iPhone 14/Plus Mini or Plus. What will sell better?

[ian87w]

Most people don’t exchange large display for a third camera. It just doesn’t work that way.

Half the battle is explaining what telephoto is in the first place. You don’t need someone to explain how a bigger display or longer batter life translates to better usability.

Agree. I have met many lay users of the Pro Max who don't even realize they have telephoto lens until I told them so. They simply bought the Pro Max due to the larger screen/better battery life/simply it being the most expensive iphone model.

The sub segment out of those who wants largest screen iphone for the dollar will be extremely happily served by the 14 Plus, as now they can get the large screen for less than $1000.

The telephoto lens is almost an afterthought amongst general consumers. All they see is they can pinch to zoom, and they don't necessarily care how it was done (digitally or optically). Of course it sucks for people like me who wants telephoto lens but don't want to spend $1000... 😅

 

[snipr125]

Most people don’t exchange large display for a third camera. It just doesn’t work that way.

Half the battle is explaining what telephoto is in the first place. You don’t need someone to explain how a bigger display or longer batter life translates to better usability.

One nice and easy word that everyone understands and very much like to use... Zoom. The Pro models all sold out on pre-order that says a lot about what people now prefer.

 

[klasma]

I think battery life on the mini is enough for someone who doesn’t use their phones very much. We can all argue that people spend too much time on their phones but that’s just a fact of life. People are not going to buy a phone with a shorter battery life because of that. People drink too much soda, but that doesn’t mean they’re going to buy an 8 ounce soda versus the 20 ounce soda.

That’s all correct, but I think that people who value a small phone tend to also not spend the whole day on their phone as much. Not everyone of course, but there’s probably a bigger overlap than with the large phones.

 

[JPack]

One nice and easy word that everyone understands and very much like to use... Zoom. The Pro models all sold out on pre-order that says a lot about what people now prefer.

The typical response is, "I can zoom with my fingers. How much sharper is the zoom?"

Pro models always get sold out because fanatics pre-order. Normal consumers that buy the 14 and 14 Plus don't.

 

[klasma]

The solution is to make the mini fat enough to lay flat. Killing the idiotic camera bump would make the mini the top seller. How does apple keep doubling down on this insane uneven back design? Kill the bump, add back battery, and make all iPhones 1 handed again! Or not. The ultra finally made the watch seem viable to me, so I hope to rarely carry my phone anymore after my ultra finally gets in. I’d carry an iPhone if it wasn’t so big and unwieldy, but I’m in the minority who’d prefer to still have an iPhone 1-5 sized device with a modern motherboard and display.

I’m all for killing the camera bump, but I wouldn’t want a heavier phone. The weight increase from the 2016 SE to the mini was already unfortunate, totally changed the feel. If anything, I would like a return to the SE dimensions and weight. I was fine with the camera it had.

 

[Six0Four]

The Plus will sell very well, but this is not it’s time to shine. The Pro phones are selling like hot cakes now because those are the phones that geeks like us order (or pre-order) to get at launch. We didn’t even look at the Plus.

The Plus will sell consistently well year round. We got my mom a new phone this past spring and she wanted the Pro Max, not because of any features, but because the screen was bigger and she could see it easier. The target market for the Plus won’t even know it exists until they walk into a carrier or Apple store.

Apple usually sells more Pro Max's than the regular Pros. I wonder if they will sell more Plus's than the regular model as well. Maybe not this year since it was released so late though.

 

[TightLines]

I would bet a month’s salary that the plus will sell more. Most people want a larger phone with longer battery life.

The whole mini fiasco was because Apple miscalculated the market. There was a small but very vocal group of people that wanted a smaller iPhone. The problem they didn’t think about battery life. If the battery is almost half the size, it’s going to have a much shorter battery life even with a smaller screen. Perhaps the future is a mini size phone that folds out to a larger phone but currently the technology just isn’t here. Yes I know there are folding phones but they’re not ready for primetime.

