Sorry, iPhone Mini Fans: Apple Isn't Planning Another Small Phone

[goodcow]

The SE wasn't the only issue with the mini, it had to compete with the regular.
The mini was $700, the regular was $800, and the SE was $429.
There wasn't very good price differentiation to justify people buying the mini.

Yep.

iPhone 6S (16GB): $649
iPhone SE (16GB): $399

And the specs were basically identical, other than the size.

 

[Ry L]

I still stand by the idea that Apple released the mini at the worst time, right after the 2nd gen SE came out, and killed it off before the people who had bought the SE wanted a new phone, less than 3.5 years later.

I would have bought the 12 mini had the SE not come out when it did. But now we all have larger, more expensive iPhones! Yay!

A big part of the bad timing was Covid lockdowns. I wanted one myself and had a hard time being able to see it in person. Bought anyways and glad I did!

 

[Ry L]

Are you sure? All the reporting about a folding iPhone says it’s under 6” in size. So….that counts right? I’m dreaming of an iPhone mini that unfolds to an iPad mini(er).

 

[coasterider]

I’ll probably just go back to a flip phone once the mini is obsolete.

 

[frownface]

Are you sure? All the reporting about a folding iPhone says it’s under 6” in size. So….that counts right? I’m dreaming of an iPhone mini that unfolds to an iPad mini(er).

We dont know for certain what the actual size of the fold would be. Rumour is 5.5" on the front and 7.8" unfolded. But it could be 5.5" on the front with big bezels like on a samsung fold 1. Who knows.

The bigger problem is that there's a lot of overlap between the "i want a small phone" crowd and the "i want a cheaper phone" crowd. And those people aren't going to spend $2000 on a fold just to have access to a 5.5" front screen.

The fold is targetted at the "i want the biggest and baddest and i don't care how much it costs" crowd.

 

[kugino]

loved my iphone mini. by the second year its battery life was abysmal, but the form factor was perfect.

 

[JPack]

A big part of the bad timing was Covid lockdowns. I wanted one myself and had a hard time being able to see it in person. Bought anyways and glad I did!

Based on that logic, nobody was able to see iPhone 12 models either. Yet, the iPhone 12 Pro Max flew off the shelves. It was a new form factor with a new size.

 

[UltimaKilo]

Too bad for the very small amount of people who wanted to see another mini, but sales were so incredibly low.

 

[dampfnudel]

I’ll probably just go back to a flip phone once the mini is obsolete.

That sounds like a significant downgrade to me, but maybe your needs are different from the majority of us.

 

[Neil J. Squillante]

How about an Apple Watch Pocket Edition with a 5.4 inch screen and a cellular option?

 

[dampfnudel]

I think this is a big part of Apples plans/hopes. They're leveraging some of the tech used in the 17 air for the foldable. I suspect they hope that a later generation of a foldable could be fairly compact while still giving users the bigger displays they seem to want. Time will tell....

Yeah, I guess if the first foldable is successful, we may get a smaller foldable that despite the price may entice a lot of mini fans.

 

[Fingernail]

I guess I'll be holding on to my mini 13 for dear life until it gives up the ghost.
Sorry, I just think a small phone is better than one that's too large to use comfortably.

 

[Le0M]

Still liking my 13 mini.

While this is a bummer I’ve been considering going with the Plus or Max phone next more as a replacement for an iPad. Carrying two devices is getting annoying.

Today's iPhones goes nowhere near replacing an iPad.

 

[Analog Kid]

If they're going to stop making smaller phones, I wish they'd let me setup my watch with an iPad. The current phones are too big to be easy to carry but too small to be a useful screen.

 

[B4U]

About 2 weeks ago, Apple had the 13 mini refurb.
Gone in 1 day. 🥲

 

[dampfnudel]

I guess I'll be holding on to my mini 13 for dear life until it gives up the ghost.
Sorry, I just think a small phone is better than one that's too large to use comfortably.

My mom loves her 13 mini. She got it right before they discontinued it in 2023 replacing her 12 mini which had dismal battery life. The 13 mini’s battery life was acceptable thanks to the more efficient A15 processor. Earlier today I made a comment that mini owners should stop beating a dead horse by continuously asking for a new mini model. A lot of people disagreed with me. In hindsight, maybe I was a little too harsh with my words. I still believe it’s highly unlikely we’ll get another mini, unless Apple’s possible success with a folding iPhone motivates Tim to green light a smaller foldable.

 

[Benjamin Nabulsi]

based on that logic apple should’ve disconnected HomePod, Apple TV box and the VR, they all didn’t sell enough by any bench mark

 

[ZipZilla]

I used to be a small phone person. Now my 6.1" iPhone feels too small. Once you use a bigger phone, you will never go back. My next phone will be a Pro Max

 

[dampfnudel]

I used to be a small phone person. Now my 6.1" iPhone feels too small. Once you use a bigger phone, you will never go back. My next phone will be a Pro Max

It’s the same way with TVs.

 

[QCassidy352]

Have a 16 pro and still miss my 13 mini. Many great things about the 16 pro (cameras, battery, screen), but the 13 mini form factor is miles better.

I used to be a small phone person. Now my 6.1" iPhone feels too small. Once you use a bigger phone, you will never go back. My next phone will be a Pro Max

Totally disagree. I’d go back in a heartbeat. size and weight of the 16 pro suck, even though it’s a great phone overall.

 

[mannyvel]

I'll keep my 13 mini (and buy refurbs) until it stops getting updates.

I have an IPP 12.9 and a MBP 16, so don't really need a big phone...though it's tempting to get one just for prores/log video.

 

[ikramerica]

The OS doesn’t work right on the 12/13 mini. It’s not going to be any good on a new small phone.

 

[koelsh]

Today's iPhones goes nowhere near replacing an iPad.

Maybe for your needs. There are only a couple of apps I use that require an iPad and don’t work on an iPhone.

For me, in both personal and professional settings, if something can’t be done on an iPhone, it can’t be done on an iPad either.

 

[Project Alice]

I will be keeping my 13 mini for as long as possible. Maybe when it stops getting updates I'll think about looking for something else. But probably not even then

It’s not just the lack of demand, the biggest problem with mini and main reason Apple canned the product line is the battery drain issue that Apple could not fix with current technology. Simply put the 5G modems Qualcomm provides just uses too much power on mini. Apple tried fixing it but ultimately threw in the towel.

They might revisit the idea of mini phone once they get the power optimization done right with C series modem but by then, Apple might not bother to go further because everyone moved on from mini form factor phone.

The mini was great but the battery life sucked and it was to expensive. I do wish phones would stop growing 😂 6.1 is far to big imo.

I have never had a complaint about the battery on 13 mini. I'm still on the original battery and I bought it on iPhone 14 launch day.

 

[madebybela]

once the 13 mini hits end of line I'll probably get whatever -e model is out at the moment (if THAT even makes it past 2 years)