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The strongest case against keeping one’s aging 13 Mini is that it doesn’t have the newest technology.

The strongest case for keeping one’s old friend is that there’s no substitute in small size and low mass.

With eyes wide open, I sacrifice new tech for the never-to-be-repeated form factor.
I have to agree here . . . I just "retired" my 15 Pro Max for my newly purchased Green 13 Mini because I wanted to have an iPhone that was compact and light. Having full screen in a compact body as opposed to earlier gen iPhones that had a thick bezels on the display panel, made the switch much easier for me.

I love my green 13 Mini and the colors Apple used in the 12/13 series iPhone. I was pleasantly surprised by how well my new to me Mini has been performing that I will most likely add a red and blue, perhaps adding a midnight 13 Mini in pristine condition to my iPhone collection.

These iPhones were seriously underrated just like how people are underrating the new iPhone Air . . .
 
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I wish that the Reachability feature would just emulate the Mini full sized screen rather than just bring the top of screen down.
Great idea. I have an iPhone Air but if I could put it in Mini (aka one-hand) mode, I would keep it in that mode all the time while I'm out, and only put it into regular full screen mode when I come home which is where I do all my screen consumption. I already always have the keyboard in right-hand mode.

(This is assuming text and UI would re format/optimize to the smaller screen rather than just shrink)
 
My all-time favorite phone for size and weight is... the Google Pixel 5. Perfect screen size and overall size, and it's so light you'd think it's an empty demo device rather than a fully functional phone.

The downside, of course, is Android. So I keep it as a backup.
 
How do you feel now about the upgrade? How are you find the battery life? I don’t know whether to replace the battery and wait for the base iPhone 18 or finally leave my 13 mini behind. It’s such a perfect iPhone for me.
Everything is better apart from the size. Battery life is much better, my 13 mini was showing 80% health and went from 100% to zero in about 8 hours, didn't last beyond late afternoon before needing a charge. I'm currently limiting my 17 to 80% charge capacity (to see if it helps with longevity) and I am still seeing 30-40% at bed time, so it's using 50% over 15 or so hours, a huge improvement. It still feels big in my pocket though :D
 
My iPhone 12 mini is still working fine. I’ll replace the battery next year and see how long it keeps going.
When I eventually have to downgrade to a larger phone, I’ll just get what’s cheap because it’s a grudge purchase.

BTW! The last new function, that wasn’t an iterative change, to the iPhone was Emergency SOS via satellite and before that Apple Pay. A new iPhone is often only marginally different
 
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I don't know why they can just make it a bit thicker so the battery is good. I stoped using the mini cause I got used to 120hz.. if it had 120hz, good camera and battery it would be the perfect phone. (the mini)
 
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My iPhone 12 mini is still working fine. I’ll replace the battery next year and see how long it keeps going.
When I eventually have to downgrade to a larger phone, I’ll just get what’s cheap because it’s a grudge purchase.

BTW! The last new function, that wasn’t an iterative change, to the iPhone was Emergency SOS via satellite and before that Apple Pay. A new iPhone is often only marginally different
that’s what made me upgrade the sos function because I hike a lot 2x a week and sometimes deep into the woods as well as 4x4. Otherwise the use change doesn’t change from mini to air. I do use Siri with chstgpt and that’s also nice but not a killer
 
that’s what made me upgrade the sos function because I hike a lot 2x a week and sometimes deep into the woods as well as 4x4. Otherwise the use change doesn’t change from mini to air. I do use Siri with chstgpt and that’s also nice but not a killer
Cellphones transition to Satphones in 2027 in the USA and Mexico. I suppose that’s when I’ll retire my 13mini.
 
I wish, man. I've not enjoyed the physical size of any of the iPhones I've had (6, SE 2nd, 16e) compared to the smaller size of the mini. Too big, too wide, too tall. I think reviewers and YouTubers hated the mini because of the "bad" battery life, but it was not that much worse than the full sized iPhones at the time, and it was better than the SE that was out at the same time as it. I just think Apple screwed up by releasing the SE when they did, right before the mini, because a lot of cost-conscious people went with the SE instead (myself included, and many of my family members). We never even got to try a mini for ourselves because it was discontinued before we were ready to upgrade again.
 
Unless Apple decides to refresh them every few years, the mini iPhones are well and truly dead. They aren't really phones anymore; they are media consumption devices, so people want big screens.

Personally I could never drop below a max size.
 
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