There Is No iPhone 15 Mini: Here's Why

[alchemistmuffin]

In April 2022, CIRP released more data suggesting that the iPhone 13 mini accounted for just 3 percent of iPhone 13 sales – half that of the iPhone 12 mini. These continued poor sales were likely the main reason behind the demise of the "mini" form factor iPhone.

Simply put Apple just put too much in the Mini model to the point that it just sacrificed too much battery. If you recall, Mini had faster battery drain than all of iPhone lineup.

From what I heard from industrial rumor mills, there was talk that iPhone SE 4 would be based on iPhone mini lineup, which would make sense given its smaller form factor. But after testing and prototyping, Apple just gave up on mini form factor on SE considering the cost and battery drain.

 

[sunapple]

Interesting that 14 and 14 Plus were also poor, suggesting it is not all about screen size. Positioning the Mini as the SE option might be a logical step. It used to be a valid sales argument stating easy one-handed use. We will see if the interest comes back some day.

 

[JosephAW]

It's much simpler to say the reason they weren't selling is because of price.
Make a simpler mini with one camera for $399

 

[cicalinarrot]

I was sure they'd still sell the 13 mini... people who really want the small format often don't care if it's overpriced or has old specs.

 

[Macx69]

I think the iPhone mini was released in a very bad period (lockdown from covid) and everyone stayed home so nobody used the iPhone walking, jogging or on the road. So no one saw the advantage of a small phone.

 

[Swissfashion]

I’ve had the iPhone 13 mini now for two years. Battery health is 88%, but the phone is not an all day device. It needs to be charged twice per day. As it is my main display device, I’m also finding that the screen is too small for my current needs. I love the form factor and the light weight, however my next phone will either be a 15 or 15 pro.

 

[JosephAW]

Guess I'll have to pick up a used Mini for my gf, she likes the original SE size.
Hopefully something will be available in the next few years or possibly android will seize the mini market by then.

 

[goobot]

This might just be me but when spending 900$ on a phone why wouldn’t you spend the extra 100 for one with lots more features, probably has a lot to do with it, also the mini left out all the people who wanted pro features

 

[klasma]

iPhone 12 _pro_ mini would have sold millions….

The iPhone mini did sell millions. Alas, too few millions for Apple.

 

[Skyscraperfan]

3% is still millions of phones. I hate it if companies focus on the mainstream taste. Facebook also often canceled features that were only used by a few percent of the users, if if those few percent were tens of millions.

 

[ohthehorror]

Is this really a discussion point?

 

[japanime]

Guess I'll have to pick up a used Mini for my gf, she likes the original SE size.
Hopefully something will be available in the next few years or possibly android will seize the mini market by then.

The original SE got an iOS update just a few days ago (to 15.7.9, ostensibly for security purposes), and Apple still offers battery replacement service for the model. If your girlfriend doesn't mind a slightly older flavor of iOS, you can probably buy a used first-gen SE for next to nothing.

 

[soloohara]

i have the 12 mini and looks like normal size, the 15 pro looks big, and the max its abnormally larger, what hands do you have guys? lol the mini is being treated as very small when in reality is normal size, as smartphones should be honestly...

 

[klasma]

Simply put Apple just put too much in the Mini model to the point that it just sacrificed too much battery. If you recall, Mini had faster battery drain than all of iPhone lineup.

From what I heard from industrial rumor mills, there was talk that iPhone SE 4 would be based on iPhone mini lineup, which would make sense given its smaller form factor. But after testing and prototyping, Apple just gave up on mini form factor on SE considering the cost and battery drain.

It’s ridiculous though that with the alleged technical progress, they wouldn’t manage something workable. The OG SE was smaller and lighter and had perfectly fine battery life.

