iPhone 12 mini iPhone 12 mini vs. iPhone 13 mini

[mikehalloran]

Simply put: buy the existing 12 mini. Who knows? You may be disappointed by the non-existent 13 mini and wish you had waited for the 14, the 15, the 16, the 17. Then you'll be 75. "If you can't be with the one you love, Love the one you're with". Stephen Stills (1970).

Well, it was announced 10 days later and will be available Sept. 24. The 13 Mini is looking pretty sweet.

iPhone 13 and Mini

I bet that those who waited till they knew are pretty pleased with themselves — whether they go forward with the 13 or take advantage of sale prices on the remaining 12 series. At least, now they know.

As for myself, it was never my plan to jump right away. I will wait till the 13 Mini and Pro are both in the store and I can hold both in hand. Nice to know we have options.

 

[MrMacintoshIII]

I hate that lyric.

If you can’t be with the one you love, and that person isn’t the one you’re with? Leave the one you’re with and chase the one you love. If it doesn’t work out with the one you love, love yourself.

Those who waited even a little now fare loads better than those who tried to “love the one they’re with” and get an iPhone 12 mini, only to 10 days later see a vastly superior 13 mini announced, and yes I do mean vastly superior. No I will not lay out all the many minute differences between the 12 and 13 mini. Go figure it out! It’s pretty interesting!

 

[bbates123]

I hate that lyric.

If you can’t be with the one you love, and that person isn’t the one you’re with? Leave the one you’re with and chase the one you love. If it doesn’t work out with the one you love, love yourself.

Those who waited even a little now fare loads better than those who tried to “love the one they’re with” and get an iPhone 12 mini, only to 10 days later see a vastly superior 13 mini announced, and yes I do mean vastly superior. No I will not lay out all the many minute differences between the 12 and 13 mini. Go figure it out! It’s pretty interesting!

Is it anything that you can't see on Apple's phone comparison page? I'm not aware of anything that's not on that comparison page except for maybe the X60 modem, whose real life benefits I'm not clear on.

 

[MrMacintoshIII]

Is it anything that you can't see on Apple's phone comparison page? I'm not aware of anything that's not on that comparison page except for maybe the X60 modem, whose real life benefits I'm not clear on.

Oh fine you’ve twisted my arm!

Better processor
Vastly better cameras
iPhone 13-only camera features like cinematic mode
Smallest size with latest tech
Smaller notch
128gb base storage, so cheaper for some
1 hour 30 minutes greater battery life (a huge plus as the mini already comes up shortest)
Greater durability for the screen and casing
28% brighter screen for easier viewing in direct bright sunlight
More 5G bands

and just for fun, it’s the first iPhone mini to feature the newest Starlight color.

I’m sure sleuths of the video and Apple website can list a few more. Something about now supporting satellites.

 

[bbates123]

Oh fine you’ve twisted my arm!

Better processor
Vastly better cameras
iPhone 13-only camera features like cinematic mode
Smallest size with latest tech
Smaller notch
128gb base storage, so cheaper for some
1 hour 30 minutes greater battery life (a huge plus as the mini already comes up shortest)
Greater durability for the screen and casing
28% brighter screen for easier viewing in direct bright sunlight
More 5G bands

and just for fun, it’s the first iPhone mini to feature the newest Starlight color.

I’m sure sleuths of the video and Apple website can list a few more. Something about now supporting satellites.

Thank you. I think most of those differences are on the comparison page...except for the modem improvements and the smaller notch. I didn't know if I was missing something else. I do question though the greater durability for the screen and casing - can you provide more info on that? I know it comes with Ceramic Shield but so does the 12.

 

[Apple_Robert]

I don't need to upgrade my 12 mini but, seeing as this is probably the last year of the mini, I am going to get the 13 mini. My 12 mini has been a great phone. I still have 100% battery health from a release day phone.

 

[MrMacintoshIII]

I don't need to upgrade my 12 mini but, seeing as this is probably the last year of the mini, I am going to get the 13 mini. My 12 mini has been a great phone. I still have 100% battery health from a release day phone.

I really wonder how long this will be the last mini for. Five years? Ten?!

 

[MrMacintoshIII]

Thank you. I think most of those differences are on the comparison page...except for the modem improvements and the smaller notch. I didn't know if I was missing something else. I do question though the greater durability for the screen and casing - can you provide more info on that? I know it comes with Ceramic Shield but so does the 12.

Nevermind you’re right, I rewatched the video, there’s no mention of an improvement.

 

[bbates123]

I don't need to upgrade my 12 mini but, seeing as this is probably the last year of the mini, I am going to get the 13 mini. My 12 mini has been a great phone. I still have 100% battery health from a release day phone.

Sadly I'm at 84%, no idea why. Time for a battery replacement.

 

[5105973]

Oh fine you’ve twisted my arm!

Better processor
Vastly better cameras
iPhone 13-only camera features like cinematic mode
Smallest size with latest tech
Smaller notch
128gb base storage, so cheaper for some
1 hour 30 minutes greater battery life (a huge plus as the mini already comes up shortest)
Greater durability for the screen and casing
28% brighter screen for easier viewing in direct bright sunlight
More 5G bands

and just for fun, it’s the first iPhone mini to feature the newest Starlight color.

