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I liked the idea of iPhone 12 Mini, butT the price wasn't so mini.
That's the bit of a "tech bias" here. Manufacturers prefer to sell smaller phones at prices not that far off from their larger phones, but consumers are expecting the price to be much more commensurate with the screen size.
 
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1. Apple only makes ever bigger phones

2. People loudly demand smaller phones

3. Every five years Apple relents and makes a smaller phone in response to that apparent demand

4. The demand is an illusion, not enough people buy them

5. Go to 1
But there is another effect: some people demanding small phones go to the store to buy a small phone, then they figure out they actually prefer the bigger phone and buy it - after the small phone got them into the store. Do you think Apple is unhappy about that? Not at all. They didn’t sell an iPhone mini, but they sold a phone because they produce the mini.
 
But there is another effect: some people demanding small phones go to the store to buy a small phone, then they figure out they actually prefer the bigger phone and buy it - after the small phone got them into the store. Do you think Apple is unhappy about that? Not at all. They didn’t sell an iPhone mini, but they sold a phone because they produce the mini.
Strange. Smaller devices normally command a higher price? If you get the same tech into a smaller frame, companies always asked for more. A Nokia 3310 costs 99 pounds at the time (2000) the basically identical 8210 (lacking some features and battery life) costs 250 pounds, only because it was “mini”
Same with music, a walkman costs anywhere between 30-100 pounds, a walkman the size of the actual cassette, 300pounds.
Larger phones are way cheaper to build, less heat problems, more battery space, cheaper screens. To cramp the full power of the flagship into a much smaller device, is not easy. So why should it be cheaper for the consumer?
The only small sized phones you can get today have tech thats at least 4-5 years old and runs so bad, that its not worth any money. (King kong mini, Atom xl or Atom) still they sell. Quite a bit, I have an Atom, retail at $250 (today, it started at $350) fully fledged Smartphone (Android) and the 12mini looks gigantic against that and they sold loads. The follow up, the Atom xl is more expensive but still only 4” screen but nearly reaches the size of the mini. But the mini is in another class, world, dimension.
No, its worth every dime
 
I would have LOVED to keep my Mini Green if it wasn't for my stupid OLED eye/head aches. 😩
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.

You should both have done more research on what can be done with pwm on iPhone’s. Unlike most OLED phones, Apple only uses pwm with the brightness is turned down below 50%. By keeping brightness higher and enabling Reduce White Point to lower brightness to an acceptable range, you can have a dim OLED iPhone without pwm.
 
You should both have done more research on what can be done with pwm on iPhone’s. Unlike most OLED phones, Apple only uses pwm with the brightness is turned down below 50%. By keeping brightness higher and enabling Reduce White Point to lower brightness to an acceptable range, you can have a dim OLED iPhone without pwm.
Your anger face on my comment was funny 😂

Yeah sorry, I tried all the tricks listed in the forums (yes, all of them), and went into getting the mini thinking "surely, PWM is overblown and it's a low percentage of people with issues. Surely I can't get it."


I did research, lol. I still got mild headaches and pain in the back of my eyes. 🤷‍♂️

Thankfully there are many that don't have issues with OLED. I really wish I was one of them.
 
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I typically don’t comment, but must say here this was easy to foresee. There’s just waaay to many models to choose from: SE, XR, 11, 12 mini, 12, 12 Pro and multiple storage configs for each.

Considering the price of the 12 mini, I can see why it would be lower on the pecking order of a potential buyer.
Just such a confusing line-up, which is a shame because 12 mini is a 12.
Never understood the "confusing lineup" statement.... Are you confused when you go to buy a car and the particular car you're checking out has an E, ES, EX, S, and SX model? or if there are 2020 and 2021 models of the same car available on the lot? Of course not... so why should it be different with a line up of phones? Come on now
 
I for one absolutely LOVE the mini and would never buy anything even one millimeter bigger or one gram heavier. I skipped the 6, 7, 8, X, 11 and even the new SE waiting for something like the Mini. I spent 7 years with a 5 and then an original SE. I thank god Apple FINALLY finally made a somewhat reasonably sized phone.
 
