Yes, Apple did a terrible job of introducing the mini with such a small battery in the 12 mini. No wonder it didn't sell better, and the damage was done also to the 13 mini, although this came with a bigger battery.
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iPhone 13 mini Replaced my 14 Pro Max with a 13 Mini...
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I’m not talking about marketing … I’m saying specs. Why is it beyond Apple’s imagination to think that people want Pro-level specs, but in a smaller form factor? I get the battery will always suffer simply because of physical space limitations … but what good reason was there to not give the 13 Mini a 120Hz display, a 5-core GPU A15 chipset, or the triple-camera setup?
The previous poster here, typing this from 12 mini, which I like a lot, btw. 😉🖐️
I have no doubt that a new 13 mini will have a decent battery life for light-medium use for the first year or two, depending on one’s charging habits, etc. No question about it.
What I wonder, however, is a smart upgrade strategy for my 12 mini when it starts struggling with its usual tasks. Right now it still works fine, running the latest iOS 17 PB and I really have no reason to upgrade as yet. It’s original battery is still at around 87% (Apple-Coconut average) and I can get through the day with a few short top-ups.
So my upgrade options would be:
1) getting 13 mini while it is still being sold - ok, but very minor improvements over what I already have and two generations behind;
2) getting a regular 6.1” iPhone 15 - this will give me a much better battery, better camera, a Dynamic Island to play with, a USB-C to “rule them all” with my iPad and a more precise GPS. So pretty good, really;
3) not upgrading for as long my 12 mini is going, hoping Apple might give us a mini refresh at some point or bring back a 5.8” form factor, the later would be great.
So, basically, I will wait for the Apple event on 12 September and decide what to do then. I would not rush to buy 13 mini now, as Apple might still keep selling them and, even if not, there will be plenty of carrier and reseller deals to clear their shelves.
My guess is that mini is already quite stuffed as is, so fitting the third camera could be really tough.
Then introducing all these improvements would also affect mini’s pricing, getting it closer to that of an iPhone Pro. Apple could sell some of those, I guess, but nowhere near the quantities they like.
There may be some validity to the camera thing. Like the battery, maybe there were just simply size limitations that restricted them to the two-camera setup. Price is no excuse coming from the company that charges $1,000 for a monitor stand and $700 for wheels. If a better screen and chipset would make the Mini $100 more expensive … slap a Pro designation on it and call it a day.
My last upgrade was from a 12 mini to a 14 pro, and while I love things about both phones, the weight of the 14 pro is just crushing me. I’m a heavy user / app developer, so I really feel the cumulative effects. Hoping the 15 pro titanium case is going to shave off a lot of weight.
I never had anything besides the base sized phone (no pro or max) but immediately fell in love with the mini 13 form factor and have been stoked on it ever since.
I agree with folks that battery is the biggest concern, but at least for me it’s only an issue if I tether my iPad to it for extend periods of time when doing fieldwork. The vast majority of days I make it to my overnight charge in the teens, percentage wise.
Bigger phones have really captured people though. I take out my phone in a meeting, or pass it to someone to enter their information, and like as not they ask why I’m using such an old phone. They equate bigger phones with more recent releases and modern tech, and assume the mini is something from 2016. Apple et al have been incredibly successful in that pitch, and it’s part of what makes me worry we don’t see a good mini iPhone option again.
I agree with folks that battery is the biggest concern, but at least for me it’s only an issue if I tether my iPad to it for extend periods of time when doing fieldwork. The vast majority of days I make it to my overnight charge in the teens, percentage wise.
Bigger phones have really captured people though. I take out my phone in a meeting, or pass it to someone to enter their information, and like as not they ask why I’m using such an old phone. They equate bigger phones with more recent releases and modern tech, and assume the mini is something from 2016. Apple et al have been incredibly successful in that pitch, and it’s part of what makes me worry we don’t see a good mini iPhone option again.
Ditto. Same with my eyes. I currently use an 11 pro and have been considering if I should move to a Pro Max this year. My previous phone was a 7 Plus which I liked, but I REALLY LIKE the size and feel of the 11 Pro. I’m not sure I am ready to go big again even though my eyes are telling me otherwise.
They aren't going to make the mini any more so enjoy yours while it lasts.
I actually made an account just to throw my two cents in. I switched to a 13 mini at the beginning of the year to test the theory about smaller screens being less addictive, found it to be true. Screen time is down by 33%. Didn’t even make a conscious effort to cut back. And like others mentioned I definitely like how it fits in a pocket and the ability to one-hand it. Given that I use it less, smaller battery isn’t an issue. I really hope they make some smaller options in the future.
I’d really love a mini pro. I went from the iPhone 7 to the 14 pro. I used a Smart Battery Case all the time on my 7 so it weighed about 250 grams or so I was used to the weight of everyday usage. Where I don’t like the weight is when I stick it in my arm band to go running. I can always feel the 14 pro on my arm whereas the 7 basically disappeared.
