Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

Shreducator

Cancelled
Oct 17, 2020
201
309
I thought about getting one as my little black iPhone for the crazy women. Also you can still buy one. Jesus people and their obsession with the latest tech. Humans really are the sex organs of the machine world.
 

Xand&Roby

macrumors 6502a
Jun 13, 2020
534
486
Agree. In reality, people actually didn't want a smaller iPhone, they just wanted a cheap iPhone. The mini didn't meet those actual demand.
Ahahah

iPhone SE is cheaper than mini but isn’t sell like mini. I understand some people need a simple world but it isn’t: this point of view walk around from 2016 with first SE that was priced not so far from 6s, and SE was a good product in term of sells.
Someone wants small phones, could be a little target, but not everyone who buy a small phone want a cheap phone: the market is full of cheap phones, even cheaper than small ones.
Maybe too many people confuse the size of their phone with something else.
 

CE3

macrumors 68000
Nov 26, 2014
1,809
3,146
The consenus seems to be that it sells below Apple‘s expectations.

As to why that is, we can obviously only speculate.

Yeah, this whole thread is speculation from the first post on.. which is fine.. but Apple hasn’t said anything official about canceling the Mini, and a new version not being released in the fall won’t confirm its cancellation either.

One thing I do feel certain of is that Apple is going to continue producing smaller form factor iPhones for the foreseeable future.. and if you add up all the iPhone SE & iPhone Mini sales since larger options have been available, they have sold plenty.

The notion that a market for smaller iPhones isn’t there, and that Apple would see it that way, just isn’t true. The market for smaller iPhones is most definitely there, which is why they’re making them, and they will continue to cater to that market in some capacity.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: Barbareren

Devyn89

macrumors 6502a
Jul 21, 2012
957
1,796
The same is also true of the 'Pro' line which aside from a few 'nice-to-haves' and a zoom lens easily replictated by walking forward 8 feet doesn't offer anything over the regular iPhone yet exists to make the regular model look inferior and get people to spend more.

I disagree, the pro line sells pretty well for starters (Pro Max is the second most popular iPhone followed by the Pro then the mini). There are times you can’t walk forward 8 feet, earlier today I went for a walk and was taking a picture of a cool in grass design on the other side of a small lake. I have not yet learned the ability to walk on water. I recognize that‘s a specific use case but it’s happened other times as well.

The biggest thing on the Pro for me this years was ProMotion which I notice since I also have an iPad Pro.
 

u_int16

macrumors member
Aug 27, 2021
51
73
Some purchase the mini because of the cost savings but I have a hot take maybe?

I would pay more for the mini than the pro if they could get the cameras and battery to match the pro.

Maybe it didn’t sell because its not cheap enough for the “bargain phone” and not good enough for the form factor to beat out the pro’s features
 

jav6454

macrumors Core
Nov 14, 2007
22,303
6,263
1 Geostationary Tower Plaza
Some purchase the mini because of the cost savings but I have a hot take maybe?

I would pay more for the mini than the pro if they could get the cameras and battery to match the pro.

Maybe it didn’t sell because its not cheap enough for the “bargain phone” and not good enough for the form factor to beat out the pro’s features
Bargain phones exist in the Apple ecosystem as price-down iPhone 12. Which means the 13 Mini ends up being the odd one out.
 

Barbareren

macrumors 6502a
Dec 10, 2020
662
612
Norway & Mexico
I would pay more for the mini than the pro if they could get the cameras and battery to match the pro.
That’s simply not possible yet. The Mini - as it is, is already pushing limits. It is very impressive how much tech they actually managed to fit into the Mini’s body. For what you’re asking for it would have to be twice as thick and about twice as heavy as well. So, not that ‘mini’ anymore…
 

Stevenyo

macrumors 6502
Oct 2, 2020
310
478
They priced the iPhone Mini out of the market and they do the same with the iPad Mini. Apple assumes people want their Mini models with the latest tech AND in a small form factor when in reality the form factor is the selling point and Apple hardware is so good now I would gladly trade the latest gen hardware for portability assuming the price is cheaper. The iPhone Mini should be have the iPhone SE internals and the iPad Mini should have the iPad internals while maintaining the smaller form factor.

