There Is No iPhone 14 Mini: Here's Why [Updated]

[techfirth]

It’s called physics. People already complained about the poor battery life, yet you want Apple to shrink the battery further to make room for a telephoto lens? The reality is, the form factor wasn’t appealing in 2020 and it won’t be in the future.

It’s not a physics problem. Do you own an iPhone mini? I use one every day in a dual sim setup as a work + personal phone and have zero issues with battery life and a telephoto housing would make little difference to that, especially if we’re moving to an esim only future. Plus, I suspect we’re moving back to a dual lens configuration where the ultra-wide and the telephoto lenses replace the need for a default lens.

 

[JPack]

Xr is just a bigger mini...we dont know that the next SE will have 6.1" or 5.4" like the current mini
The rumours are about the design language of the next SE but we dont know the display size...so if its an iPhone 5.4" it will be the next mini+SE combined

Ross Young with a nearly 100% track record already confirmed 5.7-inch.

 

[sjperformance]

I’ve just seen an iPhone mini at my local apple store. Everybody else I know has something bigger.

 

[MayaUser]

Ross Young with a nearly 100% track record already confirmed 5.7-inch.

If Ross Young told that, then ok, its kind of confirmed but again...iPhone XR had 6.1" and not 5.7" so is still a mini iphone in these giants 6.1" and 6.7" iphones
So glad to see people have an smaller size offer in the years to come
"We now hear the next LCD iPhone will be introduced in 2022 and called the SE Plus with the same 4.7" LCD as the 8 along with 5G. We hear the iPhone SE3 with a 5.7" - 6.1" LCD is now pushed to 2024."

 

[polyphenol]

I waited for the reveal of the iPhone 14 on 07.09.22 and bought an iPhone 13 mini when the rumors became true that there is no 14 mini.

The mini size and weight is ideal for me because I can use it one handed and it fits in every pocket. I had an 12 mini but upgraded (prematurely) to the 13 mini because I plan to hold on my mini for a very long time (or until a new mini comes out).

That was about when I got one for my partner.

She would struggle with a "full size" iPhone - not fitting into existing handbags, being heavier and more awkard in her hands, etc.

 

[notrack]

Seems like I'll be using my Mini for very long then.

However, I'm not entirely convinced that there will never again be a mini-sized iPhone. Either a2-year cycle or as the new SE... It will stay around in some way imho.

For me the mini is still too large. I would like it even smaller and wouldn't mind it being a bit thicker for better performance.

 

[jayducharme]

I love the mini. And I don’t care if I’m in the minority. In Apple’s world, “minority” is several million units. Those kind of sales would be the envy of many other companies. Given Apple’s profit margins, it wouldn’t kill them to keep the mini in the product line for the millions of people who want it.

 

[schneeland]

The Mini can do well in the lineup. It just needs to be much cheaper than a starting price of $700 USD which it was for two years.

It’s a niche category at this point. But I truly believe it can be a viable part of the iPhone lineup for years to come as long as they offer it at a lower starting price. Even the current $600 USD feels too high. Ideally somewhere between $400 - $500 one day. And they can just update it every 2-3 years like an SE.

I tend to agree. I feel the iPhone Mini similar to its tablet cousin the iPad Mini is a device very much loved by a number of people, but maybe not in perfect alignment with the mass market. So updating it only every 2 or 3 three years would probably make sense, and using slightly older tech, but manufactured with a better process could also help battery life.
Admittedly there is another problem for the iPhone Mini: contrary to iPads where there is no small entry level iPad, the iPhone Mini currently has to compete with the iPhone SE. And I feel that would only stop if they iPhone SE grows in size (which might happen "naturally" over time).

 

[ErzWolf]

This. People who like the mini are also unlikely to want to upgrade annually. Could be a separate line entirely to keep a niche group of people in the Apple ecosystem.

Where u know that from?!

