iPhone 12 iPhone Mini First Impressions

[DumbPhone]

Kaa? What does that mean?

ค่ะ..kaa...thai people speak for polite & respect some time yes some time thank some time nothing only polite respect...my home ban village man speak kraap...lady speak kaa...have many language thai...kha ka kaa...im home north thai people speak yong lana but im ban have different language same lana thai but different...bangkok people have different no understand lana...many lana people can...kaa

 

[RRC]

One other thing to note: perhaps it is the Pro Max, but I know I watched an unboxing that showed a Sim tool in the box. My Mini didn't come with one, and guessing it is the waterproofing, but the Sim tray is very difficult to open. I had to use a pin with a pair of pliers.

Did you get the sim free version? If there is a SIM card already in the phone I don’t think you get one included.

 

[yticolev]

On most new phones, the phone limits the max brightness in auto brightness mode unless it detects bright sunlight that it needs to overcome. Otherwise it limits you to a slightly lower "max brightness".

You can try this yourself and verify. Put it back on auto brightness and crank it to max. Then go outside under bright sun, or use a bright lamp indoors and put the phone under it. It will get brighter still.

I get that. However there is a large difference between my 6S behavior and the Mini. Mini on auto brightness is dim no matter the manual setting compared to 6S with the same settings.

 

[yticolev]

Speaking to this point, I have noticed that the SE is fully accessible without ever adjusting your grip whatsoever. The newer-style phones are a constant juggling routine to reach the top portions of the screen one-handed. The new mini requires some minimal grip adjustment for certain things, meaning it’s either an improvement or a downgrade depending on which phone you’re coming from.

Agree generally. However the reduced width of the Mini is still advantageous. The taller screen than the 6/7/8/SE is not.

 

[yticolev]

Did you get the sim free version? If there is a SIM card already in the phone I don’t think you get one included.

I ordered a Verizon model, and it did come with a 5G sim. $30 less, but locked for 2 months Verizon told me.

 

[Cryates]

This doesn’t mean much yet. But if this ends up happening consistently, it’s not great.

Sure, maybe for you. Perfectly fine cause I rarely even YouTube on my phone.

 

[aakshey]

I don’t either. But YT over BT is very light usage. That means I would be hard pressed to get 4-5 hrs SOT.

 

[scgf]

I love that you can put it in your pocket when wearing loose casual shorts or lounge pants without them ending up round your knees as you move around. I had an iPhone 11 Pro and it was a brick. I put the mini in my pocket and have to keep checking it's still there.

 

[timeconsumer]

I ordered a Verizon model, and it did come with a 5G sim. $30 less, but locked for 2 months Verizon told me.

How did you get it for $30 less? I thought Verizon charges a $20 or $40 activation/upgrade fee? When I tried to buy the Verizon version outright from Best Buy they were going to charge me an activation fee of $40 so I just bought the sim free version from Apple for $729 which saved me $10 and I’m not locked to Verizon for 2 months.

 

[rldunn]

Coming up on 24 hours, these are my primary thoughts:

1) The size/weight is so great. I've already "lost" the phone in my pocket and got up to fetch, not realizing it was already on me. So nice to use in bed.

2) Feels like it should never have a case on it. Your hand just engulfs this thing, so it's hard to imagine sticking a case on it. The 12 Pro, on the other hand, always seemed to be needing a case. I am seriously considering returning the mini case.

3) The MagSafe wallet seems to work well on the Mini. Wasn't impressed with it on the 12 Pro. Mainly because it goes right to every edge, I think. Was going to return it, but may keep it now.

4) Text size hasn't been an issue (I'm 48). Battery life has been fine, but really hard to judge on any phone in the first 48 hours.

5) Camera is pretty good, but not great. Depends on the shots. I've done a lot of shots where I take the same pic back to back with the mini and the 12 Pro. On "normal" shots with no zoom, the mini looks great (which it should, since it uses the same lens). But any shots where you zoom look much better (tighter, more crisp, better focus) on the 12 Pro.

6) Love the aluminum sides. I have the blue phone. The back is ok - total fingerprint magnet.

7) Screen brightness has been a non-issue for me.

8) Since I've been using the phone naked, I haven't experienced the Lock Screen issue once.

At this point, I'm probably keeping the mini and returning the 12 Pro. The size is something you feel literally every use - the camera differences are rare. If there was a 12 Pro Mini, I would just give Apple a blank check.

 

[klasma]

A question for those coming from the SE1: If you turn off Auto-Brightness on both the SE1 and the mini (and also turn off True Tone on the mini), and set brightness to maximum on both, and then view this forum in Dark Mode on both devices, how does the brightness of the text compare between the two devices for you?

Apologies in advance for asking this question in multiple threads.

 

[aakshey]

A question for those coming from the SE1: If you turn off Auto-Brightness on both the SE1 and the mini (and also turn off True Tone on the mini), and set brightness to maximum on both, and then view this forum in Dark Mode on both devices, how does the brightness of the text compare between the two devices for you?