Additionally, the UI is never really geared towards the Mini models so not only does Apple price them higher but then makes the UI extremely frustrating to deal with. It's almost as if Apple want's to kill the Mini models and postures them where only true die hards buy them regardless of issues (iPad Mini has lots) then cancels them due to low sales.
Disagree. The only reason I don't have a mini is that there's no Mini Pro. I truly believe that the lack of a Pro option is destroying mini sales. I know a ton of broke-ass people who can't afford basic expenses but have 12 or 13 Pro models. When you wrap it up into a monthly bill, the price difference seems inconsequential and the "Pro" branding/extra camera/promotion/etc really does seem to grab people's attention. When it's only an extra $12/month, how can you justify a smaller device with less features?

It's not enough savings to be the budget option, but loses enough prestige and features to be noticeable.

Not saying a truly lower priced Mini in place of the SE wouldn't sell, but it seems that there's not really room between the SE and the Pro line for 2 sizes of "standard" iPhone.

Budget seekers get the SE, a few people get the standard or mini, and, in my experience, almost everyone just pays the couple extra dollars for a Pro. (not sure who buys the Max or why they keep those around, I've literally never seen them, anecdotally they're far more rare than even the mini).

If Apple truly wanted to goose mini sales they could make it the premium option, charge more for a more compact device, like most technology. "all the features of the Pro, in a smaller package, starting at $1099." Especially if they could manage to cram some extra battery life into it (maybe thicken it up, make the camera bump less obnoxious, I'd pay more than a $100 premium for a flat backed phone again!)

But we're all in agreement that an iPhone mini just didn't work. It needed to be the new SE or a premium option. No one will choose the smaller+less featured+low prestige option for basically the same price, it has to be appealing from a price or features perspective and currently has neither.
 

ninecows

macrumors 6502a
Apr 9, 2012
760
1,249
It’s indignified to carry something as nice as an iPhone in a pocket where keys can scratch the screen and candy or gum can get stuck in the charging port. An iPhone really deserves a bag or holster.
Seriously? I don’t put keys in the same pocket… or gum. So I should carry a bag with me all the time!!? I assume you’re kidding.

That’s one step towards 1985 and the Vodafone VT1 https://mybroadband.co.za/news/smartphones/116476-mobile-phones-1985-to-2015.html
 
Last edited:

ninecows

macrumors 6502a
Apr 9, 2012
760
1,249
Seriously? I don’t put keys in the same pocket… or gum. So I should carry a bag with me all the time!!? I assume you’re kidding.

That’s one step towards 1985 and the Vodafone VT1 https://mybroadband.co.za/news/smartphones/116476-mobile-phones-1985-to-2015.html
Oh… I can see that I’m so last decade


Sorry. I’ll go out an buy a bag for my next phone 😂
 
  • Like
  • Haha
Reactions: furou and snipr125

RadioHedgeFund

Cancelled
Sep 11, 2018
422
869
I disagree, the pro line sells pretty well for starters (Pro Max is the second most popular iPhone followed by the Pro then the mini). There are times you can’t walk forward 8 feet, earlier today I went for a walk and was taking a picture of a cool in grass design on the other side of a small lake. I have not yet learned the ability to walk on water. I recognize that‘s a specific use case but it’s happened other times as well.

The biggest thing on the Pro for me this years was ProMotion which I notice since I also have an iPad Pro.
ProMotion is a 'nice to have' though and the fact the Pro line sells really well proves Apple's business model of upselling people to a more expensive phone works!
 

Pezimak

macrumors 68040
May 1, 2021
3,415
3,813
I've heard that Apple is going to cancel the iPhone miniseries this year. But why? That was a great phone.

Not sure, people say sales but Apple don't release official sales figures I don't think.
It is said the Mini sells in the millions but not enough millions to please Apple. The Mini would make a fantastic iPhone SE, that's what they should do with it as it was said it cost too much hence its lower sales, even though it had ALL the same features as the bigger iPhone, just smaller.
 

JM

macrumors 601
Nov 23, 2014
4,086
6,381
14 camera probably couldn’t fit in a mini shell. (Heard that idea from someone else)

13 mini already has a heat sink issue (man this thing gets hot easily) and it could do with larger body of the 6.1 😣

My money is on 13 mini sticking around for $629 this year. (And 12 mini getting dropped).
 