It’s all about trade offs and I love the 120hz screen and the battery is amazing on my 14 pro. I used to end my day with 20-30% with the 7 including the Smart Battery Case. On my 14 pro I usually have about 60% by the end of the day. I have small hands and I’ve gotten used to maneuvering the screen and holding it with my popsocket. But man oh man if they made a mini sized pro I’d be all over that thing!
It’s all about trade offs and I love the 120hz screen and the battery is amazing on my 14 pro. I used to end my day with 20-30% with the 7 including the Smart Battery Case. On my 14 pro I usually have about 60% by the end of the day. I have small hands and I’ve gotten used to maneuvering the screen and holding it with my popsocket. But man oh man if they made a mini sized pro I’d be all over that thing!
Agree with both of these points. My battery on 13 mini is really poor after two years. If I know I'm going to be out of the house for more than half a day, say, I always make sure to have a battery pack with me. I've never actually measured exactly how much use I could squeeze out of it on a single charge, but I'd put at around 8-10 hours of my usually daily load of moderate use. It was maybe more like 12-14 when new, so I might see about getting the battery replaced if it deteriorates much more, especially as I'm going to be away from home for work at lot more soon.
And I hadn't really noticed the typing/keyboard issue until recently when my girlfriend got the regular-size iPhone 14, and when I hold that and use it I go, oh yeah, this is the size of screen this OS was optimised for. Everything just feels easier, especially typing. It's not enough to make me want to go back to a bigger phone, so I'll be holding on to this for another year at least, but it's definitely noticeable.
I have had the 13 mini for two years and the battery is becoming an issue for me. The health says it is at 89% original capacity but my phone acts as my car key too so I have to be careful not to use too much battery if I am using the camera a lot. It seems like I charge it during the day pretty often these days. I will be going back to the normal sized iPhone this month so I don't have anxiety of not being able to drive because my phone died.
I should add that I love the form factor of the 13 mini which is why I have never upgraded.
I should add that I love the form factor of the 13 mini which is why I have never upgraded.
That, my friend, is most definitely a first world problem!
I’ve been back and forth going back to the mini since I got my 14 Pro. Ultimately, decided to keep the 14 Pro. I’d love to have a mini again some day, but this new iPhone replaced both my iPad Pro and 12 mini. Along with partially replacing my 20 year old DSLR.
I definitely had less hand cramps with the mini though.
I definitely had less hand cramps with the mini though.
It’s PERFECTLY fine if I use it with one hand the hel are you talkinabout
The 13 mini is my favorite iPhone Apple ever released.
We need another mini. We must unite and let Tim Apple know one handed use matters!
We need another mini. We must unite and let Tim Apple know one handed use matters!
Could not agree more. Came from an iPhone 6 and the sometime the 13 mini still feels bulkier and heavier.
On occasions I get the 6 out of the drawer for a run. Just more slim and light.
Wouldn't those upgrades cause it to consume more power, though? I'm not sure how the inside of the phone is laid out, but I also wonder if a 3-lens camera module would take up more space inside and make the Mini's battery even smaller.
I'm very happy with my 13 Mini with the exception of the battery life. There are mornings I'll use it for 45 minutes on my commute and find it's down to 85% battery when I get off the train. I've become a compulsive charger as a result, but if I tried to get through a whole day of medium use I suspect my battery would be toast by 6pm most of the time. Obviously this is all super variable depending on use, but it's always a concern for me.
Welcome to the 13 Mini club. I recommend buying a power bank for use when you will be travelling or out of the home for 6-8 hours.
The battery does drain quickly with heavy usage. However, it's one of the reasons why the phone is great: You cannot be glued to its screen all day but need to put it down.
The battery does drain quickly with heavy usage. However, it's one of the reasons why the phone is great: You cannot be glued to its screen all day but need to put it down.
Had a 14 pro for the longest time after using a 11 pro hoping to offload some of my iPad-bound tasks to it. I litterally could not get a grip on it (and I'm a well proportionned 6'2 dude). Got a 13 mini in early august. Felt somewhat apprehensive ... But man It has been great. Handling it feels great. No problems during typing. Less tension in my hands.
Pro motion was nice, but I'll have to clarify that I harbour a dislike for thumb bound computing so I'm not your average user and the feature is not missed. What I miss is the lidar, but again, very specific use case.
My roommate's 13 pro feels gargantuan now.
Let's all cross fingers for apple to revive the format as the future SE
Pro motion was nice, but I'll have to clarify that I harbour a dislike for thumb bound computing so I'm not your average user and the feature is not missed. What I miss is the lidar, but again, very specific use case.
My roommate's 13 pro feels gargantuan now.
Let's all cross fingers for apple to revive the format as the future SE
If you have a personnal space where you remain static for more than 45 minutes during the day, getting a magsafe puck there will eliminate the worry, it has become automatic to drop it on there and I do not have to be cognescent of this aspect.