 

[75Batt]

In all fairness, when we debate such outcomes, it is incredibly important to understand Apple's involvement in this. While Apple did what 'we wished for', it didn't nurture the mini line up at all. From covers to promotion to price, it was never what it was meant to be. Covers were hard to find by Apple, they didn't promote it well enough and they didn't give the mini a chance to exist in the lineup. Look at the iPhone 13 era and the line up Apple had, it was a mess. Today it's evident that if you want the VERY best and up to date upgrades it's the Pro MAX. Others fall short of basic things from USB C speeds to some features. So here's the issue, Apple never wanted to have the Mini succeed, because that meant too many screen investments and productions would differ from each model. That's costing more than they wanted in vest in. The Mini should have been the SE line. They needed to keep a flagship model to perform well, but you make that happen only when the options are fewer in the line up. MOST people would buy a cheaper iPhone, the SE shouldn't exist anymore, it makes no sense, and in stead it should just be called the Mini Line up keeping the form factor and that's that. But it's a fine balance at Apple to control price, income, prestige and absolute control over their market. The mini wasn't a priority... and when Apple didn't care about it, it was hard to keep it going despite the 12 mini selling so well when launched. Numbers internally showed a very different performance. So it's not that it wasn't popular, it was that it had the potential to become more popular than their pro max models and that wouldn't look good for Apple...

Don’t be so ridiculous. If they didn’t want it to succeed, they wouldn’t do it, they’re not out to pointlessly spend money. Apple are about making money and the phone did not make enough of it. Simple.

 

[Zero.Hedge]

People wanted the pro features over the small form factor. Add the pro features to the small form factor and customers will be back.

 

[schneeland]

The iPhone mini did sell millions. Alas, too few millions for Apple.

Yeah, that is the sad part here: on a global scale, it actually didn't sell too bad - apparently it's just not enough for Apple compared to their other models.
In a way, I can even understand why they focus on the more mainstream options, but I wish they had kept it as a model with less frequent updates for those of us who like smaller phones (basically like the phone equivalent of the iPad Mini).

 

[JapanApple]

they sell mini 13 in Japan still. I saw them today

 

[75Batt]

It's much simpler to say the reason they weren't selling is because of price.
Make a simpler mini with one camera for $399

So an SE?

 

[japanime]

they sell mini 13 in Japan still. I saw them today

In an Apple Store? They've removed them from the online store.

In any case, it will probably be like the first-generation HomePod, which was still available from Apple in Japan for about a month after it was no longer sold in the US.

 

[spartan1967]

I’ve had the iPhone 13 mini now for two years. Battery health is 88%, but the phone is not an all day device. It needs to be charged twice per day. As it is my main display device, I’m also finding that the screen is too small for my current needs. I love the form factor and the light weight, however my next phone will either be a 15 or 15 pro.

Same status with my 13 Mini, however I easily get a full day of battery by turning down the brightness a bit outside & avoiding websites with too many ads (Edge with ad blocker on = 👍). Also, Apple still made money with the Minis, but found out they have a wider profit margin with the larger phones. The first thing people need to keep in mind is when Apple changes/discontinues a product, it is always in the best interest of profit & shareholders/dividends with no loyalty to people who have invested in their ecosystem.

 

[xyz01]

iPhone 12 _pro_ mini would have sold millions….

If I could have gotten the 15 Pro Max features in a 15 mini size, I'd have gone for the mini. The larger screen is just a necessary evil when I selected the Pro Max, not a feature.

 

[123]

I will always buy the best smallest iphone there is. In that order.

So that’s the smallest iphone pro. Had there been an iphone pro mini, then I would be buying that, but there isn’t.

The MAX has a better camera, so you have to buy that now.

 

[nt5672]

This is ridiculous if true. A few more years and the smallest iPhone you can buy will be as big as or bigger than the original Max.

Apple eyes the future with everyone carrying around a iPad for a phone.

 

[El Szomorito]

iPhone 12 _pro_ mini would have sold millions….

Probably not. While some of the mini buyers would want pro features, others, myself included want a small device because we have others, ipad, macbook, etc, so only use it when we are on the go. That also translates to the iphone 13 mini already having way more power/features than I need. And being a rarely used device, also caps the amount of money I'm willing to spend on it.

Probably the only viable way forward for a small phone is to reduce the main line to three models: iPhone, iPhone Pro, iPhone Pro Max. And make SE in two sizes: iPhone SE at 5.4", and iPhone SE Max at 6.1", to avoid the naming pitfall of the mini. This way they can raise the 6.1" SE price and still claim to have a cheap iPhone while catering to the needs of a dedicated minority, who might even leave the whole ecosystem otherwise.