  • Like
Reactions: Populus

Tyler O'Bannon

macrumors 6502a
Nov 23, 2019
882
1,493
There is a high likelihood that it will become the next SE.

Apple is notorious for recycling and reusing designs.

This will probably finally put an end to the home button design (current SE) altogether.
 
  • Like
Reactions: JM

MrMacintoshIII

macrumors 6502a
Oct 11, 2019
618
1,049
All I know is, I will never buy another iPhone with a larger form factor than the mini’s. End of story. I will survive on a 13 mini until it’s literally impossible. I hate big phones with a passion. Shouldn’t have exceeded iPhone X size and even that is too much.
 

Nick_P

macrumors regular
Feb 3, 2020
150
163
I sure hope it’s just a rumor! The mini is about as big as I want. It actually fits in a pants pocket.
 
  • Like
Reactions: ninecows

Populus

macrumors 603
Aug 24, 2012
5,835
8,308
Spain, Europe
All I know is, I will never buy another iPhone with a larger form factor than the mini’s. End of story. I will survive on a 13 mini until it’s literally impossible. I hate big phones with a passion. Shouldn’t have exceeded iPhone X size and even that is too much.
This was my plan… until I realized that the screen on the 13 mini I bought damages my eyes. I really wanted to stick with the 13 mini, but I just couldn’t stand the screen. The last days I ended up with headaches and my eyes were red like Terminator’s.

Now I’m starting to think, that if the iPhone 14 or 15 have a better, healthier, flicker free screen, I will be forced to carry a big 6.1” iPhone. And that sucks.

Honestly I don’t know what to do at this point, because I’ve been using an iPhone 8 for years, and if I get the SE 3 I’d feel like I was carrying the same phone forever. But if the next SE is a 6.1”, I guess I will have no option left.

If Ross Young of right and the next SE is 5.7” and the phone isn’t as big as the XR/11/12/13, then I might buy it, only if it still carries an LCD display
 
  • Like
Reactions: JM

JustinKent

macrumors member
Jan 31, 2017
93
197
iPhone 12 mini owner, here. 🙋🏼‍♂️ I absolutely love the size and weight… it has nothing to do with the price, for me. The form factor has helped to reduce pain in my hands. I do sorely miss the telephoto lens, but the weight reduction is worth the trade-off for me. Battery life isn’t great, but I adjust my routine to allow for frequent charging. I’d jump at the opportunity to buy a mini Pro, but I’ll wait to see what Apple announces in September and will probably end up upgrading to a “new” year-old 13 mini (unless we get surprised).
 

genovelle

macrumors 68020
May 8, 2008
2,114
2,699
If they priced it correctly then why are the sales so bad? I'm a Mini lover but it was too expensive because for the extra $100 you could get the 13 with a bigger screen and better battery life which the majority of folks want.

Now if you dropped the Mini storage from 128gb to 64gb, kept the rest of specs, and priced it at $599 then it could have taken more market share and maybe convinced SE buyers to step up so we can finally get rid of that ancient design. The SE currently costs $429 so IF the 13 Mini costs $599 its just enough for both devices to be relevant yet when the regular 13 only costs $100 more than the Mini it, in turn, made the Mini a harder sale thus more irrelevant.
Because most people who wanted them realize they are just to small. They are getting older and can’t see the screen and the links on sites get smaller and smaller as the average size of the devices they develop for get bigger.
 

u_int16

macrumors member
Aug 27, 2021
51
73
That’s simply not possible yet. The Mini - as it is, is already pushing limits. It is very impressive how much tech they actually managed to fit into the Mini’s body. For what you’re asking for it would have to be twice as thick and about twice as heavy as well. So, not that ‘mini’ anymore…
I understand this. Yet it is still the reason I did not buy it.

Same as how I know apple watch would sell more if the battery lasted a week, but understand physics and current battery technologies are uh… at odds.

Mini is not good enough for me because if im worried about paying less, ill buy the 12. If i am wanting the latest tech, ill buy the pro.

Form factor does not beat these out, for me. Its close though!
 
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.