iPhone 12 mini The iPhone Mini Failed (And That's Okay)

[jaisonline]

My option...
I think the Mini’s specs has turned quite a few people. Apple put an inferior camera and battery size in it. The only reason people love the 11, 12, etc... is because the screen size is huge to compensate for the lessor camera feature & other omissions fro the Pro line. Just justify the current Mini’s price for the features in general.

 

[blairh]

The ignorance of the OP is breathtaking. Thinking size should some how scale linearly with size is absurd.

Functionally a 12 and 12 mini are identical, only separated by display size and battery capacity. Neither of these things would be substantially different in cost. In fact it could be quite the opposite due to economies of scale.

To then compare it to the SE with its older processor, single camera, lack of Face ID, etc. shows how off the mark your comparisons are.

I bought a 12 Pro at launch, only to pickup a 12 mini. I love the smaller size, and in my regularly use I’ve given up very little. The price wasn’t an issue, and it’s very obvious how much better it is than an SE.

The ignorance of your reply is breathtaking. You might also want to check for typos before throwing around insults immediately beforehand.

It costs less for Apple to make an iPhone Mini than an iPhone 12.

Consumers have clearly shown since the debut of the Mini that they are not willing to pay a premium for such a device. That's an indisputable fact.

It makes complete sense to compare it to the SE considering the mere existence of the SE in the lineup has eaten into potential Mini sales. The only comparison I have made between the SE and Mini are their respective sizes. However if a consumer is in the market for a smaller iPhone it makes complete sense that they would strongly consider the SE which is nearly half the price and again very close in size.

Had the SE been discontinued instead of updated last year and the Mini been sold with no 5G, no OLED panel, and a single camera, at a reduced price, then it would have sold quite well. Apple instead opted for a premium Mini device, and such a thing clearly has no market anymore. I believe Apple now realizes this and hence why they will reposition the Mini in the lineup at a discounted price when it is possible in a few years.

 

[harriska2]

I wonder if Apple was trying to suss out how many were willing to pay for a smaller device with better features than the SE. For us it is BOTH price AND size. My husband got the 2020 SE and I put a new battery in my 2017 SE. The boy got an iPhone 12 because that seemed to give you the most bang for the buck. He loves his phone. My husband and I tolerate ours.

 

[mpavilion]

Does the Mini support Zoomed display view? (Sorry, I’m sure there’s a better place to ask this question.)

 

[Phone Junky]

The boy got an iPhone 12 because that seemed to give you the most bang for the buck.

Serious question. How does the 12, costing $100 more than the Mini, give you the most bang for the buck? If anything, they give equal bang for the buck.

Functionally there is no difference except for screen size and slightly better battery. If those 2 things are important to you, then you have to get the 12, which costs more. Can't see how that qualifies it to be seen as giving you the most bang for the buck?

 

[Phone Junky]

Does the Mini support Zoomed display view? (Sorry, I’m sure there’s a better place to ask this question.)

Yes

 

[yticolev]

I think it is about time to stop feeding trolls.

 

[blairh]

Serious question. How does the 12, costing $100 more than the Mini, give you the most bang for the buck? If anything, they give equal bang for the buck.

Functionally there is no difference except for screen size and slightly better battery. If those 2 things are important to you, then you have to get the 12, which costs more. Can't see how that qualifies it to be seen as giving you the most bang for the buck?

I think consumers compare both devices and say 'well for $100 more I can get the 12'. I think this is one of several things to hurt the Mini.

The Mini won't work unless the small size is matched by a small price. Apple thought that consumers would pay a premium for premium features and they won't. They want the Mini for the size and I don't think they care whether it has 5G or an OLED panel.

 

[Ladybug]

Until Apple says it’s over then it’s all speculation and rumor. Carry on.

 

[yticolev]

Until Apple says it’s over then it’s all speculation and rumor. Carry on.

Good luck with that. Feeding the troll is the reason this thread is so long. Already said half a dozen times without success. Trolls love this kind of response.

 

[bluecoast]

I think a few people might’ve mentioned this, but it’s worth looking at the mini as part of Apple’s decoy pricing strategy for the iPhone.

I’m not a marketing or pricing expert, but decoy pricing is a strategy used to push people to spend more money than that originally intended to.

