iPhone 13 mini iPhone Mini starting to lose its attraction to me sadly.

[BigMcGuire]

At this moment I’m tempted to move to a Pro Max model. Thinking I should wait for the 15 Pro Max. Sometimes I just want to say ’screw it’ and get the 14 Pro Max

That's how I view it. With technology the way it is today, it's really rare that the next generation is going to have anything dramatically different than the generation immediately before it.

Most of the rumors about XYZ device often over-estimate. If you get the 14 Pro Max, the 16 will be AMAZING and your phone will be mostly paid off (if you do a 2 year 0% interest plan) making the trade in great.

I've tried to use a Pro and found that I just use my iPhone too much to go smaller. The drop in battery life was VERY noticeable from the Pro to the Pro Max. Yes, Pro charged a little faster but... still, I missed the slightly bigger screen and 2-3 day battery life of the Pro Max.

The way these things are priced today and the poor trade in value for the 1TB iPhone, I do not think I will be upgrading before 2 years. (I sold my 1 TB 13 Pro Max to a family member for significantly more than Apple was offering but still a good deal for them vs Ebay).

While the 14 Pro felt amazing in my hands (and I'm sure the 13 mini would feel even better) - the battery life and lack of screen space is worth more to me. I did use the Pro for almost 15 days before deciding to give it to a family member and get the Pro Max.

 

[Xand&Roby]

Honestly, my 13 mini with 512 Gb does even worse: in a year it has an 89% battery.

How did I solve it? By buying an iPad mini 5 LTE with 256Gb and using it as the main device, the iPhone only stays on when I use the connected watch, otherwise it is turned off when I use other watches with their dedicated iPhone.
The iPhone problem is iPhone: it can make it as big as you want, but it will always cost an enormity, it will be worth nothing the following year, the battery and the sw will suck on average.
The problem is that Apple without an iPhone doesn't dance, and users without an iPhone don't use Apple Watch, CarPlay, and they struggle with Apple services as well.
It was better before the iPhone, I must say, and it's better without it, if it weren't for the Apple Watch, but now even that's a product with so little innovation that it's hardly worth it anymore.
iPad for portability, Mac for productivity.
iPhone, phone calls, photos? There is a better solution probably, perhaps uncomfortable for the way we got used to it, but better.

 

[Malcy16]

That's how I view it. With technology the way it is today, it's really rare that the next generation is going to have anything dramatically different than the generation immediately before it.

Most of the rumors about XYZ device often over-estimate. If you get the 14 Pro Max, the 16 will be AMAZING and your phone will be mostly paid off (if you do a 2 year 0% interest plan) making the trade in great.

I've tried to use a Pro and found that I just use my iPhone too much to go smaller. The drop in battery life was VERY noticeable from the Pro to the Pro Max. Yes, Pro charged a little faster but... still, I missed the slightly bigger screen and 2-3 day battery life of the Pro Max.

The way these things are priced today and the poor trade in value for the 1TB iPhone, I do not think I will be upgrading before 2 years. (I sold my 1 TB 13 Pro Max to a family member for significantly more than Apple was offering but still a good deal for them vs Ebay).

While the 14 Pro felt amazing in my hands (and I'm sure the 13 mini would feel even better) - the battery life and lack of screen space is worth more to me. I did use the Pro for almost 15 days before deciding to give it to a family member and get the Pro Max.

Yeah I’m tempted to go 14 Pro Max. A huge plus for me would be the camera plus I bet the price of the 14 Pro Max is better now than when the 15 comes out.
I’m not jumping in anytime soon so I’ll have a think.

 

[DeepIn2U]

Honestly, my 13 mini with 512 Gb does even worse: in a year it has an 89% battery.

How did I solve it? By buying an iPad mini 5 LTE with 256Gb and using it as the main device, the iPhone only stays on when I use the connected watch, otherwise it is turned off when I use other watches with their dedicated iPhone.
The iPhone problem is iPhone: it can make it as big as you want, but it will always cost an enormity, it will be worth nothing the following year, the battery and the sw will suck on average.
The problem is that Apple without an iPhone doesn't dance, and users without an iPhone don't use Apple Watch, CarPlay, and they struggle with Apple services as well.
It was better before the iPhone, I must say, and it's better without it, if it weren't for the Apple Watch, but now even that's a product with so little innovation that it's hardly worth it anymore.
iPad for portability, Mac for productivity.
iPhone, phone calls, photos? There is a better solution probably, perhaps uncomfortable for the way we got used to it, but better.

