Completely agree. I really don't get what problem does MacRumors have with the 12 mini. I'd understand their bashing if it was against the ridiculous huge phones that are supposed to fit in a pocket (what pockets do MR have, BTW?... the 12 mini is still big for the pockets in my trousers). I don't get your point here, MacRumors. The iPhone 5 form factor is by far the best iPhone design Apple has made, and you seem to be pushing against it.
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iPhone 12 Mini Missing From Top 5 Best Selling Smartphone List of January 2021
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That is not strong evidence that they have a personal vendetta against a smartphone. Plenty of tech websites have posted articles with similar titles. Why would they be emotionally invested in the iPhone 12 Mini in the first place?
Here's another title: All Of Apple's 2020 iPhones Make Top 10 Best-Selling Smartphones List for January 2021.
MacRumors' Sami...You blew it. You had the opportunity to show objectivity and proper journalism. Instead, you chose to show your personal bias created with clickbait title to get revenue. Sadly, other tech sites copied the same title and slant.
Counterpoint's own website that you linked to in the article, was objective and correctly stated what the results showed.
"Apple grabbed six places in the global top 10 best-selling smartphone models’ list for January 2021, according to Counterpoint Research’s Market Pulse report. The Apple iPhone 12 led the list followed by the iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 12 Pro Max. These three iPhone 12 models contributed to 71% of Apple’s total sales for the month. There was a pent-up demand for 5G upgrades within the iOS base which, along with strong carrier promotions, resulted in robust sales for the iPhone 12 series. Besides, Apple launched the new iPhone series later than the usual date, resulting in strong demand for these models spilling over into January."
"The iPhone 12 mini made it to the top 10 list, trailing the other iPhone 12 series models as well as the iPhone 11. The iPhone 12 mini, which offers specs similar to that of the iPhone 12 at a lower price, failed to attract buyers because of a smaller display and lower battery capacity."
@arn, your new reporter gets an F.
Counterpoint's own website that you linked to in the article, was objective and correctly stated what the results showed.
"Apple grabbed six places in the global top 10 best-selling smartphone models’ list for January 2021, according to Counterpoint Research’s Market Pulse report. The Apple iPhone 12 led the list followed by the iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 12 Pro Max. These three iPhone 12 models contributed to 71% of Apple’s total sales for the month. There was a pent-up demand for 5G upgrades within the iOS base which, along with strong carrier promotions, resulted in robust sales for the iPhone 12 series. Besides, Apple launched the new iPhone series later than the usual date, resulting in strong demand for these models spilling over into January."
"The iPhone 12 mini made it to the top 10 list, trailing the other iPhone 12 series models as well as the iPhone 11. The iPhone 12 mini, which offers specs similar to that of the iPhone 12 at a lower price, failed to attract buyers because of a smaller display and lower battery capacity."
@arn, your new reporter gets an F.
The phone becoming an antenna as each year passes. With new and better additional devices, iPad, watch examples my iPhone is the connection when out of the house. My watch handles texts, phone calls, music, etc. The iPad my traveling computer does the rest. Both use the iPhone as the connection to LTE out and about. My actual screen time for my iPhone less every year. No mistake the iPhone a key manager and very necessary, the screen however is becoming less important. Therefore, the smaller the better.
Both of those reasons for underperforming are directly related to the size of phone. Smaller phone = smaller screen and battery. Until battery techs gets better or customers are willing to accept slower speeds and/or throttling, mini users will be left with much less battery life than the larger phones.
And some people probably love their "whatever - nobody knows" brand phone. That really has nothing to do with the information in this article.
why though? it does everything the 12 does except it's smaller. It's the same price difference as a Pro to a Pro Max.
True.
We bought my mother-in-law a midrange LG and it’s working very well for her.
And yet, cornering the 84 yo Grandma market could not save LGs smartphone division!
It is when you also consider the frequency with which they post these same negatively focused stories about the iPhone 12 mini. As to why the apparent vendetta I have no idea, it’s rather bizarre, but I am far from the only one who has noticed it.
Would you be fine with the same release cycle as an SE? A new Mini every three years? I think that's a fair compromise.
I’m not sure why fans of the iPhone Max are so keen to attack the mini.
It’s not as if Apple had a choice to make the Max better - or to make the mini - ie and therefore screwed over iPhone Max purchasers!
I feel sorry for Max owners who can’t sleep at night due to being furious that the Mini has the temerity to exist!
Anyhow:
I haven’t got a mini (I have OLED PWM sensitivity - it is thing) but I’m glad that Apple has made it.
Why is it not doing so well though?:
- It’s a relatively expensive small phone made to be unobtrusive when people are out and about commuting, in the office & generally out and about.
