Reports of Lackluster iPhone 12 Mini Sales Corroborated By Supply Chain Sources

[4jasontv]

You're welcomed to buy it in EU and spend the extra 30-40% taxes on it and call it "low priced". No thanks For this money of course people will prefer something else.

It’s cheaper that the 12, which is the exact same phone. Low as in the a relative term.

 

[Madhava]

I like small phones and was waiting for mini.
I never expected mini to sell on par with other models as we can clearly see most people want a large phone in any market.
Apart from me I never met a single person who wanted a small phone(atleast in India).
I fail to understand why mini is being termed as failure if it is able to cater to the audience it was intended for.

 

[iGüey]

We have a paradox here, people want big screens but also compact form factor. Solution: Folding iPhone! 😃

 

[turbineseaplane]

We have a paradox here, people want big screens but also compact form factor. Solution: Folding iPhone! 😃

In all seriousness -
I finally got to play with one of the new RAZR's at Best Buy and I would LOVE Apple to try something in that vein.

 

[Optheduim]

I just bought the mini yesterday replacing a Xs Max—and I love it. I didn’t buy it because it was cheaper (I got the larger HD), I bought it because I’m tired of so much crap in my pockets. The iPhone mini is my temporary alternative to an iPhone flip phone.

 

[SWAON]

It’s cheaper that the 12, which is the exact same phone. Low as in the a relative term.

yes, the keyword is relative.. as all generalizations are

 

[iGüey]

If the mini were to get axed, I'd buy another as a backup for when my current one dies/breaks. Then by the time that one gets some decent use, there would be enough of a technology jump to concede to using a bigger phone again.

Bigger iPhones will be replaced by the foldable iPhones in the medium term.

 

[anson42]

I fail to understand why mini is being termed as failure if it is able to cater to the audience it was intended for.

In relative terms, and if the numbers are to be believed, then 6% of iPhone sales makes it a failure in relative terms. if Apple's internal projections had the mini selling well above that, then it would also be a failure in their eyes, but we won't really know.

6% of sales is still many millions of phones. It probably outsold many models of larger Android models from other companies because the mini is a very performant phone, an iPhone 12 in a smaller package. With a few tweaks to address concerns and a lower price point and fewer iPhone models that cannibalize it – I'm looking at you XR – I would expect greater than 6% sales. Perhaps as more discretionary income becomes available post-pandemic those who held off on mini purchases will be moving to it. For that reason I see Apple still making a 13 mini. The primary tooling for the form factor is already there and end of 2021 just might that time for spending to increase in this area.

 

[vipergts2207]

I really wanted the Mini to succeed.

The iPhone 11 Pro’s 5.8 inch screen is an absolutely perfect “compact” phone for 2021 & it’s a shame how that is the specific size Apple decided to discontinue.

The concept of a compact entry-level iPhone in a 5.8 inch chassis would have been a far greater success I think.

That would not be in any way compact.

 

[nepalisherpa]

After trying all three variants (12 Pro, 12 Pro Max, and 12 Mini), I have been very happy with 12 Mini.

 

[manu chao]

The Mini is better than the 11, and much better than the XR. Of course it costs more. If you think it's out of place, that would only be because there's not an 11 mini.

I think my point is that there a demographic of people that accepts a smaller screen as way to get a cheaper phone. The mini is not serving that demographic. The SE 2 of course is, but adds an additional set of compromises from camera to screen performance to a more dated design.

 

[Pilot Jones]

That would not be in any way compact.

i know. I genuinely agree with you, but what qualifies as “compact” is not up to you or me.

That’s up to what the market dictates.

Unfortunately, we’ve already reached the point where sub-6 inch phone is more or less considered “compact” compared to the almost 7-inch behemoths crowding the market right now.

 

[jml12286]

There is exactly one reason I haven't bought an iPhone Mini: no telephoto camera.

I use the "telephoto" on my 11 Pro Max 75% of the time. If the 12 Pro Mini had or if the next gen 13 Mini has a full array of cameras I will buy it.

This was my one complaint as well. I still got the mini and living the 2x digital zoom still produces amazing results. I even noticed that depending on light conditions, my 11pro actually used 2x digital on the main lens over the telephotos lens more often than not.

 

[jml12286]

I went from the 11 pro to the 12 mini. I love the size and weight. What I don't love is having to charge the phone again during the day with moderate to heavy use. Three times in one day was my record. If they can eek out a battery life closer to the 11 pro it would be my perfect iPhone.