Sorry to hear.

My iPhone 13 mini just 8months in and I have 100% battery health. THE KEY lesson I learned with my previous 12 mini was to NEVER fully charge using MagSafe as that for some reason deteriorated my 12 mini's battery health from 100-91-83% all in less than 1yr our of 1.3yrs I've owned it.

Warm:
During 0/20% to full charge when prior to 7:30 AM my normal leave for work time frame so iOS knows to rapid charge close to then for top-off.
Running games as well over 5G but not over. LTE or WiFi which is strange.

I've tried the iPhone 14 Pro ... twice (first for 14 days) and next with 64 days ... the camera and larger battery didn't seem enough to sway me. not even the extra RAM did.
The ONLY thing I would ever miss with iPhone Pro is the larger screen in specifically using UNDO. Why the FRAK is UNDO text entry needing to use 4 fingers?! on the SE models and mini models 4 fingers, even with my small hands, barely fits or works - its a VERY dumb solution to a problem that wasn't broken.

I LOVE my 13 mini more than ANY other iPhone I've ever used - even beyond the iPhone 5S/SE1 or iPhone 4S my previous favourites which both are the precursor to the 13 mini.

Sorry to hear others not liking theirs.

With Spring months happening now, quick bike rides with Maps navigation + announcements, iMessage announcements and reply's, Apple Music with Siri ... lots of handsfree synergistic functionality I know Id miss going to Android (a reminder when I Lust over new hardware on the other side, but the grass is not greener).

I love taking my iPhone 13 mini out my khaki's or jogging pants/track pants pockets using my thumb+index finger with ease, or from my suit from breast pocket. barely any weight to look/feel awkward about.

 

[stanza.richi]

Yeah I’m tempted to go 14 Pro Max. A huge plus for me would be the camera plus I bet the price of the 14 Pro Max is better now than when the 15 comes out.
I’m not jumping in anytime soon so I’ll have a think.

Went from 12 mini to 14 pro max (in the past, owned an 8 plus that my mum is still using): better battery, larger screen, better camera. Caseless after few months with leather/silicone cases, it’s heavier and bigger than 12 mini but something that I can afford

 

[ukms]

It’s really horses for courses, personal choice and what suits your circumstances ….. but comparing the features of a Mini -v- PM and then reaching the conclusion that it has a better battery or a better camera or bigger screen is really stating the obvious 😁

 

[Malcy16]

Part of me thinks I’m just going through the motions with it. I’m seeing posts of people taking photos with their 14 PM and they look a lot better.

That being said something I’d definitely miss would be the small size. I’m actually typing this with one hand whilst having my morning coffee. Plus it’s nice being able to use the phone whilst pushing my sons pushchair - I noticed how difficult it was when I had my 12 Pro.

Pros and cons ha!

 

[darkus]

I will still say the Mini is the best phone in the lineup, all day everyday. But about the battery life, you are not alone in saying that. I think you might fall into the camp of people who use the phone ALOT? A lot of surfing, a lot of media, etc?

If that is the case, then I could see how the mini might not be the right fit. It seems that for someone who uses their phone to actively consume media, then the bigger the screen really is better. And don't get me wrong, I hate big screens. But when I want to do any kind of surfing, I just goto my iPad and don't even mess with the phone. Its much more enjoyable.

Im still in total love with the Mini, many years on. But I use it as a phone, text, use apps here and there (when boredom strikes) and listen to some music here and there. With my use case I get 2.X good days of battery life between charges. Combined with the portability its the absolute perfect phone IMO.

But if I relied on it for more serious media consumption, I would probably upgrade to a larger phone TBH.

I still have an iPhone5 and SE sitting on the desk here, and dreaming of that size to make some kind of triumphant return 😂

 

[Malcy16]

Stop all the clocks, cut off the telephon
Prevent the dog from barking with a juicy bone,
Silence the pianos and with muffled drum
Bring out the coffin, let the mourners come.