What about people who just want a phone that will fit into a standard sized pocket in a pair of pants or shirt? People that just want to have a device that has primary function as a phone along with having conveniences of some traditionally computer based activities, such as e-mail, personal messaging, and web browsing?

Problem is there are people who want to replace all computing and communication devices with just one device… and that truly is an unreasonable expectation to force a whole industry to try and fit that mold.

These phones are becoming ridiculous in size and i see people struggling with handling them every day… trying to juggle keys, money, pen/pencil writing, etc… while holding their oversized communication device… its a joke and has turned into more of a status symbol than anything.

I think Apple should always offer a mini model of iPhone… personally, i think it should be called a “standard“ phone size… because they aren’t really miniature except when compared to something exceedingly large.

>Look at me, I am cool!<

 

[davidh2k]

Most people don’t exchange large display for a third camera. It just doesn’t work that way.

Half the battle is explaining what telephoto is in the first place. You don’t need someone to explain how a bigger display or longer batter life translates to better usability.

Exactly. Those that are more into cameras are going to get the Pro. If you know you want the best camera and want the larger screen, then those people are probably going to go for the Pro Max.

The people that want a basic iPhone but just want a larger screen are going to go for the Plus. It’s kind of like cars. For every model there’s the top of the line editions and then there’s the midrange models. Some people want leather seats and a heated steering wheel while others just want a car that drives but also has power windows.

My partner has an iPhone 12 pro max, which she chose rather than a 13 pro max because she needed the bigger screen, but could care less about camera specs yet does care about a lower monthly payment with the carrier. I don't know if she ever uses telephoto either, so chances are good her next phone will be something like the 14 plus. If anything, the 14 plus may reduce sales of 14 pro max.

ETA: she's uninterested in Pro Motion, also, because she doesn't play games on it.

I really don't understand how anybody can suggest a price cut. Have you been hiding somewhere underground for the past 12 months? Inflation is at least 20%. Is Apple expected to eat that inflation?

iPhone 13 should be selling for $875 today if Apple factored in inflation.

If everyone actually paid $200 more without thinking about it, then AirPods would not exist. Everyone would buy AirPods Pro. The iPad would not exist as everyone would buy iPad Air. Most people don't think that way. They look at what $200 offers and for a lot of people that third camera and pill isn't worth it.

Agree. I have met many lay users of the Pro Max who don't even realize they have telephoto lens until I told them so. They simply bought the Pro Max due to the larger screen/better battery life/simply it being the most expensive iphone model.

The sub segment out of those who wants largest screen iphone for the dollar will be extremely happily served by the 14 Plus, as now they can get the large screen for less than $1000.

The telephoto lens is almost an afterthought amongst general consumers. All they see is they can pinch to zoom, and they don't necessarily care how it was done (digitally or optically). Of course it sucks for people like me who wants telephoto lens but don't want to spend $1000... 😅

Had an iPhone X and upgraded to an iPhone 13 Pro. Having used the telephoto for the better part of 3 years it was just mind boggling to me, that they flipped it for the super ultra wide on the base models (starting with the iphone 11), so having to get the pro was almost a neccessity for me, since I didn't want to give the Telephoto up.

I also find that the telephoto of 13 pro - despite beeing a factor of 3 times vs. 2 - is a lot more grainy (lowlight perf doesn't feel as good as on the X's telephoto) in badly lid situations, which sometimes feels a tad anoying. Seeing the Keynote of the 14 made me insta interested when they showed the 2x zoom due to the bigger sensor...

Greetings
David

 

[Shirasaki]

I think most people here are right, the Plus will sell more but I think it being released weeks after the 14 and 14 pro that will hurt it's sales. Lot's of people couldn't wait and ended up buying another version I feel.

Trust me, only a handful among a handful would relent to iPhone 14 Plus because of the long waiting time for iPhone 14 Pro Max. Also one factor to consider is a large group of people living with iPhone craze are now reaching their 30s and 40s with worse eye sight day after day. Smaller iPhone not only doesn‘t have strong battery life (because of physics), but also can’t display as much content.

