Honestly, I think the whole UI should have been re-thought in a way that the things you have to touch all the time are not at the extreme top or bottom. For one-handed mode it would actually be useful to slide in some bezels on the top and bottom. Put widgets and notifications in there for all I care.
 
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