Hi guys, I was thinking before about the future of the non-6.1” regular iPhone. Personally I have a 13 mini and I love it, so I hope Apple brings it back someday. What do you think will happen? Considering the plus isn’t selling much better for what we know. Maybe a 2-year transition for the plus, to then move back to the mini with the iPhone 16? Last but not least: what if… the ‘other model’ disappears? And there’ll be only one standard iPhone? Just my 50 cents. 😀
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Other Future: mini vs plus?
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Not selling much better simply means the iPhone 14 series did not grow as much as Apple expected compared to iPhone 13.
Even if Apple sells the same number of units of iPhone 14 as 13, they’re raking in $899 per iPhone 14 Plus. That’s far more preferable than collecting $699 for each mini.
In short, there is no chance of going back to the mini.
Even if Apple sells the same number of units of iPhone 14 as 13, they’re raking in $899 per iPhone 14 Plus. That’s far more preferable than collecting $699 for each mini.
In short, there is no chance of going back to the mini.
The mini is too expensive imo, even now. The plus is too but at least for that money you’re getting a significantly bigger screen and battery life
Yeah, me too. I thought the 5th, but also 6th seems possible. I wonder if it’d be identical to the 13 mini or with design differences.
Are you saying that there will never be another Mini? If so, I wouldn't say no chance of it.
While it didn't sell as well as other phones, there is still a market for it. Maybe Apple might do a periodic release of it instead of yearly, similar to the SE.
The plus would be great next year when prices drop , specially for power users on a budget , there are alot of those who want the big battery and bigger storage but cant afford the promax
The mini was very niche, i liked it myself but was a big sacrifices in the battery
The mini was very niche, i liked it myself but was a big sacrifices in the battery
Maybe there will be a 6.1-inch mini when 8-inch folding phones become mainstream.
The Plus was intentionally delayed, and it was barely out and the so called tech bloggers are making up conclusions based on rumors.
Remember the XR? The same tech bloggers were painting negative pictures all over it. Guess what, it becomes the best selling iPhone in its year.
The life of the 14 series is still young. Conclusions can only be made if Apple keep the Plus model after 2 cycles.
I dunno. Trends are weird. I remember how everyone used to prefer smaller smartphones & laughed at the big ones when they first came out. Now that has flipped. I don’t think small smartphones will come back anytime soon. But perhaps Apple will come out with a flip iphone? Who knows. 🤷♂️
It probably doesn't make a lot of sense for both the Mini and the SE to exist, especially with the next SE losing the home button and getting the notch, etc.
However, the Plus just doesn't make any sense how it's priced/positioned. The reason the Plus is not selling well at all right now is because you can easily get a 13 Pro Max for about the same price or less, and it's just inferior to a 13 Pro Max in every way. That problem is probably just going to keep existing in every future year, because if you want a 6.7 inch phone, you're far better off getting the previous year's Pro Max either from a carrier clear
out deal or 2nd hand then the Pro model. Either the Plus needs to be a lot cheaper (maybe $50 more than the 6.1 inch base phone), or Apple should consider just continuing to sell the previous year Pro Max model as a more budget option.
However, the Plus just doesn't make any sense how it's priced/positioned. The reason the Plus is not selling well at all right now is because you can easily get a 13 Pro Max for about the same price or less, and it's just inferior to a 13 Pro Max in every way. That problem is probably just going to keep existing in every future year, because if you want a 6.7 inch phone, you're far better off getting the previous year's Pro Max either from a carrier clear
out deal or 2nd hand then the Pro model. Either the Plus needs to be a lot cheaper (maybe $50 more than the 6.1 inch base phone), or Apple should consider just continuing to sell the previous year Pro Max model as a more budget option.
It's simple.
In the beginnings, growth was in developed markets, where most people already have a PC and TV. They have plenty of large screens around them, that the phone is just a secondary or tertiary screen. It doesn't have to be large, so smaller is preferred.
Fast forward today, developed markets are saturated. The growth now is in emerging markets, where many people don't even have a computer, and their TV was old and small. The smartphone is literally their ever first computer, or even their only device for productivity and entertainment. Thus the larger screen provides better user experience, and thus the demand is for the largest screen for the dollar. Even $100 Android phones are at least 6.5" or larger.
Some people in the developed markets may not understand it and feels like the phones are going too large. But Apple is a global for profit company where the actual growth in its revenue is in markets like China and Asia, and the demand for larger sized phones are real. Best selling Android so far is the S22 Ultra. The market speaks for itself.
Yeah, even the cheapest android phone I bought for emergency use (which failed spectacularly) has a 6.5” screen with low res panels.
Flip phones aren’t really a mini replacement though. They are significantly taller when opened (difficult for one-handed use), are thicker and therefore less pocketable when closed, and are heavier.
Idk, nobody in an „emerging“ market has the money to spend €1150 on anything, let alone a phone. If you want a computer, you probably already had one for quite some years for much less money. Although, truth be told, those people probably have had used androids for $100 for some time. If you can afford an iphone, you‘re rich already and it‘s not your first computer.