Of course, most office workers are still WFH in many countries in the world.
It doesn’t take a genius to work out that this will suppress sales.
- It’s only $100 less than the regular 12. I’m sure quite a few people who were sitting on the fence ponied up the extra $ for the regular version.
I suspect that this is ‘working as intended’ as far as Apple goes, as they do exactly the same thing with the Pro and Pro Max & ‘push’ people up to purchasing the Max.
I can’t help but think that a $150 between the mini and the regular version seems more palatable though.
- I bet hardly anyone has actually seen the mini in person. So if people are not sure if it’s too small etc., they’ve no way of knowing. (I’ve not seen any of the 12 series in person yet).
- Battery life. By all accounts, this is ok but not stellar.
I suspect that Apple felt this wasn’t too much an issue as the mini is likely aimed at busy people who are not glued to their phones for more than 5+ hours a day (um, like me
).
Apple will have to address this in 2021 and by all accounts, they are.
I’ll finish up, by conceding that if mini sales are still not great by Feb next year, the market has just moved on from small phones and there won’t be a market for it.
But... When we all have Apple Glasses in a few years, which we’ll use to view our smartphone content, we will be laughing about these huge big phone screens that everyone had for a decade or so!
It’s not as if Apple had a choice to make the Max better - or to make the mini - ie and therefore screwed over iPhone Max purchasers!
I feel sorry for Max owners who can’t sleep at night due to being furious that the Mini has the temerity to exist!
Anyhow:
I haven’t got a mini (I have OLED PWM sensitivity - it is thing) but I’m glad that Apple has made it.
Why is it not doing so well though?:
- It’s a relatively expensive small phone made to be unobtrusive when people are out and about commuting, in the office & generally out and about.
Of course, most office workers are still WFH in many countries in the world.
It doesn’t take a genius to work out that this will suppress sales.
- It’s only $100 less than the regular 12. I’m sure quite a few people who were sitting on the fence ponied up the extra $ for the regular version.
I suspect that this is ‘working as intended’ as far as Apple goes, as they do exactly the same thing with the Pro and Pro Max & ‘push’ people up to purchasing the Max.
I can’t help but think that a $150 between the mini and the regular version seems more palatable though.
- I bet hardly anyone has actually seen the mini in person. So if people are not sure if it’s too small etc., they’ve no way of knowing. (I’ve not seen any of the 12 series in person yet).
- Battery life. By all accounts, this is ok but not stellar.
I suspect that Apple felt this wasn’t too much an issue as the mini is likely aimed at busy people who are not glued to their phones for more than 5+ hours a day (um, like me
).Apple will have to address this in 2021 and by all accounts, they are.
I’ll finish up, by conceding that if mini sales are still not great by Feb next year, the market has just moved on from small phones and there won’t be a market for it.
But... When we all have Apple Glasses in a few years, which we’ll use to view our smartphone content, we will be laughing about these huge big phone screens that everyone had for a decade or so!
I think there are different use cases and perceptions for a 12" MB versus a small form factor iPhone, for example:
- The perceived size difference between a 12" and 13" MB is small and there is a very noticeable one when holding. a phone.
- For many people, a laptop is their primary computer, and may want more screen size to make things easier to see or use multiple programs on screen at once.
- A phone, OTOH, is often an adjunct using programs designed for a smaller screen, so the advantages of a larger screen vs. easier to hold / fit in pocket may not be as important.
Phones, OTOH, have a different market dynamic; there is no similar size Apple product replacement for a small form factor iPhone. Some people will like a smaller phone, others a larger one with more features and it is clear the majority go with the larger ones; but there is still significant demand for smaller form factors. It would be interesting to see how well a 12 Pro Max feature set in a mini would sell at the current mini price point; I doubt Apple would do that because it would potentially cut into 12 Pro Max sales.
Both form factors hit specific markets, the question is does Apple see the smaller form factor market big enough to pursue. My take from the sales numbers is a Mini at a lower price would probably crack the top 5 without hurting the larger form factor sales.
I think this statement: "I feel sorry for Max owners who can’t sleep at night due to being furious that the Mini has the temerity to exist!" is a straw man.I’m not sure why fans of the iPhone Max are so keen to attack the mini.
It’s not as if Apple had a choice to make the Max better - or to make the mini - ie and therefore screwed over iPhone Max purchasers!
I feel sorry for Max owners who can’t sleep at night due to being furious that the Mini has the temerity to exist!
Anyhow:
I haven’t got a mini (I have OLED PWM sensitivity - it is thing) but I’m glad that Apple has made it.