Today I’ve decided to part ways with my iPhone 13 Mini. I’ve ordered a iPhone 14 Pro which arrives tomorrow however they’ve shipped the wrong colour so I’ve got time to pick between Silver or Space Black.
Ordered the Space Black but for some reason they shipped Deep Purple

 

[Martyimac]

I too have parted ways with my 13 mini. Various reasons but it is what it is. Now have a 13 as a backup to my 13 Pro.

 

[DeepIn2U]

With respect to the thread ops opinions, what works for him/her works for him/her may not work for you/me.

Personally I fall more in love with my 13 mini each month. Now my iPad mini as been loosing its attraction for me lately because my use for it has changed since I bought it last year.

You and me both!

In the last 4yrs coming from the iPhone 8, then to the iPhone SE OG (phone size and build to prepare me for), the iPhone 12 mini, then to the iPhone 13 mini (initially briefly, then tried the iPhone 14 Pro, then back to the 13 mini) ... then tried the 14 Pro as a secondary, again briefly ... I'm loving my 13mini more and more every day, week, and month - especially as the warmer days of Spring is coming about now.

Cycling ... it works perfectly on my FastRoad SL2 like a mini road computer.

My experience is for iPhone 6, 6S, 7,8, and 12 mini.

Agreed. For Maps on my former 8, 12 mini and now 13 mini ... I've done the following:

I disable: Tolls, Cycling, and Walking - unless I'm needing such. Maps has gotten VERY feature rich and will always connect to WiFi and mobile data even after 10/15mins running in the background as a 1st party application. Disable what is not necessary and thus cpu cycles are not used for what is not needed. Announce is enabled for turn by turn directions when I'm using Beats Fit Pro’s so the screen is off - again no need to use power when not needed.

PS: I always reduce screen brightness to about 20-30% indoors, and 80-100% outdoors when sunlight is decent.

Think the battery life has gotten worse in the 11 months I’ve had it. It’s not terrible though but sometimes I wish it was a little bit better

I'm curious if you've been using Qi or MagSafe charging frequently lately? I learned this valuable lesson to NOT do this when I had my 12 mini (large thread about that by many) so I don't use it for more than 10min on my 13 mini. I'm gonna stretch out my longevity as much as I can until that AC+ is needed.

 

[ignatius345]

[delete - duplicate]

 

[minimo3]

My 15 month old mini is at 88% battery. I babied it, charging nightly wired with a 5w slow charger with optimized charging enabled. It gets about 4-5 hours SOT and I’m totally fine with it. I usually end the day with 40% battery. I work in tech but this aligns perfectly with my goal of less screen time. I make it a point never to use my phone at the meal table or with people around. Instead I have face to face conversations! I’ve also gotten rid of my Apple Watch in favor of a G-shock.

 

[Clamjuice65]

Hello all,

I'm a big fan of the iPhone Mini particularly for its size and ease of use.
I don't tend to post much on here but I've added a couple of comments on articles which discuss the iPhone Mini saying 'Long Live the iPhone Mini' or something similar and its usually met with a large amount of likes. So I'm definitely aware there are many iPhone Mini fans out there.

I've had my Mini since May last year and been happy with it since.
But now a few things have started to bug me which I think may be solved with a change to a Pro or Pro Max model.

• Battery Life
  • My battery health is 94% and I will have to use a charger at least once a day. Previous phones have allowed me to charge at night and will survive the day without charge no problem.
• Phone getting warm
  • I tend to use my iPhone in the car to play music/podcasts whilst using Google Maps/Apple Maps for navigation. The phone will get really warm and has sometimes told me its too warm. (Can't remember the exact wording for the too warm message)
• Camera
  • Whilst the camera is great for most photos I tend to struggle for close up shots and lower light photos. Taken pictures of the dog or my son in the evening time in our home tends to be a little less clear than other photos. Also I collect football shirts (soccer jerseys for US folks) and I take photos of the shirts when discussing with the football shirt community on twitter. My phone really struggles to capture the team crest or close up details.