The price point/product below the price/product that the company really wants you to buy (mostly) exists to ‘normalise’ the expensive item’s price ie to make it look reasonable.

The classic example here is the plain old Pro model ($999) and the Pro Max ($1099).

I mean for just $100 more you get a way bigger phone and a better camera. That’s a great deal right?

No prizes for guessing that the Pro exists to push people up to buying the Pro Max.

Apple are making the calculation that whilst a certain percentage are going to buy the Pro a bigger amount will be pushed up to the Max. And then they’ll get more storage... I’m betting an awful lot of pro Max buyers get at least 256 GB of storage.

No prizes again for noting that the Mini basically pushes (most) people up to the plain old 12. And then there’s the storage...

So you could say that the mini has likely been a success in that regard.

And it fulfills the ‘smaller phone’ niche too, of course.

Perhaps Apple was expecting it to sell a similar %age as the plain old pro does to the pro max & it hasn’t (I really really hope that it sticks around though).

 

[Barbareren]

The only comparison I have made between the SE and Mini are their respective sizes. However if a consumer is in the market for a smaller iPhone it makes complete sense that they would strongly consider the SE which is nearly half the price and again very close in size.

You seem obsessed about size, as if anyone buys a phone based on physical dimensions alone. 🙄 Even if we’re not taking specs into consideration (which in itself is ridiculous) the design of the two phones are very different - with the Mini having the same modern design and style as all the top iPhones since the X, and the SE having a very outdated design. Again, apples and oranges.

 

[shadow puppet]

I mean for just $100 more you get a way bigger phone and a better camera. That’s a great deal right?

Some of us don't want a way bigger phone. I don't want the weight nor the large size.

 

[Bruninho]

You seem obsessed about size, as if anyone buys a phone based on physical dimensions alone. 🙄 Even if we’re not taking specs into consideration (which in itself is ridiculous) the design of the two phones are very different - with the Mini having the same modern design and style as all the top iPhones since the X, and the SE having a very outdated design. Again, apples and oranges.

I buy for the size. I do not want a better camera. I want small, powerful and fast. If I want a camera I buy a Nikon.

 

[snipr125]

Some of us don't want a way bigger phone. I don't want the weight nor the large size.

No of course we dont, but bluecost has made good points about Apples well known ‘upselling’ pricing strategy, with our 12 mini at the bottom of the ladder starting the upsell all the way upto the 12 Pro Max.

 

[shadow puppet]

No of course we dont, but bluecost has made good points about Apples well known ‘upselling’ pricing strategy, with our 12 mini at the bottom of the ladder starting the upsell all the way upto the 12 Pro Max.

If that's the price I pay to get a phone I can comfortably hold in my hand (arthritis and all), then I pay the price tag. I always loved the iPhone 5's edges so hope they keep them for awhile. It is much easier for me to hold on to than the rounded slim edges.

My point is many here seem to feel bigger is always better and not all of us feel the same. Great things can and often do, come in smaller packages. Whatever woofles your tooters, go for it.

 

[Barbareren]

I buy for the size. I do not want a better camera. I want small, powerful and fast. If I want a camera I buy a Nikon.

I wasn’t talking about the camera, but the overall design. The SE 2020 looks very dated now with its bezels and the backside looking dated as well, while the Mini looks and feels modern and cutting edge. Hence why the SE is a budget phone whilst the Mini is a high end phone in a smaller form factor. So, I find the comparison between the two (very different models) based solely on the fact that they’re both physically smaller than the other iPhones, to be moronic. They are obviously not meant to attract the same type of buyers.

 

[harriska2]

I wonder if Apple was trying to suss out how many were willing to pay for a smaller device with better features than the SE. For us it is BOTH price AND size. My husband got the 2020 SE and I put a new battery in my 2017 SE. The boy got an iPhone 12 because that seemed to give you the most bang for the buck. He loves his phone. My husband and I tolerate ours.

I believe my military discount was better on the 12 than on the mini ($790 for 128 gb). Plus he wanted the screen size. I’d prefer no screen (just a watch phone). To each their own.

 

[bklement]

You seem obsessed about size, as if anyone buys a phone based on physical dimensions alone. 🙄 Even if we’re not taking specs into consideration (which in itself is ridiculous) the design of the two phones are very different - with the Mini having the same modern design and style as all the top iPhones since the X, and the SE having a very outdated design. Again, apples and oranges.