Apologies in advance for asking this question in multiple threads.

I haven’t done this test as I don’t own a Mini, but I used to own a X and my dad has an SE1, X is roughly as bright as a Mini, maybe a tad less. And my X was so so so much brighter than my dad’s SE1. You don’t need to turn off auto brightness unless your iPhone is defective.

I guess 60-70% on Mini should roughly equal 90-100% on SE1.

True Tone doesn’t affect brightness level. It does make the screen a bit yellower. And yellower always appears brighter than white, even if the measured brightness level is the same.

 

[Apple_Robert]

Kaa? What does that mean?

I believe tt means Ha ha.

 

[TPadden]

A question for those coming from the SE1: If you turn off Auto-Brightness on both the SE1 and the mini (and also turn off True Tone on the mini), and set brightness to maximum on both, and then view this forum in Dark Mode on both devices, how does the brightness of the text compare between the two devices for you?

Apologies in advance for asking this question in multiple threads.

... and again holding it in your left hand while closing your right eye with the SE1 in your right hand closing your left eye.

 

[C. Robert]

We have a mini in the family and will easily get through a day. Our 12 pro is using about the same battery life. The Max is a beast thought.

 

[aakshey]

We have a mini in the family and will easily get through a day. Our 12 pro is using about the same battery life. The Max is a beast thought.

You’re saying the 12 Pro doesn’t have better battery life than the Mini? Using similar usage patterns?

 

[klasma]

I haven’t done this test as I don’t own a Mini, but I used to own a X and my dad has an SE1, X is roughly as bright as a Mini, maybe a tad less. And my X was so so so much brighter than my dad’s SE1. You don’t need to turn off auto brightness unless your iPhone is defective.

I guess 60-70% on Mini should roughly equal 90-100% on SE1.

True Tone doesn’t affect brightness level. It does make the screen a bit yellower. And yellower always appears brighter than white, even if the measured brightness level is the same.

Yeah I’d be interested in users that can perform the actual comparison. In theory there’s no difference between theory and practice, but in practice there is.

 

[ejfontenot]

I ordered a Verizon model, and it did come with a 5G sim. $30 less, but locked for 2 months Verizon told me.

You can check the settings to determine if it’s actually SIM locked.

 

[aakshey]

Yeah I’d be interested in users that can perform the actual comparison. In theory there’s no difference between theory and practice, but in practice there is.

You can go to a store and compare 7/8/SE2020/whatever (all are brighter than SE) to any OLED iPhone (all are way brighter than any LCD iPhone or iPad Apple makes).

This isn’t very complicated. Sure the SE will be much dimmer. How much dimmer? That I’m guessing based on experience.

 

[HarryWild]

Have not gotten my Mini but looks like the dim screen and touch sensitivity issues might have me return the Mini! Ugh! Probably get a 2020 SE!

 

[aakshey]

Have not gotten my Mini but looks like the dim screen and touch sensitivity issues might have me return the Mini! Ugh! Probably get a 2020 SE!

Brightness issue:

Get a replacement. Might need more than one the way things are appearing.

Touch issues:

Don‘t use a case. Get tempered glass with AC+.

 

[HarryWild]

You can go to a store and compare 7/8/SE2020/whatever (all are brighter than SE) to any OLED iPhone (all are way brighter than any LCD iPhone or iPad Apple makes).

This isn’t very complicated. Sure the SE will be much dimmer. How much dimmer? That I’m guessing based on experience.

My local Apple stores said you need an appointment to get into the store! I bring everything with me and will talk to the store manager since you cannot make an appointment online anymore either! It is a catch-22 situation.

 

[aakshey]

My local Apple stores said you need an appointment to get into the store! I bring everything with me and will talk to the store manager since you cannot make an appointment online anymore either! It is a catch-22 situation.

Try sending PMs to SE owners who upgraded to Mini.

 

[Apple_Robert]

Have not gotten my Mini but looks like the dim screen and touch sensitivity issues might have me return the Mini! Ugh! Probably get a 2020 SE!

It doesn’t look like the alleged brightness problem is a actual problem for mini’s as a whole. You have one member here who doesn’t even own a mini much less handled one making definitive statements that are starting to worry some other people. Said member is merely offering his opinion most of the time, even though he likes to reply as if what he says is fact that cannot be refuted in any way.

As someone who bought the mini, I am not really concerned with the current software bug. Apple will get it fixed and that will be that. This isn’t the first time a phone has been released with a problem found after the release. Each release there has been something that Apple has to address. That happens on the other side of the tracks as well.

 

[klasma]

You can go to a store and compare 7/8/SE2020/whatever (all are brighter than SE) to any OLED iPhone (all are way brighter than any LCD iPhone or iPad Apple makes).

This isn’t very complicated. Sure the SE will be much dimmer. How much dimmer? That I’m guessing based on experience.

I already told you that there’s no Apple store around where I live, and if you’d pay a bit of attention you’d know that I own both an SE1 and a mini, and I have therefore actually performed the test myself. I’m interested in how the comparison turns out for other users.