The solution is to make the mini fat enough to lay flat. Killing the idiotic camera bump would make the mini the top seller. How does apple keep doubling down on this insane uneven back design? Kill the bump, add back battery, and make all iPhones 1 handed again! Or not. The ultra finally made the watch seem viable to me, so I hope to rarely carry my phone anymore after my ultra finally gets in. I’d carry an iPhone if it wasn’t so big and unwieldy, but I’m in the minority who’d prefer to still have an iPhone 1-5 sized device with a modern motherboard and display.

Bruh. One argument can kill your entire paragraph here: weight. Also, physical space can limit how many features could cram in, as well as what new feature can be squeezed into that small space. Unless Apple somehow decide to sacrifice tons of new features for the sake of size, with price to match, the smaller phone era is reaching its end ever since the death of Steve Jobs. Yes, I sometimes feel uncomfortable to use my iPhone XS Max due to its size, but I am using iPad way more, which are 3x larger lmao. The advantage of being able to do anything far outweight the inconvenience of carrying a 11” screen device.

It’s also lighter in weight due to the aluminum. I know a lot of people complain about that with the Pro Max. It doesn’t bother me, but everyone’s different.

I tried it in a nearby Apple Store. I don’t think the difference between iPhone 14 Plus and iPhone 14 Pro Max is enough to sway me otherwise. Also, iPhone 14 Plus doesn’t feel as light as people might suggest.

Problem is there are people who want to replace all computing and communication devices with just one device… and that truly is an unreasonable expectation to force a whole industry to try and fit that mold.

These phones are becoming ridiculous in size and i see people struggling with handling them every day… trying to juggle keys, money, pen/pencil writing, etc… while holding their oversized communication device… its a joke and has turned into more of a status symbol than anything.

Things start with this: everyone needs a phone. iPhone crams more into a phone, pushing an era where phone is way more than just a phone. In the past decade or so, both software and hardware leap forward big ways to let phone do more and more. Eventually, small screen is not sufficient to do “serious work” (which I still think it is laughable to do them on a phone for majority of people), so phablet becomes popular. And here we are.

Unfortunately, because everyone STILL need a phone, iPhone would be able to do more things than ever, but excel at none, except phone call and SMS.

 

[russell_314]

Regular iPhone 14 is priced too high. $699 starting price. It’s last years tech. Still a great phone, but both are overly priced. The 14 Plus will sell well because of screen size and battery. The 14 will be a dud. Too expensive, especially when you look at what you’re getting for $800.

Well that’s your opinion. People say that about all Apple products but they sell.

 

[russell_314]

How much of the poor sales do you reckon was because the mini was overpriced? I always felt like it was $100 too much (prior to the recent price drop).

Almost none at least in the USA and similar countries. Maybe the price hurt sales in some developing countries but I don’t think Apple will ever win the budget smartphone market.

 

[russell_314]

That’s all correct, but I think that people who value a small phone tend to also not spend the whole day on their phone as much. Not everyone of course, but there’s probably a bigger overlap than with the large phones.

Agreed but the problem is that market is tiny. Unfortunately companies make a profit by massive sales to cover R&D costs and I think Apple realized the mini just didn’t do that.

 

[russell_314]

What about people who just want a phone that will fit into a standard sized pocket in a pair of pants or shirt?

My 14 Pro Max fits into a standard size pants pocket on men’s pants. It’s too big and heavy for a shirt pocket. I don’t think this is a big deterrent as you think though because woman’s clothing has smaller pockets and big phones have always been popular with women.

People that just want to have a device that has primary function as a phone along with having conveniences of some traditionally computer based activities, such as e-mail, personal messaging, and web browsing?

A device that has a primary function as a phone? Not in 2022. I think that market is extremely small. It’s more of a device that has a primary function as a computer with phone capabilities.

Problem is there are people who want to replace all computing and communication devices with just one device… and that truly is an unreasonable expectation to force a whole industry to try and fit that mold.

