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Reports of Lackluster iPhone 12 Mini Sales Corroborated By Supply Chain Sources
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I was really leaning towards the mini, but went with the Pro for two reasons. First, I would have had to wait longer to get the mini. I can be a little impatient with some things. The second, even though the cameras aren’t that important to me, the camera on the phone that i use the majority of the time is the telephoto camera. Now that I have seen the Mini, I do have some regrets for not waiting. It is the exact size I would have loved to have.
Apple claims phones are like little computers. If so, size wise the iPhone 12 Mini is like the netbook of computers and smaller even than the iPhone SE 2020. Smaller screen and worse battery life succeeded in upselling consumers to pricier models so arguably it sounds like a success.
Maybe the SE and iPhone12 are competing for the same market and confusing people a bit. The iphone is still not available world wide and is scarce.
The number of available iphones and confusing naming reminds me when Jobs went back to Apple in 1997 and said even I can't tell the computers apart.
The number of available iphones and confusing naming reminds me when Jobs went back to Apple in 1997 and said even I can't tell the computers apart.
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They didn’t vaporise. They bought six percent of all iPhone 12 and made a lot of money for Apple.
Good catch, it was Mac Otakara, not Kuo. I was thinking of the below article referring to an SE 3 coming in April.
New AirPods Pro and iPhone SE Rumored to Launch in April 2021
After sharing potential details about upcoming iPad mini, iPad, iPad Pro, and iPhone 13 models earlier this week, Japanese blog Mac Otakara now...
www.macrumors.com
11 and 11 pro.
XR and XS.
And before you say they shouldn’t be compared because they’re different price points, the max phones were only 0.4 inches bigger before the 12 pro max came along.
That is true but still, paying with it with a mask is a pain. Even twice a day, its a pain. I had the SE 2020 and jumped on the 12 mini when it came out. Love it but the touch ID is missed. Big time.
But thats the only thing.
On the plus side, it now matches the iPad design, it has a bigger screen but is smaller then the SE (main point) it has a WAY better screen with the OLED design, better camera and way better battery life, providing you run it in dark mode or at least the most used apps. Unlike the lcd screen of the SE, where dark mode is a design feature, OLED uses no power with black screens. Battery life improves by 40%.
It is not a netbook. It is the same then the 12 and the 12pro. Identical. Except the pro camera. The pros steel frame is a fingerprint magnet and the device is too big. The 12 has the better design, lacks the third camera but is also hundreds cheaper. Is a third camera and a steel frame worth that much more? The 12 is a good deal, the mini is an excellent deal. It is also without competition. Nobody packs Flagship specs into the “mini” form factor. Without compromise.
Besides, the mini is still sporting a 5.4” screen. Real mini was the first SE, that would have been good for a 5” screen and would have been really “mini”
The larger SE 2020 has only 4,7”, non existing battery life only improved by a fat battery sleve while the mini got an OLED screen that allows massive battery savings thru dark mode. SE needed charging no later then 3pm, my mini has 25% remaining by 10pm. Thats ok with me.
Shame about the loss of touch ID.
What features do you miss and are willing to pay at least $300 more? You got the third camera and a steel frame. THATS IT. Sorry, $1000 is a lot more then $700 for the same phone in a form factor that allows you to actually put in your pocket. For me the biggest “pro” feature.
That phone is the fastest computer in my house, it edits 4k video faster then my iMac. Got it on a big screen for that.
Very, VERY satisfied. Actually, Apple could have made it more expensive then the 12, smaller devices with the same power are usually more expensive.
My cardiologist said that he should send them some money for their 'chili cheese fries'. So many people used to eat at Out Back Snake Pit, and do the cheese fries, and a whole dinner, and desert, and wonder why they ended up having clogged arteries and heart attacks. Well...
Yeah, that’s exactly why your comparison is stupid. And aside from price there are major differences in features between those models. You were saying that Apple should make two phones where the mini is only 0.3” smaller than the standard size. That’s silly to have as the only difference between models. And Apple has never done their lineup where the difference is that small between comparable models.
4.7” vs 5.5”
5.8” vs 6.5”
5.4” vs 6.1”
6.1” vs 6.7”
The smallest difference is 0.6” which is double what you’re suggesting they do. It would be a waste for them to do an entirely different SKU for such a small difference.
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I badly want the 12 mini to succeed. But the 12 W max charging means that high-power apps can prevent even a plugged-in 12 mini from charging, let alone a wirelessly charging one. Damn shame. I manage a fleet of XRs that run such an app and was hoping that the mini could replace them, but it looks like we're going to keep the XRs going for another year, and recommend the 12s for new devices.
Current foldable attempts have not been appealing (to me), maybe one day they will get the formula for it right and change my mind.
I think a lot did buy it or have plans to buy it when their cell plans allow for an upgrade. Or are holding off, holding onto older phones, waiting to see what happens with the economy. We had a pretty healthy comments section for the Mini here.
I hope Apple doesn’t jump the gun and assume too much based on current stats. There are people who were affluent only a year ago sitting for hours in food distribution lines right now. There are people who will prefer the SE for now because it has Touch ID. There are a lot of unusual mitigating factors due to this extended but temporary pandemic-induced situation that are impacting the success of the Mini in ways that would not ordinarily apply.
Apple also did some things that inadvertently sabotage the appeal of the Mini. There was the fact they released it well after the regular 12. People who were on the fence to begin with would naturally go for the option available first and see how it goes.
PWM took a few fans out of the running, based on comments I’ve seen. Not everyone among the general public will know what exactly pwm is or that it’s what is causing their eyes to hurt. They will think it’s just eye strain from the smaller display.
I’m pwm sensitive and sampled every release this year and can say there is a difference in the impact of pwm from the Pro Max and Pro and regular 12 vs the Mini. The pwm from the mini has the strongest impact among this year’s lineup and I can’t use the Mini for terribly long without feeling like I’m being punched in the eyes. Yeah, the ache is that bad.
I keep the phone for the small size to use for voice calls and short texting when I will be out and about. I can’t really web surf or compose long posts or emails on that display. And if it were to be my only phone I would have to return it.
I’m not saying that the appeal of a Mini iPhone isn’t somewhat niche compared to the new larger standard. But there are factors upon its release that have carved some people out of the niche that would otherwise have found this phone ideal. I think over time, some of these factors will drop away. And Apple itself can address other issues like the pwm impact of the display and tweak the marketing. More efficient processors and more efficient batteries can help alleviate battery concerns for some customers in the future.