iPhone 12 mini iPhone 12 mini will sell better w/o 5G, cheaper and longer battery life?

[Phone Junky]

Wrong. The 8 plus has an even greater usable surface area than the 5.8 inch models. 12.96 sq inches vs 12.7, and that surface area for the 5.8 inch models goes down to 10.93 sq inches when watching videos in a standardized video format. The mini is 10.8 inches, not much larger than the 4.7 inch phones at 9.63 sq inches. A big difference considering "only" a .1 difference in diagonal height.

Whatever dude. People that buy the smallest phone aren't using it to watch videos in standardized video format all the time. Is the display smaller than the old Plus phones? Absolutely. Is is "quite a bit" smaller? That's up to your own judgement. But if you think the display is quite a bit smaller, then you must think the Plus phone body is massively larger. Just look at the picture.

Personally, I'll take the 'quite a bit smaller' display on the Mini in exchange for the massively smaller body. I have to deal with size of the phone in my pocket all the time. I only have to deal with the display while using the phone and I don't live on my phone.

 

[TechLord]

Whatever dude. People that buy the smallest phone aren't using it to watch videos in standardized video format all the time. Is the display smaller than the old Plus phones? Absolutely. Is is "quite a bit" smaller? That's up to your own judgement. But if you think the display is quite a bit smaller, then you must think the Plus phone body is massively larger. Just look at the picture.

Personally, I'll take the 'quite a bit smaller' display on the Mini in exchange for the massively smaller body. I have to deal with size of the phone in my pocket all the time. I only have to deal with the display while using the phone and I don't live on my phone.

OK. I’m just pointing out that the difference between the two models is bigger than the diagonal length suggests. Since the plus models have more surface area than even the 5.8 inch models. If I had a dollar for everytime Ive seensomeone say “the minis display is practically the same size as the 8 plus” I’d be a rich man. Yet this is mathematically untrue. What you choose to do with this information is down to you.

 

[TechLord]

Apple will not make it cheaper. If you want cheaper, Apple wants you to buy the iPhone 11 or XR.
And for Apple, the mini served its purpose well, increasing Apple’s overall ASP with people ending up spending $100 more for the iPhone 12.

Agreed. It did it’s job as a price anchor and it did it quite well.

 

[supertiffany]

Agreed. It did it’s job as a price anchor and it did it quite well.

Not well enough for them to continue production

 

[TechLord]

Not well enough for them to continue production

They don’t need to raise production. It did it’s job at raising the price ceiling of the standard 12 model. I don’t think Apple ever expected the mini to be a big seller, and we had leaks from supply chain sources prior to any sales figures that suggested this was the case.

 

[iluvmacs99]

I'm going to upgrade to a Mini from the old 2016 SE later this year, so perhaps it will have an effect on Mini sales even if ever more slightly up. Having said that, Mini sales was a revelation. Higher price tag and small phone no longer seemed to be the formula in 2020 and onwards. Customers are used to equate buying a bigger phone as premium, so they don't see the Mini as value for the money when the 12 is a better value. People also buy premium phones to flash around to people, just like buying new fashion. Most carriers here in my area offer 12, Pro and Max models at better financing terms, whereas they expect you to buy a Mini outright or at terms that are only a few dollars cheaper than the 12. So that's a no brainer; 12 it is for most people and has good public flash value.

Having said that, I see 2 kinds of small phone users. The first user treats a phone as utility, need the latest hardware and will receive the latest updates for 5 years at the lowest cost. The second user is the well-to-do people who has the financial means to afford a premium grade phone with a small footprint. I think the lackluster Mini sales has really to do with small phone users lesser needs for 5G, a nicer camera and the OLED screen and that is then addressed with a cheaper SE 2020. I never once owned a premium phone, because I'm always a small phone guy. I started with a 3GS, then 4S and then SE. This time, I like to try using a Mini for awhile. 5 years later, there will probably be a cheaper affordable SE which could then be a cheaper Mini with newer internals. By then hopefully, Apple will continue selling a small phone or maybe a folding screen iPhone could become a reality by then.

 

[JW313]

At this point, Apple has probably already made a decision regarding the mini's future. This fall may be the last release we see of the mini.

Why do you keep asserting this? You have no proof or history showing Apple would do this.

History shows otherwise with Apple: Years and years of RD, release new form factor device, keep device form for 2 years ( 3 years more likely now; ex. See iPhone X form) and then make a tweak.

People would be more accurate if they said. I can see the iPhone mini staying in its same form for 2 years, but will change in year 3.

What if the iPhone mini increases its size to fit a third camera? Does it cease to be the iPhone mini?

 

[Apple_Robert]

Why do you keep asserting this? You have no proof or history showing Apple would do this.

History shows otherwise with Apple: Years and years of RD, release new form factor device, keep device form for 2 years ( 3 years more likely now; ex. See iPhone X form) and then make a tweak.

People would be more accurate if they said. I can see the iPhone mini staying in its same form for 2 years, but will change in year 3.

What if the iPhone mini increases its size to fit a third camera? Does it cease to be the iPhone mini?