I'm not going to do anything drastic at the moment in regards to changing my phone. At the moment I'm tempted to wait until the 15 models release and see how I feel then. This could also just be a little phase of discontent with my iPhone I'm going through. Sometimes I think I can be quite fickle when it comes to products I own and tend to change them regularly if it doesn't cost me too much money.

Anyone else got anything they find annoying or disappointing with there Mini?

Oh no dont say that

 

[minik]

I still love the iPhone 13 mini. I picked up the green color one around 15 months ago. Right now, the battery capacity remains at 99% with optimized battery charging and clean energy charging enabled. Once in a while I have the low power mode on, otherwise everything is on. No doubt about that the battery is not the greatest compares to other larger screen size iPhone. It got me a full day of use.

 

[xxFoxtail]

I was a 12 mini user for two years before getting my 14 Pro. I regret selling it. I'm tempted to pick up a refurbished one on Apple's website though (I still have a couple 12 mini cases so it might make sense and my old MagSafe battery pack). But, I might as well just hold out for refurbished 13 minis. I like my 14 Pro for what it is, but I've had serious hand cramping problems since getting it, they were never this bad with my 12 mini - I don't know if its because I'm using it a lot more than my mini, or if it's just because the weight and size, or both.

 

[iOS Geek]

Of the three issues you specifically called out…I’ll say I agree with (luckily) only one of them: battery life. I LOVE the size of the phone. Unfortunately that comes with the sacrifice to battery life simply because of a smaller battery.

A Mini with Pro Max battery life would be perfect. But those two kinda conflict with each other for the same reason…the size 😂

 

[Xand&Roby]

Sorry to hear.

I love my 13 mini, the problem is not the device itself, the problem is who makes it.

I got tired of fighting Apple, I buy AC+ and when the products suck too much I get them changed, even once a month, until I get a working one, otherwise I don't buy them anymore. Clearly I can't afford the luxury of installing those crap updates that punctually smak up every device, but that's because I've learned about this company over the decades.
If the products don't work it's because it's convenient for Apple, but I can afford to give up almost every Apple device and service, except maybe HomeKit but only because I'm not going to redo the house.

 

[paardenkapper]

I got the 12 mini because I just loved the form factor - just as much phone as I need it to be.

But as previous posters have already stated the battery life is sub par - sometimes it would not even last a day.
It also got pretty hot and the camera had strange effects from time to time.

 

[Poppleropples]

I’ve just ordered a 14 Pro and will be moving from a 13 Mini. I absolutely loved the mini when I first got it, favourite release day iPhone and was so pleased to be using a smaller phone…. But nearly 2 years on it’s just a bit knackered now! Awful battery, and performance is poor as well, gets very hot and slows down with light usage, and Face ID has packed in! So it’s going back on Applecare + (for my other half to get the replacement), and I’ve ordered a 14 Pro. Would like the battery, and I used to do a lot of photography but holiday and travel with kids now means the less I take the better, so the better cameras really appeal.

 

[mikext]

Of the three issues you specifically called out…I’ll say I agree with (luckily) only one of them: battery life. I LOVE the size of the phone. Unfortunately that comes with the sacrifice to battery life simply because of a smaller battery.

This is what made me switch to a 14 Pro. I still have a soft spot for the mini but I don't miss the anxiety over the battery that came when I was out all day and not around a charger or battery pack.

 

[SkyBell]

The battery is the only complaint I have about my 12 mini - it sucks. A lot. Fortunately I'm almost always near a charger for it, and even if I'm not a battery bank will do in a pinch, so whatever. The camera is the best camera I have ever used in my entire life, and by quite a bit too. It's kind of wasted on me tbh, I very rarely take photos where the quality matters, usually it's just pictures of lists and whatnot that a 10+ year old smartphone camera could handle just fine.

 

[xpxp2002]

Having had the 12 mini, 13 mini, and a 13 Pro; I will say two things about the battery life:

• The 13 mini's battery life is unquestionably better. If you have a 12 mini and you're only dissatisfied with the battery life, seriously consider picking up a 13 mini.
• The 13 Pro obviously lasts longer than both. With my light to moderate usage, I don't find the 13 mini's battery (even at 92% health) to be inadequate. Sure, it could always be better. But it's "good enough" and a completely worthwhile tradeoff for a portable and reasonable size and weight.
  • I do slap on the MagSafe Battery Pack whenever I'm on vacation and know I'll be out for the entire day just to buy myself some extra time "just in case." But for ordinary daily use when the phone is plugged into my car for CarPlay, can be set on a MagSafe charger while I'm working or at home, and can be charged at night; there's simply no problem with the battery life of the 13 mini. It might not be adequate for everybody, but if you're spending your entire day watching videos or playing games on your phone, a $500 cellular iPad mini is a better value for your money than a $1000+ iPhone 14 Plus or Pro Max.

