iPhone 13 Mini Still Expected Despite Lackluster iPhone 12 Mini Sales

[4jasontv]

The market wasn't tested properly. No only did they launch the mini a month after the 12 and 12 pro, it's not even a pro model. Add to it the lack of advertising that the mini is 100% a 12 and people likely assumed it was an expensive SE.

Do this:
1. Launch a flagship mini.
2. Release it before or at the same time as the next refresh.
3. Let people know the mini isn't compromising features or performance over the larger devices.

 

[mr.steevo]

I own a 2016 SE with 128gb of storage. The reason I haven’t bought the Mini is simply because my iPhone is still supported with the latest iOS.
I have no reason to upgrade yet.

 

[mattopotamus]

i am 5' 6" and the fashion industry do not design anything proportionate to people around 5'5" and 5'8". all of their designers assume that everyone on this planet is at least 6' tall. i think it is the same with industrial designers. they make similar assumptions in their design choices. it is as though they are punishing people similar to my size by producing products that work best for larger people.

the smaller of the Pro model still feels like a phablet in my hands. it feels uncomfortable to hold. perhaps if Apple designers would stop "punishing" users with small hands or users who prefer a mini Pro version instead of a mini form that's strip down of all the best features of the Pro models, then they might see improved sales of this mini form.

Outside of the mini, the phones are pretty much two-hand devices for everyone.

 

[That70sGAdawg]

The camera system isn’t hobbled, and if they tweak the battery life a little bit, I’m totally in.

If you are not in a 5G area most of the time, or need the slight cellular speed increase- Just set the phone like I did to LTE only, and the battery life IS great!

 

[Dark_Omen]

The mini is the only 12 that looks reasonable - other than that, the 12 is the ugliest new iPhone Apple has ever made. Battery life is way worse than the 11 (pro); it's faster but nobody will notice since the 11 pro A13 was already super fast... it has some 5 G bits that are completely useless... I like the ceramic front but looking at all of them in the shop, the 12, 12 pro and 12 pro max all look ... turd-like... gross.

I am not really sure why - but my guess is that design took a back seat to other considerations, like cramming in useless and non-working 5 g antennas....

I got an 11 pro as my upgrade. Amazing battery life, smaller than the 12 pro, pretty much all the same features, and most importantly, it's gorgeous vs. the fugly 12 pro.... (gold color - the gold color 12 pro is particularly bad, IDK really what happened there... pactific blue is alright)

The 12 series is the best design since the iPhone 4, which was the only last nice design on an iPhone.

 

[azentropy]

I absolute love my 12 mini, although sure there are few things I'd change about it.
I love the smaller form factor. I'd chose the 12 mini over the 12 if they were the same price and even if it was more than the 12 - but I know I'm in the minority. I tell my friends/familiy or even strangers that if you are fine with the larger phones or prefer the larger phones then you should spend the extra $100 on the 12 no question. That seems to be what people are doing and the 12 mini is really only being sold to those who really want that small form factor.

 

[Anson_431]

It's sad (almost to the point of being funny) to read this so often from (probably) non-iPhone 12 mini owners. It's a totally false claim. In reality, the iPhone 12 mini has great battery life. Much better compared to iPhone 8, X, XS, SE2020. Only when you compare it to physically huge phones, like the 11 and normal 12, with (obviously) larger batteries, it's performs a little less, which is plain obvious.

Coming from any of the above mentioned models, you will enjoy a very noticeable improved battery life!

Perhaps this has to do with the fact that we have gotten so used to judging tech/phones just by specs and numbers without hands on experience I suppose......?

It's awesome to hear it's performing nicely in real life usages though

 

[ignatius345]

I'd like to see a breakdown of how the Mini sells compared to, say, any particular model of Android phone. iPhone's sales base is so large that I have a feeling even a "miss" is moving a significant number of units in the grand scheme of things.

 

[Anson_431]

I love my 12 mini, I would love to have lidar anyway. Mini is for few, Apple know for sure. We have titles with “lackluster sales” but many companies would love to have these numbers.

Totally agree. We don't exactly know how much they shipped in total, hence, that 5% could be very different if the number was a large sum. And considering the price of the mini, that 5% would still be a lot of profit for Apple regardless.

 

[trash eighty]

Glad there will likely be a 13 mini, probably going to get one as my next phone late in the year...