No not really. That’s what most people have already done. It’s not about forcing an industry to fit a mold. Companies make products that people want because they sell. If most people want pink shoes some company will make them.

These phones are becoming ridiculous in size and i see people struggling with handling them every day… trying to juggle keys, money, pen/pencil writing, etc… while holding their oversized communication device… its a joke and has turned into more of a status symbol than anything.

I agree they’re unwieldy but it’s what works till something better comes along. Maybe that’s the folding phone? I don’t think people buy a large phone because of status. You can get a large android phone for about $100. People want a big screen to see what they are doing.

I think Apple should always offer a mini model of iPhone… personally, i think it should be called a “standard“ phone size… because they aren’t really miniature except when compared to something exceedingly large.

View attachment 2091914 >Look at me, I am cool!<

Unfortunately if it doesn’t sell a big company like Apple isn’t going to make it. The less a product sells means it costs more per unit to make. It’s easier for a small company to make stuff on a smaller scale for niche markets.

 

[MayaUser]

So the difference between those two 6.7" is just $200
Differences Pro over Plus
-better brighter display
-better camera system, ability to take ProRaw and macro photography
-video Prores and macro
-slightly faster Ram
-slightly faster SoC
-slightly more compact bec of slightly smaller borders
-option for 1T ssd

Plus over Pro
- lighter

On topic, iphone plus will sell better since the mini life is over and was sold officially for 2 generations while the Plus is just starting and probably we will have another iphone 15 plus at least

 

[Jackbequickly]

Seeing that Apple is discontinuing the mini . . . . . .

 

[MayaUser]

They should keep the next SE as the mini and not as the XR display size
Next SE should be also keep it the most compact

 

[Sheepish-Lord]

Let's not forget for those that wear women's clothes there are roughly zero pockets that can hold a phone these days so often times a phone, regardless of size, is held or kept in a separate bag (e.g. purse, clutch, backpack). That said there's no reason why bigger won't continue to sell better as long as it offers an advantage in the form of screen size or camera. I polled my spouse and asked what mattered more (camera, screen size, or weight) and the answer was camera.

 

[xxray]

Missed opportunity for adding a poll to this post

 

[Wahlstrm]

If I was in the market for a huge phone,
then I would likely spend the extra ≈$7.50/month for the 14 PRO MAX over the 14 Plus.

..or the $0(?) extra for a 13 PRO Max..

 

[ApplesAreSweet&Sour]

Just curious what y'all thought.

Think the Plus will outsell the Mini, or is the Mini fan base too strong?

Definitely Plus.

The mainstream iPhone buyer prioritizes battery life and display size.

Sure. mini might win on weight, size and price.

But the average consumer spends several many hours “inside” their phones every single day through social media and music/movie/media streaming.

Plus will get a comeback once the price goes down just a little.

The big issue for the Plus is how you can’t really grasp how big the display is until you see it irl.

 

[Dranix]

This screen sizes are getting ridiculous 8( I want the iPhone4 back...

 

[GuruZac]

Apple usually sells more Pro Max's than the regular Pros. I wonder if they will sell more Plus's than the regular model as well. Maybe not this year since it was released so late though.

I have been a traditional smaller Pro size user, but will be going to the Pro Max next year for larger display and better battery life.

 

[Dsmith7]

Plus for sure. I honestly only saw one mini in the wild.

 

[kp98077]

I think the 14 Plus is a great phone and will sell much better due to size and battery. However, it’s priced too high, deliberately to drive people to the Pro models. It should have started at $749.

yeah it should have started $50 more than the mini whatever that is, due to larger screen. You could always buy one in a no tax state ! It is a nice phone for sure, having played with not this weekend... soooooooo light, its nuts

 

[mjpearce023]

The plus will outsell the mini but a mini pro with a 5.6-5.8 screen would outsell the plus. The 11pro was really the perfect size phone with great battery life. Apple went too small with the 5.4 display and the battery on the 12 mini was a nightmare.