Was just thinking since 16e is almost 170$ expensive than SE, and usually SE is the smallest device, maybe mini will make a comeback as a future SE? We can say 16e is midrange (relative to iPhones) and SE will be low end. 🤔
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iPhone 13 mini Theory: Mini will make a comeback as an iPhone SE
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Very unlikely given hardly anyone wants a small display. This means poor economies of scale. Instead, Apple can drop the price of 16e by $50-$70 as times goes on, similar to iPad 10.
You have a better chance of Apple releasing a more expensive foldable like the ZFlip than a small mini type device..
Doubtful... Apple killed the mini because it didn't sell.... Despite a tiny but very loud subset of people here on the forums pushing for small screens, there isn't much interest for it overall.
Doesn’t make sense IMO because it isn’t really cheaper to manufacture (even if it only had the 16e feature set). The only way it would have made sense is instead of/without the 16e, as the new budget phone, an upgrade from the SE3 despite the smaller size (but bigger screen), maybe at $549.
Even if the mini were cheaper to manufacture, the most important part is, do people want to buy it? The iPhone 5c was cheap to manufacture, but nobody bought it.
Let's not forget iPhone 12/13 mini already hit $599. Nobody bought it. Do we really think a small, gimped $499 iPhone mini with one camera would sell any better?
Let's not forget iPhone 12/13 mini already hit $599. Nobody bought it. Do we really think a small, gimped $499 iPhone mini with one camera would sell any better?
Amen, Brother.
It always sux that Majority Rules, but there just ain't no denyin' it
That being said, I'll be rockin' 13 Mini's for as long as it's possible!
The SE has been around for almost 10 years. I don't think we'll see any more iPhone SEs. The new one is the "e" - and it will be a slightly downgraded version of the year's top model - like the Samsung FE edition.
The iPhone 17 series will be released in September - and in February 2026 we might see a 17e, and the 16e will disappear again. Or the 16e will remain in the line up, but with a reduced price like we saw with the iPad 10. Apple uses the phrase "Future-proof" in their sales materials for the 16e, which makes me feel like it's an iPhone that will be sold for a few years.
Since the Mini is out - I don't think there will be any e models based on that model. Mini is dead, the idea was good enough - but most people have gotten used to the 6.1" screen, and won't go down. The time when mobile phones had to be small is long gone, even though some of us still cheer for it.
I was all-in on the 12 Mini up until its release - and when it was presented I was sure it was the perfect iPhone. So I bought it - and had a slightly "meh" feeling. Yes, the size was good - but it was a bit like I didn't have the "right" iPhone. On top of that, the battery life was really bad, and I ended up replacing it for a normal iPhone 12 which I was really happy with.
The iPhone 17 series will be released in September - and in February 2026 we might see a 17e, and the 16e will disappear again. Or the 16e will remain in the line up, but with a reduced price like we saw with the iPad 10. Apple uses the phrase "Future-proof" in their sales materials for the 16e, which makes me feel like it's an iPhone that will be sold for a few years.
Since the Mini is out - I don't think there will be any e models based on that model. Mini is dead, the idea was good enough - but most people have gotten used to the 6.1" screen, and won't go down. The time when mobile phones had to be small is long gone, even though some of us still cheer for it.
I was all-in on the 12 Mini up until its release - and when it was presented I was sure it was the perfect iPhone. So I bought it - and had a slightly "meh" feeling. Yes, the size was good - but it was a bit like I didn't have the "right" iPhone. On top of that, the battery life was really bad, and I ended up replacing it for a normal iPhone 12 which I was really happy with.
@ennisw
Totally agree. SE was never intended as a small device, but an entry level model, at a cheap price. The price is kept down by using old technology.
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The new e-series is not supposed to replace SE. That's something people misunderstand, and that's probably why people are upset about the price tag. The e is not meant to be a cheap phone - but an (e)ssential version of the top model. It has the virtues of the 16 series - but the luxury features require you to update to 16/16 Pro. It's a way to make more money, because if someone buys the 16e, Apple makes good money - if people choose to pay a little more to get the "real" 16, Apple makes good money. If Apple called it SE, and priced it at $399, it would eat up a lot of customers who might have bought a normal 16.
It's about what investors want.
Totally agree. SE was never intended as a small device, but an entry level model, at a cheap price. The price is kept down by using old technology.
______
The new e-series is not supposed to replace SE. That's something people misunderstand, and that's probably why people are upset about the price tag. The e is not meant to be a cheap phone - but an (e)ssential version of the top model. It has the virtues of the 16 series - but the luxury features require you to update to 16/16 Pro. It's a way to make more money, because if someone buys the 16e, Apple makes good money - if people choose to pay a little more to get the "real" 16, Apple makes good money. If Apple called it SE, and priced it at $399, it would eat up a lot of customers who might have bought a normal 16.
It's about what investors want.