 

[Prince Akeem]

For the short time I owned a 12 mini, I found the battery life to be slightly better than the X with an original battery. The problem is that the 12 mini isn't being compared to an X or even 11, it's being compared to the last small phone Apple released; the SE. When it was new, the SE would last me for 2 days if I pushed it.

I have a different experience with my 12 mini. It performs very well and I can actually get 2 days out of it on days where I don't constantly need my phone, while I guess I'm still using the iPhone more than an "average" user (insta/tiktok-addicted teenagers aside). Of course I don't count the days when I'm doing iOS development having the phone in the dock for longer periods during daytime.

Also according to the official specs, the 12 mini should perform better than the SE.

 

[1369281]

I didn't buy iPhone 12 mini (or any of the other OLED iPhone models) because of the use of PWM which gives me massive headaches and eye-strain.

 

[jjack50]

So long as they make a profit on the phone it doesn't matter that only 5-6% of their phone sales are the mini. That's still a lot of phones.

 

[NapoleonIV]

Thank goodness. Still not going to buy it this year, but the mini will be the phone I upgrade to in the future. It is the perfect size.

 

[Prince Akeem]

I didn't buy iPhone 12 mini (or any of the other OLED iPhone models) because of the use of PWM which gives me massive headaches and eye-strain.

Fair point. It did for me too, but only on some days during the first week or so. After that, all headaches/eyestrain somehow completely went away.

 

[Osamede]

The discussion of "lackluster sales" indicates a lack of insight into marketing by those making these speculations and articles.

The smartphone is in a fairly mature stage. If you are a market leader, then at this stage part of what you are doing is covering your flagship product with all types of "flankers" (variants), which of course will not be as bit, but will prevent your competitors from being able to find a foothold to erode your lead.

Most likely 2021 will see a mini that combines the Mini 12 and the SE2020. My guess:
- full screen OLED like mini 12
- reduce the bill of materials cost by using power button Touch ID and removing the Face ID

 

[imola.zhp]

I don't understand the hate for the mini, I want to replace my XS with one. Its a new device, we are in a pandemic, give the phone more than just a few months to catch on for ships sake.

Also, I keep saying, this device should have been a Pro.

Premium Models
Pro Max
Pro
Pro Mini

Value Models
Non-Pro
SE

I just hope these non-news stories don't keep the mini from going Pro.

 

[n-evo]

I would have bought it if they made an iPhone 12 Pro mini.

 

[now i see it]

This rumor of a mini 13 is a rehash of the exact same rumor MR posted (and linked to) of ONE GUY at a financial company making up stories.
The iPhone 12 mini is the worst selling iPhone in history. Worst than the despised 5C. There's no reason to expect another iteration of it will turn up in the future.

 

[Dark_Omen]

I would have bought it if they made an iPhone 12 Pro mini.

Maybe they should just make an iPhone Air instead... A super thin iPhone about the width of the iPad Air.

 

[Dekema2]

If it has Touch ID I'll be the first in line to trade in my current one

 

[blazerunner]

Drop the price and improve the battery and people will buy it. You shouldn't have to wear cargo pants just to fit your phone in your pocket.

 

[WLS]

If they discount the 12 mini and discontinue it I'd be happy to pick one up. i have an XR now

 

[macsound1]

It's sad (almost to the point of being funny) to read this so often from (probably) non-iPhone 12 mini owners. It's a totally false claim. In reality, the iPhone 12 mini has great battery life. Much better compared to iPhone 8, X, XS, SE2020. Only when you compare it to physically huge phones, like the 11 and normal 12, with (obviously) larger batteries, it's performs a little less, which is plain obvious.

Coming from any of the above mentioned models, you will enjoy a very noticeable improved battery life!

100% agree. The iphone 12 Mini has longer battery life than the iPhone 8, what me and my roommate switched from. Also the improved processor means I have about 15% more battery left than I did on my 6S, 7 and 8 did by the end of the day.

 

[macsound1]

Add a finger print scanner and better battery life and sales will do just fine.

Everyone working from home does not help the need for a small portable phone.

Even though I'm working from home, I still put my phone in my pocket. Doesn't really matter if I'm out of the house an hour a week or 10 hours a day, my iPhone still needs to live somewhere when I'm not sitting at my desk.