The minis are the first iPhones since 2016 that I've finally been able to use one-handed again. I honestly don't know how anybody can tolerate the Pro and Pro Max sizes. It's an albatross trying to use it while living life.

Through a carrier promotion, I was able to get a 13 Pro inexpensively. I missed my telephoto lens immensely after upgrading to the 12 mini from the X, and kept thinking in the back of my mind that I might be able to tolerate the 13 Pro's large size and heavy weight to have those features. I do wish the minis had the telephoto lens instead of the ultrawide. But again, tradeoffs.

Having used the 13 Pro for a few months in place of my 13 mini, I was able to make comparisons side by side. Everything I knew I'd love and missed about the Pro-style models was correct: the telephoto lens, the ProMotion display, and the stainless steel body. Every time I'd pick up that mini, the display looked like crap compared to the 13 Pro but it just feels like the right size for comfortable use. It was so much easier to text and type without having to contort my hand in weird ways to reach far-away keys on the keyboard, and even just navigating the Home Screen and dismissing notifications is easier being able to reach most of the screen with my thumb.

After a few months, I ended up switching back to the 13 mini and continue to use it as my primary phone to this day. I occasionally bring the 13 Pro with me as a literal "camera phone" to concerts and on vacation. Not really even for its battery life, but just for that telephoto lens. With the iPhone 15 launch imminently approaching in about 3 months, there's no rumor that the mini will be making a return. I will be holding on to my 13 mini for another year, and hopefully getting enough battery degradation in before AC+ expires to have the battery replaced.

I hope that Apple reconsiders for 2024. I'd even take a 5.6" or 5.8" model as a compromise. But with the 6.1" model getting slightly larger this year, I'm not holding out much hope. Since last year's launch, the smallest current-generation iPhone is 6.1". Yet, I remember when 6.0" phones were called phablets. I had one in 2014 and it was just as cumbersome and obnoxious to use as the current iPhones are.

I just wish Apple would at least continue to offer an option below 6.1" for all of us who need a mobile phone and not a portable entertainment machine. There are other products from the Nintendo Switch to the iPad that already service that need. Just give us a lightweight, high-quality, reasonably-sized phone for calls, text, camera, and web browsing when out and about.

 

[Moonjumper]

I have a work phone. I dislike it being an Android phone, but even worse is the size. It doesn't fit easily in my pocket like my mini does, so ends up in my backpack and so not as useful. I'm going to ask for a virtual SIM from work so I can use my mini only. It will mean a hit for the battery, but should still be fine for me (currently lasts 2 days most of the time). Device size is more important to me than screen size for my phone because I want it to be portable. The opposite is true for my iPad (12.9") and Mac (27"x2 and want more screen space).

 

[DeepIn2U]

I love my 13 mini, the problem is not the device itself, the problem is who makes it.

I got tired of fighting Apple, I buy AC+ and when the products suck too much I get them changed, even once a month, until I get a working one, otherwise I don't buy them anymore. Clearly I can't afford the luxury of installing those crap updates that punctually smak up every device, but that's because I've learned about this company over the decades.
If the products don't work it's because it's convenient for Apple, but I can afford to give up almost every Apple device and service, except maybe HomeKit but only because I'm not going to redo the house.

Shoot sorry Apple hasn't served your better over the years.

By your experience .. would not the following service Microsoft, Asus, Acer, Dell, HP, etc etc even MORE so with their own updates failing the hardware sooner than a consumer expects? Consider a much much larger competition in each component category, meaning it would serve them better to fault their own equipment and have consumers upgrade sooner than they need to? Just a thought but out of scope for this thread. It's more for my own thoughts.

Wishing you better in the future, sincerely.