Hello, I've bought my first ever Apple device based on physical dimensions alone. That original SE generated sales of an ipad, pencil, beatsx, mac mini, apple tv, two macbooks at work and icloud, apple music subscriptions.

 

[pbonitati]

If the 12 mini had adequate price, better battery and telephoto lens instead of the ultra wide, it could be a hit. I would buy it in a heartbeat. Honestly, I'd buy even smaller iPhone.

I agree, but companies cant win with a telephoto or an ultrawide, they need both to stop people from complaining. Pixel 4 has a telephoto and no ultrawide and everyone was up in arms ... why didn't they put an ultrawide in. At least software can somewhat do a telephoto zoom where it cant really do an ultrawide.

As for batteries, I swear they do this on purpose. Look at the cycle: iPhone X 2716mah, iPhone XS 2658mah, iphone 11 pro 3046mah, iphone 12 2815mah. Up, down, up, down. The first 3 are basically the same form factor. Pending any breakthroughs in battery tech I'd wager bigger batteries IP13, its a selling point for sure even though they don't release the size its known pretty quickly. In very generic terms screen size to battery capacity they aren't doing very well. First one to pop in my head that is relatively close to the size of an IP12 is the LG G8, both 6.1 screens. LG G8 573 mah per inch of screen, ip12 461 mah per inch of screen. Galaxy S21 6.2 screen 645 mah per inch of screen. Luckily for us IP handles battery much better than android and all the hor$e **** above equates to the same battery by EOD. They could do better is my point I suppose lol.

 

[jeyf]

it failed, all the better, i still plan to buy it used this year of next.

 

[snipr125]

I agree, but companies cant win with a telephoto or an ultrawide, they need both to stop people from complaining. Pixel 4 has a telephoto and no ultrawide and everyone was up in arms ... why didn't they put an ultrawide in. At least software can somewhat do a telephoto zoom where it cant really do an ultrawide.

As for batteries, I swear they do this on purpose. Look at the cycle: iPhone X 2716mah, iPhone XS 2658mah, iphone 11 pro 3046mah, iphone 12 2815mah. Up, down, up, down. The first 3 are basically the same form factor. Pending any breakthroughs in battery tech I'd wager bigger batteries IP13, its a selling point for sure even though they don't release the size its known pretty quickly. In very generic terms screen size to battery capacity they aren't doing very well. First one to pop in my head that is relatively close to the size of an IP12 is the LG G8, both 6.1 screens. LG G8 573 mah per inch of screen, ip12 461 mah per inch of screen. Galaxy S21 6.2 screen 645 mah per inch of screen. Luckily for us IP handles battery much better than android and all the hor$e **** above equates to the same battery by EOD. They could do better is my point I suppose lol.

Yes, and then you look at the iphone SE 2020 with its 1800 mh battery (although i still get 36 hours per charge) which has a slightly larger chassis than the 12 mini which has a 2200 mh battery! If only Apple could have put the same 2200 battery in the SE 2020 it would be so much better. Like you said they probably do it on purpose to upsell.

 

[austyn23]

I don´t understand the "for 100 bucks you get the 12, a better value".

I used to travel on the city with an electric bike that cost the same as a used car. But did I need a car? No. I needed the bike because of it's agility, foldable option and easy to carry.

If you want the smaller phone, get it, It doesn't matter if it´s 100 bucks less or more than the bigger one.

 

[DeepIn2U]

If the 12 mini had adequate price, better battery and telephoto lens instead of the ultra wide, it could be a hit. I would buy it in a heartbeat. Honestly, I'd buy even smaller iPhone.

Blah blah. If you would’ve you just should’ve. You didn’t and that’s the way the ball bounces G. If it had what you 2anted you’d have found something else you don’t like about it

 

[blairh]

I don´t understand the "for 100 bucks you get the 12, a better value".

I used to travel on the city with an electric bike that cost the same as a used car. But did I need a car? No. I needed the bike because of it's agility, foldable option and easy to carry.

If you want the smaller phone, get it, It doesn't matter if it´s 100 bucks less or more than the bigger one.

Sometimes people waffle between models when choosing. You could handle both in a store and say 'well I love how small the Mini is but the 12 isn't too big and is only $100 more'.

If the Mini was cheaper it would be an easier choice.