I did the same path, but feel like the mini has the same if not better battery than my old 11 pro. Unless you had the 11 pro max?

 

[IllinoisCorn]

12 Pro Max!

Apparently people really want a small large iPhone, with all the trimmings. People are fickle. When people look at the 'small' iPhone, they see 'small', and in a country that invented the SuperSize menu, and thinks nothing of eating a 20-ounce steak, and a 'Blooming Onion' with desert, small just isn't going to happen... Why drive a small car to get groceries when you can drive an Escalade!

Wow, I have not had a Blooming Onion in 10 years. I am going to see if I can find an Outback around here. For real.

 

[vipergts2207]

Tbh as much as it may upset mini lovers I'm actually kind of glad its not doing well because it means they may bump the size up more. I like a smaller phone as the normal 12 6.1 is too big but the 5.4 was way too small.

If they make 5.8 their small size again I'd be very happy.

What would be the point of having two phone sizes only 0.3” part?

 

[redpandadev]

The 12 mini does not have a wide audience at all. It’s a compromise to both categories of potential buyers:

- too expensive for those that just want a small phone and don’t care much about features (effectively the SE audience)

- not feature full enough for those that want a “pro” small phone. This audience wants a smaller 12 PRO, not a smaller 12. This is me.

With the exception of the 12 Pro Max, the entire rest of the 12 series is about compromise in my case - which makes the 12 pro the best option but not ideal. The 11 Pro was actually as close to perfect as it got for me.

 

[Seanm87]

What would be the point of having two phone sizes only 0.3” part?

Like they've done for the last 2 years?

 

[turbineseaplane]

The 12 mini does not have a wide audience at all. It’s a compromise to both categories of potential buyers:

- too expensive for those that just want a small phone and don’t care much about features (effectively the SE audience)

- not feature full enough for those that want a “pro” small phone. This audience wants a smaller 12 PRO, not a smaller 12. This is me.

With the exception of the 12 Pro Max, the entire rest of the 12 series is about compromise in my case - which makes the 12 pro the best option but not ideal. The 11 Pro was actually as close to perfect as it got for me.

So well put!

The 12 mini is trying to be everything to everyone who happens to want a small physical form factor -- and as a result is fully satisfying to neither end of the spectrum of buyers

 

[elmateo487]

I went from the 11 pro to the 12 mini. I love the size and weight. What I don't love is having to charge the phone again during the day with moderate to heavy use. Three times in one day was my record. If they can eek out a battery life closer to the 11 pro it would be my perfect iPhone.

Yikes........... mega yikes. I want a 12 mini... But for the love of all things holy. This isn't acceptable. I which they didn't do 5G and instead used that money / space / whatever to get more battery life.

 

[Mr. Dee]

Or maybe keep the OLED display but remove Face ID. It seems like a switch from OLED to LCD could potentially require more extensive changes to the form factor of the device.

Incidentally, the small form factor could mitigate potential backlash if the lowest cost phone in the lineup indeed became the first with a notchless fullscreen. This is because if based on the Mini, even without the notch it would still not offer near the screen real estate of higher end phones. Then again, I'm sure there will be folks going ballistic either way, so maybe they'd just leave an empty notch there.

The could also make it all screen LCD and move Touch ID to the Power button like on the new iPad Air.

 

[NapoleonIV]

I hope Apple doesn't cut this size from their line-up. I was looking forward to upgrade from an Xs to a mini in a few years.

 

[Smartass]

After using the iPhone Mini for a month straight as a secondary phone, I loved everything about it... Except the $700 price tag ($800 with SIM Free/CA tax).

Its an iphone 12, only smaller. So why should it be even cheaper? Price makes perfect sense

 

[siddavis]

I was (and am) a proponent of the smaller form factor. I haven't gotten my 12 mini yet because my company hasn't picked it up as an option. Thanks Apple for keeping the 11 around, our bean counters love you

My brother-in-law loves his. It will be my sister's and wife's next phones too. My mom has started ranting about her XR acting funny and she thinks a smaller phone would be great.

That said I admit I was wrong in thinking sales would be more.

 

[currentinterest]

Think of Apple’s longer term approach. This fall the iPhone 12 mini will have a price of $599, making it even more desirable, it will be $499 in 2022 replacing the XR. This A14, OLED, 5G phone will be around and very profitable for years. In our family of 4, one son and myself purchased 12 Pros, another son and my wife purchased 12 minis. Their minis are really nice. I think we will see increasing sales. I may go mini next year myself.