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iPhone 12 Mini Production Reportedly Ended Earlier Than Expected Due to Relatively Low Sales

If they gave it the same higher-end chassis as the two Pro models, it would have sold like Gangbusters !

Whoever runs Marketing @ Apple clearly screwed up, IMO.

Whether that's Tim, OR Phil, OR the new guy, doesn't matter, it missed its intended mark !

As such, don't be surprised if it's released as the "iPhone 13 mini Pro" this year ... we'll know in Sept.
 
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sharksftw said:
They did not. Unless they overpriced the iPhone 12 as well. They are basically the same device apart from size.
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Size and battery life. A large issue of with mini is that for "only" $100 less the 12 which gives of course the larger screen but also MUCH better battery life. Because of that it really only appeals to those who want the smaller form factor (like myself). If they would have priced it another $100 less and/or if the battery life was the same it would have appealed to a wider audience. One of the appeals of the original SE wasn't just the size, but the larger price difference ($399 vs $649) and the better battery life vs the 6s at the time.
 
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jntdroid said:
This is what killed it. And I get it - it's chock full of technology like the 12, and it deserves to be priced higher than the SE. But ultimately the demand for a tiny iPhone wasn't as much as the loud minority made it seem, and the pricing put the nail in the coffin. The 12 is by no means an unmanageable size for most people, with an easier to see screen and much better battery life. The Mini needed to be priced lower to compensate for that.

PS - I loved the Mini when I had it... but I did ultimately change due to battery life. It wasn't bad, but with the 12 I never have to think about it, with the Mini I had to think about it daily.
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And another thing is that the 12 feels much smaller than the 11, XR, etc. same screen size but the flat sides make it feel even smaller than it is. I was genuinely surprised when I got a 12. When I hold my wife’s 11 or daughter’s XR, they feel big and heavy compared to the 12.
 
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azentropy said:
Size and battery life. A large issue of with mini is that for "only" $100 less the 12 which gives of course the larger screen but also MUCH better battery life. Because of that it really only appeals to those who want the smaller form factor (like myself). If they would have priced it another $100 less and/or if the battery life was the same it would have appealed to a wider audience. One of the appeals of the original SE wasn't just the size, but the larger price difference ($399 vs $649) and the better battery life vs the 6s at the time.
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In my country iPhone 12 mini costs as much as iPhone 11…
https://www.mediaexpert.pl/smartfony-i-zegarki/smartfony/smartfon-apple-iphone-12-mini-5g-black-64gb
https://www.mediaexpert.pl/smartfony-i-zegarki/smartfony/smartfon-apple-iphone-11-purple-64gb-1
 
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I do think the appeal of the smaller phones (The SEs) was at least somewhat bolstered by the lower price point of them as well. And I do get that the phone itself isn't any different than the 12 internally except for the battery (which... could be a big deal depending on how much one already struggles with all day battery life). Maybe Apple was banking on the SE crowd jumping up to small version of the flagship, even though the SE crowd also wanted the price to performance ratio that the SE gave.

It's a shame but I've heard the sentiment across a couple different people who were considering the phone. If they could've somehow priced it at $499 without sacrificing TOO much of the specs, I think it would've killed.
 
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ADonmall said:
The phone many cried out for but nobody bought
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Nuance: many did buy it, just not by Apple's standards; it was released during a pandemic when people stopped commuting (why get a more pocketable phone if you don't need to pocket it?); Apple's refusal to make it thicker than the other phones in the lineup gave it relatively poor battery life; price (I think it's fairly priced, but it obviously it drove some away).

It's funny to say that people screamed for a small phone then didn't buy it, but it's really not that simple. I didn't buy it because of the battery, and my complaint has always been the same for iPhones in that size range: make it thicker to provide a bigger battery.
 
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Assuming this report is true, it means the 12 mini will not join the 12 and 11 in next year's "previous generations" lineup. And that means we'll never know how a lower priced mini would perform in the market place.

In fact, I would expect the 13 mini, assuming it still comes to market, to perform even worse than the 12 mini has since it will be up against the 12 as the next cheapest iPhone. Today's 12 mini enjoys the advantage of the OLED screen and 5G vs. the next cheapest model - the iPhone 11. Furthermore the 12 is a noticeably more compact device with smaller bezels than the 11. If the 12 mini couldn't compete against price pressure from the 11 (and other factors too, yes), pitting the incrementally updated 13 mini against the 12 is going to make the value equation even harder to balance for most folks.

The Mac Mini and iPad Mini are niche-ish products when compared to the others in their product families. It seems like there should be a viable formula for an iPhone mini too, but perhaps it just is not meant to be. I'll enjoy my 12 mini for a few years, and hope that some distant future Apple Watch can function as a standalone device for my needs.
 
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well they have such a congested iPhone line up its a little ridiculous. If I goto apple.com today i see iPhone 12 Pro, iPhone 12/iPhone 12 mini, iPhone SE, iPhone 11, iPhone XR.

A lot of customers are either confused, budget conscience, and/or they wanted one that looked similar to the pro. I love the 12 mini, similar to the iPhone 4/4S/5/5S easier to hold and use. Hopefully they clean up the line up, simplify it like they had before and include a reasonably sized/priced 'mini' iPhone. I personally have no need for a clunky oversized phone.
 
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My guess is that the mobile phone has finally become the de facto “personal computer” for most users. When your entire life revolves around a single device, people inevitably want a larger screen despite the increased size in the pocket/purse. Desktops and tablets are fading into the background while mobile phones, smart watches, and smart TVs are now in the forefront. Augmented reality devices will be a thing in less than 5 years and ubiquitous in 10.

My wife got the 12 mini and it is her favorite phone she’s ever owned (and that’s a huge endorsement considering the amount of Android & iOS devices she’s had). Main reasons: fast, good camera, plenty of storage, and small form factor. It’s not her “personal computer” so she uses it primarily for communication and convenience. Schoolwork, image editing, writing, and other tasks are still done sitting down at a desktop. An iPad is available when a larger screen is desired. The phone is merely one of several tools, not the sole tool.

As for me: iPhone Pro :)
 
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Ah yes... the phone that is too small for people who want a big screen, yet too big for people who want a small screen. And it does not have touchID. I hated that thing I was happy to lose money selling it used!

I am now a happy owner of iPhone SE and wish this form never goes away great function+form.
 
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I love my mini so much, I'll buy the 13 mini on day one.

I usually update every 2 years, but since there will be no 14 mini (😭), there's no reason to wait. And I'll probably end up using it for many years if they keep making only big ones.

But I agree they messed up with the battery life. They should have just made it a bit thicker, and it would have been perfect.
 
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