I ordered every new iPhone each year since the 5S at release date. Had the X and every following Pro till the 12 Mini arrived. I loved the size of the 12 Mini, just wasn’t happy with the non Pro appearance. For that reason ordered the 13 Pro again the year after - and returned it just a week after. The size just wasn’t handy anymore when knowing the Mini, and the camera bump is just ridiculous. So I got a 13 Mini again - again loved the size, but just don’t liked the non Pro appearance. Sold it after some months, switching from 2 phones to now just using only my company phone with dual SIM.
This year, the 14 (Pro) will be the first generation I won’t by anymore.
So my experience with 12 and 13 Mini just killed my every year buying habit. You can actually put it that way.

 

[JPack]

It’s not a physics problem. Do you own an iPhone mini? I use one every day in a dual sim setup as a work + personal phone and have zero issues with battery life and a telephoto housing would make little difference to that, especially if we’re moving to an esim only future, and, I suspect, moving back to a dual lens configuration where the ultra-wide and the telephoto lens replace the need for the default lens.

Every review for the mini notes the limited battery life. And that was before iPhone 14 Pro and the huge camera island. It’s massive.

The SIM slot area has already been used for satellite SOS. iPhones with dual-SIM trays don’t have SOS.

No, we aren’t moving to fewer lenses. The sensor on the telephoto and ultra wide will always be worse. Look the complaints with the Ultrawide camera on Studio Display for a perfect example.

 

[techfirth]

…”and using slightly older tech…”

This is the problem. Someone at Apple thinks the same as you, and as a result anyone who insists on buying a Pro model iPhone instantly discounts buying the mini. What a mystery it doesn’t sell that well… 🤦‍♂️

I DON’T need a giant screen to take photos. I DO need a good camera.

 

[JPack]

If Ross Young told that, then ok, its kind of confirmed but again...iPhone XR had 6.1" and not 5.7" so is still a mini iphone in these giants 6.1" and 6.7" iphones
So glad to see people have an smaller size offer in the years to come
"We now hear the next LCD iPhone will be introduced in 2022 and called the SE Plus with the same 4.7" LCD as the 8 along with 5G. We hear the iPhone SE3 with a 5.7" - 6.1" LCD is now pushed to 2024."

It’ll be the XR chassis with 5.7-inch LCD and thicker bezels. Should be obvious Apple doesn’t want SE4 to compete with other 6.1-inch devices in the line up.

 

[Eldaerenth Faexidor]

“Logic clearly dictates that the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few.”

 

[Xand&Roby]

It’s called physics. People already complained about the poor battery life, yet you want Apple to shrink the battery further to make room for a telephoto lens? The reality is, the form factor wasn’t appealing in 2020 and it won’t be in the future.

Am I wrong or are you that user who always has something to complain about small devices? I seem to have read your criticisms in this sense also against other products.

 

[sunapple]

To me the Mini is great. Regular 12 felt too big after being used to XS. Maybe it will last for six years and at that time, something folding can replace it?

 

[krspkbl]

people who want a tiny phone are a minority. you got the chance of a 12 or 13 mini and will get a new SE. that's more than enough for the relatively few people who like small phones.

i honestly don't know how anyone can use such a small device. i have a 6.7" pro max and i often wish it was bigger. going down to even the 6.1" would be awful for me.

 

[winxmac]

The iPhone lineup for this year should have been iPhone SE 2022, iPhone 13, 13 mini, iPhone 14, 14 Plus, 14 Pro, 14 Pro Max

Since there is no 14 mini, they should reduce the SKU for next year... iPhone SE 2022, iPhone 15, iPhone 15 Max [like iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max] while still selling iPhone 13 mini, iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Plus

 

[techfirth]

Every review for the mini notes the limited battery life. And that was before iPhone 14 Pro and the huge camera island. It’s massive.

The SIM slot area has already been used for satellite SOS. iPhones with dual-SIM trays don’t have SOS.

As I said, I own a mini and I have no issue with battery life. I understand that if I was using it for GPS 18 hours a day or shooting a 4k Hollywood movie on it, the battery life might be limiting.

As it happens, I work at a desk in the week and I go out for the whole day most weekends. I take lots of pictures. I don’t need 36 hour battery life between charges but here I am, sitting here with a wad of cash I can’t spend because mentality (not physics) is holding Apple back from creating a premium iPhone mini.