Why is it not doing so well though?:
- It’s a relatively expensive small phone made to be unobtrusive when people are out and about commuting, in the office & generally out and about.
Of course, most office workers are still WFH in many countries in the world.
It doesn’t take a genius to work out that this will suppress sales.
- It’s only $100 less than the regular 12. I’m sure quite a few people who were sitting on the fence ponied up the extra $ for the regular version.
I suspect that this is ‘working as intended’ as far as Apple goes, as they do exactly the same thing with the Pro and Pro Max & ‘push’ people up to purchasing the Max.
I can’t help but think that a $150 between the mini and the regular version seems more palatable though.
- I bet hardly anyone has actually seen the mini in person. So if people are not sure if it’s too small etc., they’ve no way of knowing. (I’ve not seen any of the 12 series in person yet).
- Battery life. By all accounts, this is ok but not stellar.
I suspect that Apple felt this wasn’t too much an issue as the mini is likely aimed at busy people who are not glued to their phones for more than 5+ hours a day (um, like me
Apple will have to address this in 2021 and by all accounts, they are.
I’ll finish up, by conceding that if mini sales are still not great by Feb next year, the market has just moved on from small phones and there won’t be a market for it.
But... When we all have Apple Glasses in a few years, which we’ll use to view our smartphone content, we will be laughing about these huge big phone screens that everyone had for a decade or so!
I don't think Max owners are FURIOUS THE MINI HAS THE TEMERITY TO EXIST! My wife has one and loves it. I've never once wanted to destroy it in a fit of rage.
It is not for me, however, and I have no issue poking fun at it.
But to be like hateful to the device? Nope.
I think what is happening here, at least for me as a bigger phone lover, is the tech media really, really amplified "the need" for a smaller phone.
Apple went with the tech media opinion and, like a lot of us thought, the device sort of flopped.
The lesson? DON'T LISTEN TO TECH BLOGGERS (or people on this forum). We're a loud population, but a very small one, and certainly not representative of the purchasing public.
(and yes I know Apple has more independent research and focus groups and other data they review before making a product, but you get the point---the market was misjudged, just like the iPad mini market).
" the 12" MB had a very niche market"
I disagree.
The problem with the little MacBook was the cost---Apple could never get it down to MacBook Air (and original "MacBook") territory.
If they were able to make that product $999/$899 (edu) it would still be around today.
I think Apple wanted to do this:
MacBook: $999
MacBook Pro: $1499 (and up).
I don't think that little MacBook went below $1299 or $1200.
It's a shame. I had one that needed the logic board replaced twice and the keyboard once. Other than that, it was a super little machine.
That’s the same argument for the mini.
The problem is it’s still up against a slightly larger MB at nearly the same price point; and IMHO, screen size is much more important in the laptop market than phone. As a result, even if the 12” MB had been more competitively priced it still would have been niche market. it was a nice easily portable laptop but not really a full time one for many users, and replaceable by an iPad in many circumstances.
Not gonna read this thread, so…
Missing? Am I missing something?
I guess it just wasn’t among the top five, right?
Missing? Am I missing something?
I guess it just wasn’t among the top five, right?
Title could also have been: "1 in 10 iPhones sold was a small form factor iPhone". Or "Small form factor iPhones are being sold better than any non-Apple smartphone". Added together the 12 mini and the SE are sold as much as the 11. But sales are declining as last year 1 in 4 iPhones sold was a small form factor iPhone. Did everyone with an old 5, 5S and SE managed to replace their iPhone now?
Coming from the 2016 SE I was in for a new small form factor iPhone. I got myself the SE as soon as it was released. I haven't found a single reason to upgrade to the 12 Mini. Well, one: I do prefer the industrial case of the 12 mini over the slippery round corners of the SE. But it's not enough to switch.
My (wild) guess is the small form factor iPhone users aren't too eager for the latest features. They just want some pretty capable iOS device which is small. And they'll keep that device as long as possible. It's probably an entire different market but still a huge one. If I were Apple I'd forget about the 13 mini and I'd just stick with launching an SE every two or three years.
Coming from the 2016 SE I was in for a new small form factor iPhone. I got myself the SE as soon as it was released. I haven't found a single reason to upgrade to the 12 Mini. Well, one: I do prefer the industrial case of the 12 mini over the slippery round corners of the SE. But it's not enough to switch.
My (wild) guess is the small form factor iPhone users aren't too eager for the latest features. They just want some pretty capable iOS device which is small. And they'll keep that device as long as possible. It's probably an entire different market but still a huge one. If I were Apple I'd forget about the 13 mini and I'd just stick with launching an SE every two or three years.