First of all, 13 mini is still on sale, not a discontinued product. It will be probably be on sale even after the iPhone 15 comes as well.
Second, iPhone 14 has the same SoC and cameras introduced by the 13, and a 14 mini would have been incredibly redundant as an upgrade, it made more sense for them to explore a new type of product with the 14 plus.
Third factor, Apple now has the time to gauge interest for the 14plus, which looks to be quite scarce to be honest. People mostly buy the middle form factor anyway. Apple could probably sell only an iPhone SE (refreshed, XR based), the 14, and the 14 Pro / Pro Max, and people would likely find their right product anyway. With 4 phones instead of the 8 they sell today.
Bottom line, The 14plus still has more chance to survive because it's an upsell from the 14 and makes more money for them, whereas the 13mini was a downsell from the 13 and made slimmer profits for them. That's really the most important point, they care more about that than about the screen size.
Second, iPhone 14 has the same SoC and cameras introduced by the 13, and a 14 mini would have been incredibly redundant as an upgrade, it made more sense for them to explore a new type of product with the 14 plus.
Third factor, Apple now has the time to gauge interest for the 14plus, which looks to be quite scarce to be honest. People mostly buy the middle form factor anyway. Apple could probably sell only an iPhone SE (refreshed, XR based), the 14, and the 14 Pro / Pro Max, and people would likely find their right product anyway. With 4 phones instead of the 8 they sell today.
Bottom line, The 14plus still has more chance to survive because it's an upsell from the 14 and makes more money for them, whereas the 13mini was a downsell from the 13 and made slimmer profits for them. That's really the most important point, they care more about that than about the screen size.
While part of the demand for large phablets is from developing countries due to lower device cost and power reliability, for other countries like China, the demand is because of different reasons. Consumers there aren't buying a $1,400 iPhone 14 Pro Max because it's their first computer. It's because Chinese consumers live far more digitally connected lives than in western countries.
For example, 80% of transactions in China use digital payment. The only people using credit cards or cash are seniors and visitors. Another example is livestream shopping where it is a $500B market in China vs. $10B in the U.S. Everything is digital whether you're talking about identity cards, parking tickets, or student report cards.
As more consumers around the world live digitally connected lives without needing to carry a wallet, their screen time increases leading to preference for large phablets.
Its not as simple as that as the Bill of materials for the 14 Plus will be higher than the 13 Mini. Also they need to actually sell 14 Plus phones and according to many articles there is low demand for them. Everyone wants the 14 Pro models as they are worthy of the 'iPhone 14' name.
BOM isn't anywhere close to $200 higher for the iPhone 14 Plus. As an example, the 6.5-inch display for iPhone Xs Max costs only $13 more than 5.8-inch iPhone X. The battery costs $2.50 more. Apple is laughing all the way to the bank when you buy larger, more expensive devices. They laugh harder when you add storage.
Apple iPhone Xs Max Teardown
We have the iPhone Xs Max, model A1921, with 256GB capacity in our labs. As we do every year, we will update this blog post with our findings as soon as we can. Check back often over the next several days for updates.
"Low demand" is a relative term. Low demand relative to iPhone 14 Pro Max? Relative to Apple's expectations? Even if volumes are as poor as the mini, Apple still wins because of higher margins.
BOM isn't anywhere close to $200 higher for the iPhone 14 Plus. As an example, the 6.5-inch display for iPhone Xs Max costs only $13 more than 5.8-inch iPhone X. The battery costs $2.50 more. Apple is laughing all the way to the bank when you buy larger, more expensive devices. They laugh harder when you add storage.
Apple iPhone Xs Max Teardown
We have the iPhone Xs Max, model A1921, with 256GB capacity in our labs. As we do every year, we will update this blog post with our findings as soon as we can. Check back often over the next several days for updates.www.techinsights.com
"Low demand" is a relative term. Low demand relative to iPhone 14 Pro Max? Relative to Apple's expectations? Even if volumes are as poor as the mini, Apple still wins because of higher margins.
Its interesting hearing you say this Jpack, as we said the exact same thing when the 12 Mini was getting slated for 'poor' sales when it was released during the pandemic times.
I believe the discussion started with the post I replied to in regards to the trend. I replied by elaborating on that trend, giving one explanation in why the trend happened. I'm not talking about people buying $1000 phones. Also, if you are an upcoming middle class in emerging market, and you have $1000 budget for a device, your priority would be getting a phone first and foremost, not a computer. You need a phone and nowadays to function normally in society. A PC is optional, as most tasks can be done on a phone as well. As such, even for a well off person, getting a large smartphone is arguably a much more attractive purchase.
A really well off people nowadays I see will have a smartphone, and a tablet or ipad for his/her second screen. A laptop is relegated to a work laptop provided by the office, or a gaming laptop if he/she is a gamer. Personal consumer purchases have shifted towards smartphone first, then tablet second. It might also explain, to my annoyance, that Apple doesn't even bother selling BTO Macs in my country, while we have complete selections of iphones and ipads at their various storage sizes. For Macs, only preconfigured models available. I'm guessing Apple see the sales numbers don't support the cost of selling BTO or more SKUs for Macs.
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