Exactly the same is true with the iPad mini. It’s a fabulous device, it has a reasonable but not cheap price tag, but because Apple consider it a lesser device I don’t get FaceID on it. The bezels on it are bigger than my iPad Pro - it didn’t get the feature because of the perception that nobody who wants premium features will buy it.

 

[techfirth]

people who want a tiny phone are a minority. you got the chance of a 12 or 13 mini and will get a new SE. that's more than enough for the relatively few people who like small phones.

i honestly don't know how anyone can use such a small device. i have a 6.7" pro max and i often wish it was bigger. going down to even the 6.1" would be awful for me.

Count yourself lucky you weren’t an iPhone 4 user…

 

[minimo3]

I keep hearing that “everyone” wants big phones so then why did Apple choose to go with a compromised 6.7” display plus size? The plus already doesn’t fit comfortably into jeans pocket and requires 2 hands to operate so they might as well go for 7+”. As people on MR keep saying “what’s another 20g, if you can’t handle that you need to work out!”

 

[RickDEGH]

At the end of the day, aggregate iPhone models sales volume is going to be = 100%. While it does matter which model sold which percent, 3% or 6% of total sales volume isn’t terrible to begin with. I bet Google or Sony would want such a volume. The risk Apple is taking is alienating those who prefer the Mini size. What if those buyers move on to other manufacturers instead of moving on to other iPhone models? Good for them that currently there’s nothing comparable in the Android world.

 

[schneeland]

This is the problem. Someone at Apple thinks the same as you, and as a result anyone who insists on buying a Pro model iPhone instantly discounts buying the mini. What a mystery it doesn’t sell that well… 🤦‍♂️

I DON’T need a giant screen to take photos. I DO need a good camera.

I absolutely get the reasoning for an iPhone mini Pro that has the same capabilities as its larger kin. Unfortunately, I don't think it can be built easily without becoming more bulky or having abysmal battery life.

 

[lowkey]

Screw all this cr*p about there being no market. We’ll never actually know if that’s the case or not, because Apple never gave the Pro crowd the option of buying a smaller device. The assumption that mini owners wouldn’t want better cameras or other premium features included in the Pro lineup means that Apple only tested the non-Pro crowd, who are more likely to be business users / slow upgraders.

There should have been a mini variant of the Pro. It’s that simple.

It’s high time Apple used their wizardry to go back to a dual-camera form factor to only include the ultra-wide and a telephoto lenses. They could definitely find ample middle ground between lenses using software at this point.

100% agree. I still have my iPhone 12 mini sitting around at home as a Spotify streamer to my stereo system because it’s the perfect size and weight.

But the camera was a cut down version. I would have upgraded to a 13 mini but needed the full LiDAR scanning camera for work so went with the 13 Pro. I hate the size of it :/

I would totally by a mini with the full Pro camera suite. The mini was the perfect size but hobbled by Apple.

 

[JPack]

At the end of the day, aggregate iPhone models sales volume is going to be = 100%. While it does matter which model sold which percent, 3% or 6% of total sales volume isn’t terrible to begin with. I bet Google or Sony would want such a volume. The risk Apple is taking is alienating those who prefer the Mini size. What if those buyers move on to other manufacturers instead of moving on to other iPhone models? Good for them that currently there’s nothing comparable in the Android world.

Apple doesn’t have unlimited production capacity, engineering resources, and chips aren’t free. Why waste an A15 and Qualcomm radio in mini if nobody buys it?

What if without a mainstream 6.7-inch iPhone, buyers move to Android? Apple has clearly evaluated the risks and determined larger is more popular.

 

[FreedomPenguin]

people who want a tiny phone are a minority. you got the chance of a 12 or 13 mini and will get a new SE. that's more than enough for the relatively few people who like small phones.

i honestly don't know how anyone can use such a small device. i have a 6.7" pro max and i often wish it was bigger. going down to even the 6.1" would be awful for me.

Because we don’t have freakishly large hands.