I’m sure sleuths of the video and Apple website can list a few more. Something about now supporting satellites.

No purple though. I’m all about the purple. Fortunately I have a green mini, too, I’ll trade for mini 13 in April or May. Maybe by then they will sneak in a new color like last spring. If not, Product Red is red again so there is that. But I won’t stop using my purple. My precioussssssss.

 

[bbates123]

I really wonder how long this will be the last mini for. Five years? Ten?!

Maybe forever? Breaks my heart it's such a great phone, my favorite iPhone ever. But people aren't buying them - people just want bigger and bigger phones and it's not cheap enough to compete with the SE. I really wish Apple had spent more on marketing these phones.

 

[MrMacintoshIII]

Sadly I'm at 84%, no idea why.

Unfavorable electro-electrochemistry.

Aka you’re holding it wrong.

 

[subjonas]

Maybe forever? Breaks my heart it's such a great phone, my favorite iPhone ever. But people aren't buying them - people just want bigger and bigger phones and it's not cheap enough to compete with the SE. I really wish Apple had spent more on marketing these phones.

Apple may not have the motivation to spend a lot on marketing for the mini because doing so would probably lead to less sales of the larger, more profitable iPhones. They probably trust that people who want a small phone that badly already know the mini exists and will buy it because it’s pretty much the only small modern phone in the market.

 

[jeremydc]

11.6% increase over last year

 

[jeremydc]

Sadly I'm at 84%, no idea why. Time for a battery replacement.

The going theory is simple, 'Smaller batteries degrade faster'

 

[subjonas]

View attachment 1833473

11.6% increase over last year

In battery size? Battery life?

 

[jeremydc]

In battery size? Battery life?

Mahs

 

[Phil22]

Will there be much of a difference in camera/ video quality between the 12mini and 13mini?

 

[bbates123]

The going theory is simple, 'Smaller batteries degrade faster'

I could buy that theory if it wasn't for the fact that others still have 100% after almost a year. The IOS 15 beta cycle seemed to really hammer my phone hard so maybe next year I don't run that on the mini.

 

[mikehalloran]

Will there be much of a difference in camera/ video quality between the 12mini and 13mini?

Oh yes — that is one of the big differences but whether or not it benefits you will depend on how you take photos/video. If you take grab shots of family/friends/food etc. in well lit areas, you're not likely to notice a difference — and that's ok.

As Chase Jarvis once said “The best camera is the one that's with you.”

As nice as the 12 was, the reason I waited for the 13 was that I expected there to be some improvements that would allow me to be more creative—and there they are. Using them to become more creative… now that's up to me.

 

[turbineseaplane]

Oh yes — that is one of the big differences but whether or not it benefits you will depend on how you take photos/video.

As nice as the 12 was, the reason I waited for the 13 was that I expected there to be some improvements that would allow me to be more creative—and there they are. Using them to become more creative… now that's up to me.

What improvements from the 12 to the 13 are going to allow you to be “more creative”?

 

[taneff]

Oh yes — that is one of the big differences but whether or not it benefits you will depend on how you take photos/video. If you take grab shots of family/friends/food etc. in well lit areas, you're not likely to notice a difference — and that's ok.

As Chase Jarvis once said “The best camera is the one that's with you.”

As nice as the 12 was, the reason I waited for the 13 was that I expected there to be some improvements that would allow me to be more creative—and there they are. Using them to become more creative… now that's up to me.

I don't think there is much new to the normal 13 line. Some extra features, new stabilization on main camera, depends on weather you need them. But the Pro line has a new camera system with better specs and sensors, not the normal 13 line unfortunately according to tech specs.

I really hoped Apple would make the 13 Mini more feature proof. More RAM, better sensors, most of all TouchID. Nothing.

I will still buy the 13 Mini. And we have to give Apple credit for even having a Mini line for one year, now it is/was two years. So I will upgrade my 12 Mini. Just have to see when. If the modem is a significant upgrade with much improvement in reception quality, esp when switching to low signal areas a lot, maybe this year. If not only next summer/fall when prices have gone down quite a bit.

 

[turbineseaplane]

I really hoped Apple would make the 13 Mini more feature proof. More RAM, better sensors, most of all TouchID. Nothing.

I really don’t understand why they aren’t going to a touch ID power button on the mini.

One would think that would help get the cost down also

 

[xpxp2002]

I could buy that theory if it wasn't for the fact that others still have 100% after almost a year. The IOS 15 beta cycle seemed to really hammer my phone hard so maybe next year I don't run that on the mini.

It's not the iOS 15 beta. My launch day 12 mini is down to 89%, and I never installed iOS 15. I've read others with the 12/12 Pro/12 Pro Max also showing more battery degradation than previous years' models over the same time period.

Personally, I think one of the battery OEMs shipped some defective batteries for all of the 12 models that degraded faster than normal. Since Apple often uses multiple vendors for parts, it's very possible that not everyone got one of these batteries that is degrading rapidly.

 

[munakib]

But the Pro line has a new camera system with better specs and sensors, not the normal 13 line unfortunately according to tech specs.

The Pros I believe have the same sensor but agreed a better camera system overall. I actually hedged myself by pre-ordering both with little expectation that there will enough of a difference between the two. But lets see.