In fact, Cupertino even had to redirect components initially ordered for iPhone 12 mini to iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro production. Of course, we mean components that fit the bigger brothers of the baby iPhone - not the screen, housing, or batteries.
Well, now, according to reports, Apple's stopped production of the iPhone 12 mini entirely. And that would make perfect sense! Why keep making a phone that people don't want to buy? Except! Except Apple's still selling the iPhone 12 mini. What?! Yes. The iPhone 12 mini now starts at $599, while the new iPhone 13 mini goes for $699.
I don't know about you, but the first thought that strikes me is:
Who in the world would want to buy the iPhone 12 mini when the iPhone 13 mini seems like such a better deal?
It's pretty safe to assume that Apple only kept the iPhone 12 mini around, so it makes the iPhone 13 mini stand out and look like an even better deal. If you look at the two side by side, the iPhone 13 mini:
Starts at 128GB of storage
Has a brighter display
Boasts a faster processor
Has a better camera system borrowed directly from the iPhone 12 Pro Max, save for the 2.5x telephoto camera
Has a bigger battery, said to last 1.5h longer compared to the 12 mini, thanks to more efficient software and hardware
So, yes! Apple fixed the mini iPhone. The 12 mini had an OK camera system, poor battery life, and it came with only 64GB of base storage. All of that has been upgraded with the iPhone 13 Mini, which now seems like an amazing device for those who want a small iPhone.
iPhone 14 Max to replace iPhone 14 mini in Apple's 2022 iPhone lineup
This is iPhone 14 Pro Max, says tipster
/www.phonearena.com/news/apple-iphone-14-design-renders-leak_id134870" title="Forget the iPhone 13, here's what the notchless iPhone 14 could look like" class="previewtooltip" data-id="134870" data-type="article" rel="">Jon Prosser.
But despite the fact that Apple's 13 Mini fixes all major 12 mini problems, Apple is on its way to retire the mini iPhone altogether. Yes! The latest reports from multiple (reliable) sources say that Apple's 2022 lineup will look like that:
iPhone 14 (6.1-inch) - old design with the new, narrower notch
iPhone 14 Max (6.7-inch) - old design with the new, narrower notch
iPhone 14 Pro (6.1-inch) - new design with a punch-hole cutout
For a deep dive into Apple's iPhone 14 plans, you can click here. Love it or hate it, this is starting to look both extremely likely to happen and very logical. Why? Well...
Apple puts out a mini iPhone - sales are poor.
Apple finds out that people don't want small iPhones anymore.
Apple releases another mini iPhone - probably because it was planned for production and the company had the components, so it couldn't drop it midway.
Apple stops making mini iPhones.
If this was my business, I'd do the same. Clearly, it's not 2007 anymore, and we want bigger screens. You want a bigger screen! So it's all your fault, folks. You can apologize in a comment below the story. But seriously - if demand goes down, supply does too. It's not rocket science.
As you can see, there are a bunch of problems here:
Three of these are certainly going to go away sooner or later - the iPhones.
The list isn't very long.
The Pixel 4A isn't even a flagship device.
Some of them aren't exactly "small", although this depends on your understanding of what a small phone is.
Ultimately: Apple's smallest big mistake
This is NOT how Apple's iPhone 14 lineup is going to look like.
So, that's what went wrong. Apple didn't seem to be able to read the market correctly, which is surprising. Perhaps the iPhone 12 mini was an emotional piece for Apple; maybe it was a pure experiment, or it was just… a mistake.
Regardless, I'm glad it exists. I'm even more glad the 13 mini made it to production, given the poor iPhone 12 mini sales. Apple is famous for supporting its iPhones for as long as 5-6 years with software updates, so if you want to rock a mini iPhone, the 13 mini might last you for a while, even if in five years the smallest smartphone has a 7-inch display - perhaps a foldable one.
With all that being said, it's a pity to say goodbye to the cutest iPhone, but it's exciting to prepare to welcome the new iPhone 14, Max. Big screens are "all the rage", I guess. Rage on!
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Martin, a tech journalist at PhoneArena, brings a unique blend of humor and insight to his work. His fascination with smartphones began with a Galaxy Young and evolved through a series of trades and upgrades, making him a self-proclaimed smartphone nerd. Martin's content often combines current analysis of market trends with historical references and future predictions. Whether it's a deep dive into technical issues or a first-person commentary on industry events, Martin's articles are designed to inform and engage. His critical perspective is driven by genuine curiosity and a desire to keep readers informed, not by any corporate sponsorship.
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