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iPhone 12 Mini Sales Lackluster Compared to Other Models

Given size issues maintaining a notch on a mini is a deal breaker.

An all screen mini would have had an increased appeal. As it would on any iPhone anyway.
 
My wife and I both upgraded to the mini when it came out (from a 6s and 7). The small size (similar to our old phones) and the high quality camera (we have young kids and take lots of photos) were the deciding factors. If it wasn't for the better camera, we probably would have gone with SE2's. We absolutely love the 12 mini, and battery life hasn't been an issue at all. The phone is pricey though, so I see how a lot of the population who might be interested in the 12 mini instead head for the SE2.
 
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vipergts2207 said:
Where is the deficiency with the regular iPhones versus the Pro models with respect to build quality? Both have the same basic design and glass fronts and backs. The only significant difference between them is a stainless steel band versus an aluminum band and preference there is really a matter of taste rather than build quality.
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NT1440 said:
What’s “lesser” about the build quality (note that quality is not materials) on the 12 vs the Pro? Honest question because I’ve never seen a poorly made iPhone before.
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Trying both at Best Buy I could feel the glass bend with some modest pressure on the 12 while the Pro didn't seem to move. I can feel it on my mini as well, but it's less pronounced than the 12. Comparing with my SO 12 Pro, again I can barely move it. Maybe that's not called build quality, but there is a noticeable difference.
 
sideshowuniqueuser said:
True that. My suggestion is more along the lines of making it a prestige model, it doesn't have to have ALL the features, just as the 12 Pro doesn't have ALL the features of the 12 Pro Max, but it can have some of them, and especially the exclusive colours.
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Based on Apple’s pricing a Pro mini would be $899. But what would you get for $200 more versus the regular mini? The Pro colors? Maybe ProRaw? The market for that would be even smaller than for the market for the existing mini. And the ‘prestige’ folks you’re taking about are buying the Pro and Pro Max anyway, so the effect for Apple is that they cannibalize the sales of their larger, pricier models for no real reason. Doesn’t make financial sense.
 
JPack said:
This was a surprise to nobody except die hard mini fanboys.

You've got an iPhone priced at $699 clearly intended to hit a certain price point while claiming 5G. The overwhelming majority of users simply don't want a tiny 5.4" display.

Keep in mind this sales data is already favorable to the mini because the data is derived from U.S. sales only. In China, the mini is a complete joke.
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"Tiny" display.
I upgraded from a 1st gen SE and the screen feels humongous to me. I can barely reach both edges of the screen with my thumb. And the screen is almost the same size as previous Plus size iPhones. It's anything but tiny.
 
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vipergts2207 said:
And the ‘prestige’ folks you’re taking about are buying the Pro and Pro Max anyway, so the effect for Apple is that they cannibalize the sales of their larger, pricier models for no real reason. Doesn’t make financial sense.
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I don’t think that’s necessarily the case. I was between the 12 Pro and the 12 mini, and despite wanting the stainless steel frame and telephoto lens, I went with the 12 mini because the size and weight of the 12 Pro are simply too big.

Apple lost money on an up sell. Had they offered a 12 mini in stainless steel with the telephoto lens instead of the ultrawide, I’d have gladly paid the 12 Pro Max price for that.
 
xpxp2002 said:
I don’t think that’s necessarily the case. I was between the 12 Pro and the 12 mini, and despite wanting the stainless steel frame and telephoto lens, I went with the 12 mini because the size and weight of the 12 Pro are simply too big.

Apple lost money on an up sell. Had they offered a 12 mini in stainless steel with the telephoto lens instead of the ultrawide, I’d have gladly paid the 12 Pro Max price for that.
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You’re including more differences than would likely exist in a hypothetical Pro mini. And why would it get a telephoto rather than the ultra-wide?
 
iWillNotUpgrade said:
"Tiny" display.
I upgraded from a 1st gen SE and the screen feels humongous to me. I can barely reach both edges of the screen with my thumb. And the screen is almost the same size as previous Plus size iPhones. It's anything but tiny.
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You upgraded from a form factor introduced in 2012...

And no, the mini doesn't have almost the same size display as a Plus. In terms of display area (sq inches), it's closer to a 4.7" iPhone.

  • iPhone 6 = 9.4
  • iPhone 12 mini = 10.9
  • iPhone 6 Plus = 12.9
 
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vipergts2207 said:
You’re including more differences than would likely exist in a hypothetical Pro mini. And why would it get a telephoto rather than the ultra-wide?
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That’s only two changes: the same build materials as the Pro models and the lens that comes with the Pro models.

What other difference wouldn’t be included in a Pro mini? Take out one of those and it’s hardly any different at all.
 
xpxp2002 said:
That’s only two changes: the same build materials as the Pro models and the lens that comes with the Pro models.

What other difference wouldn’t be included in a Pro mini? Take out one of those and it’s hardly any different at all.
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But you’d be missing the ultra-wide so it’s still inferior to the Pros.
 
farewelwilliams said:
camera module is obviously thicker. body can be thicker with respect to the camera module which means you can include a shorter but thicker battery to make room for the bigger sensor.
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Apple making an iPhone thicker? ... that' a good one, made me chuckle :)
 
asiga said:
This proves that Apple customer base is 80% trend-following teens who don't know how to choose what they need (I mean currently, obviously their customer base was far more intelligent and smart a couple of decades ago).
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Given all the Memoji focus and the fact that most kids and many parents seem to live on their phones, it isn't surprising that Apple continues to cater to the brick people. That is paying off for Apple.
 
Trader05 said:
No its not because I say so, the sales numbers says so.better value is completely relative. What is considered a better value to me doesn’t mean it’s the same for you and sales numbers do not dictate “better value”. Subjectivity does.
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Don't forget that the regular iPhone 12 is the one carriers are offering all the deals on (e.g., buy 1 get 1).
 
anson42 said:
The answer yes, as 94% of iPhone 12 buyers have indicated :) I've bought the largest size available since the 6S Plus and have zero reason to downsize (price aside). I do see reasons for the 12 mini to exist, and for those who love that form factor I hope Apple continues to release one.
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Those sales numbers don’t indicate need. They indicate want.
 
I have a work provided iPhone 12 mini 256GB and a personal iPhone 12 Pro 512GB. I would have bought a personal iPhone 12 mini if it a) had the same lenses as the Pro and b) larger storage sizes.

I much prefer the form factor of the mini and the battery life is a non-issue on my work device, but I had too much data on previous phone to get another 256GB iPhone and moving from my iPhone X the lack of a telephone lens was frustrating. I use the normal and telephoto far more than i use the ultra-wide.

The screen size is a non-issue, I have an iPad at home if I want to read something in detail, and the smaller phone is much smaller in my pocket. I think Apple missed an opportunity by restricting storage to the larger pro models and going ultra-wide over telephoto with the mini.
 
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