I stand by my opinion, that Apple has already decided the design of this year's release with the mini. I have stated that opinion 2 - 3 times on the board in different threads. I am not concerned with whether or not anyone else agrees with me. I am not also not concerned about being wrong on something so trivial.

I also believe that this coming year could be the last time we see the current mini, if Apple is unhappy with the sales figures. I hope I am wrong on this opinion.

Everything at this point is nothing more than speculation, including your retort, which I don't have a problem with.

 

[Tagbert]

The diagonal length of the mini is misleading. Due to its aspect ratio, the mini is quite a bit smaller than the 5.5 inch plus models, and barely larger than the 4.7 inch models. 5.4 vs 4.7 makes it sound like a massive jump but it isn't really.

I just upgraded from an iPhone 8 to a 12 mini. The screen is significantly larger while the overall body and weight are almost the same as the 8. that is an improvement without compromise. I have a friend with the 12 and it seems too big and too heavy making the slightly larger screen not worth it. The Pro and Pro Max are even heavier and the size of the Max is nothing I’d want to carry around. If you were used to the size of the 11/12 or Max I can see where you would not feel comfortable with the size of the mini, but I am.

i get some people are into the Plus club but some of us would like a more streamlined phone that fits in a pocket.

 

[TechLord]

I just upgraded from an iPhone 8 to a 12 mini. The screen is significantly larger while the overall body and weight are almost the same as the 8. that is an improvement without compromise. I have a friend with the 12 and it seems too big and too heavy making the slightly larger screen not worth it. The Pro and Pro Max are even heavier and the size of the Max is nothing I’d want to carry around. If you were used to the size of the 11/12 or Max I can see where you would not feel comfortable with the size of the mini, but I am.

i get some people are into the Plus club but some of us would like a more streamlined phone that fits in a pocket.

It actually isn’t significantly larger though. That’s just a mathematical fact. It may appear significantly larger to somebut it just isn’t, it’s a difference of one square inch by surface area, and the mini has less surface area when watching videos in a standardised format. It’s all marketing talk.

 

[rui no onna]

Just received my 12 mini and first impressions, the slimmer AR makes it just as difficult if not more to reach screen corners compared to the 4.7" iPhones. Font weight's too thin for comfort but lack of fine grain control in Accessibility settings results in too large or too bold text. I'll have to compare it with one of the 6.1" iPhones but it seems to me the mini just get a shrunken down version of the 6.1" UI.

Typing's also a bit of a pain at the moment. I'm used to the 4.7" which is slightly wider and that difference is definitely making itself felt.

 

[TechLord]

Just received my 12 mini and first impressions, the slimmer AR makes it just as difficult if not more to reach screen corners compared to the 4.7" iPhones. Font weight's too thin for comfort but lack of fine grain control in Accessibility settings results in too large or too bold text. I'll have to compare it with one of the 6.1" iPhones but it seems to me the mini just get a shrunken down version of the 6.1" UI.

Typing's also a bit of a pain at the moment. I'm used to the 4.7" which is slightly wider and that difference is definitely making itself felt.

The mini ui is defo different to the old xr/11 6.1 inches which had max style scaling. But I know the 12 6.1 is scaled differently and is basically a juiced up 5.8 inch display, so could be the case the mini is a scaled down version. Do you get pwm?

 

[LFC2020]

The pricing on the mini needs a rethink.

For a extra $150 you can get a iPhone 12.

For its size it's to expensive.

 

[snipr125]

It actually isn’t significantly larger though. That’s just a mathematical fact. It may appear significantly larger to somebut it just isn’t, it’s a difference of one square inch by surface area, and the mini has less surface area when watching videos in a standardised format. It’s all marketing talk.

Yes Techlord, its a mathematical fact that the 4.7 and 5.5“ classic iphones are wider, with the 5.5” having more surface area with their 16:9 aspect ratios. I completely accept this as i got 3 of these iphones, and love them. However you have to understand that the 12 mini is smaller than the Iphone SE in size, but its 5.4” is completely all screen bar the notch. It is narrower but longer, and you get more content on screen due to its 476ppi 1080p resolution. Dont forget that this is the highest PPI screen that Apple has ever released in its history.

 

[DexBell]

The pricing on the mini needs a rethink.

For a extra $150 you can get a iPhone 12.

For its size it's to expensive.

View attachment 1729916

Those of us who want a smaller device don’t care that you can get an iPhone 12 for an extra $150. We don’t want a 6.1 inch device and an extra $150 ain’t cheap for most people.

 

[TechLord]

Yes Techlord, its a mathematical fact that the 4.7 and 5.5“ classic iphones are wider, with the 5.5” having more surface area with their 16:9 aspect ratios. I completely accept this as i got 3 of these iphones, and love them. However you have to understand that the 12 mini is smaller than the Iphone SE in size, but its 5.4” is completely all screen bar the notch. It is narrower but longer, and you get more content on screen due to its 476ppi 1080p resolution. Dont forget that this is the highest PPI screen that Apple has ever released in its history.

Depends on your POV, I’ll take a wider aspect ratio over a longer one; found the mini near impossible to type on efficiently. The ppi is just due to the scaling it’s just a 1080p display.