You should both have done more research on what can be done with pwm on iPhone’s. Unlike most OLED phones, Apple only uses pwm with the brightness is turned down below 50%. By keeping brightness higher and enabling Reduce White Point to lower brightness to an acceptable range, you can have a dim OLED iPhone without pwm.
Wait, holy cow, I did what you said because I’ve been having headaches and the difference was immediate. Thank you so so so so so much. I did this on my 12 Pro Max. Seriously, thank you for posting this!
 
I would've purchased an iPhone 12 mini if I hadn't just bought the iPhone SE (2020) earlier in the year. Had I known a 12 mini would be coming in the fall, I would've held off on buying the SE. I believe customers interested in the SE (like myself) are only interested in it because of the small form factor and not so much because it's a budget iPhone. So I'm thinking maybe if the SE wasn't introduced the same year, that the 12 mini might've had a few more sales.
 
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.
Late replying. But look at your list and replace the XR with an 11 mini. If it existed, that's likely what it would be priced at. You don't think that would sell well? The 12 mini is the cheapest way to get the newest iPhone, and will be a bargain next year. I don't see how this contradicts your point.
 
Late replying. But look at your list and replace the XR with an 11 mini. If it existed, that's likely what it would be priced at. You don't think that would sell well? The 12 mini is the cheapest way to get the newest iPhone, and will be a bargain next year. I don't see how this contradicts your point.
Absolutely, an older generation Mini (with a commensurately lower price) would better fulfil the role of an entry level iPhone.
 
Absolutely, an older generation Mini (with a commensurately lower price) would better fulfil the role of an entry level iPhone.
But the mini is not an entry level iPhone? It's a fully fledged iPhone12? Just smaller? There is no compromise. Entry level is the SE. Bigger then the mini, not the latest processor, less RAM, less camera, smaller less res screen, LCD, MUCH less battery, "old" design but latest software and a good price. Perfect to test the eco system. It has touch ID. Bummer. Thats missing on the mini and would be the only reason for me to give it up and get a 13 mini, if it has touch ID.
 
But the mini is not an entry level iPhone? It's a fully fledged iPhone12? Just smaller? There is no compromise. Entry level is the SE. Bigger then the mini, not the latest processor, less RAM, less camera, smaller less res screen, LCD, MUCH less battery, "old" design but latest software and a good price. Perfect to test the eco system. It has touch ID. Bummer. Thats missing on the mini and would be the only reason for me to give it up and get a 13 mini, if it has touch ID.

My point is merely that the SE models were able to serve two markets, the price-conscious crowd and the small phone aficionados (if not doing so perfectly for the latter group by using older designs). The Mini only serves the second constituency.
 
My point is merely that the SE models were able to serve two markets, the price-conscious crowd and the small phone aficionados (if not doing so perfectly for the latter group by using older designs). The Mini only serves the second constituency.
As I am a small phone "aficionado" I was very happy with the appearance of the mini. However, I wanted the newest, fastest and latest iPhone. Considering that the "small" version normally needs some compromises, to get the same power in a smaller device, I would have been prepared to pay MORE then for the 12 (without mini)
I had both, the 12 came out first and I got an evaluation Phone. Thou a great device, for me way to big. Well hidden by the new design but you can't fool your pockets and if you can't sit down anymore, useless.
The mini comes closer, I would not have minded the size of the 5/5s/SE with a 5" screen but hey, better then nothing.
At no time I would see the mini as entry level or lesser phone then there bigger or MUCH bigger siblings. Its only size, Quantity, not quality. There is a camera difference for the pro Models, I am happy with the Camera since the 6S for the 20 or s pics I do in a year. The actual size of the device, not that of the screen, is paramount to me.
 
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