Is this the end of the iPhone mini?

Apple looks set to stop production of the iPhone 12 mini earlier than expected, and the future of the company's mini models looks uncertain.

For context, since introducing the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus, Apple has focused on devices with larger screens, starting at 4,7 inches and reaching today's 6,7 inches. Following its competitors and consumer demand, the company moved towards larger screens, but continued producing smaller models as alternatives to the main models in each range.

For example, the iPhone SE was released as the smaller version of the iPhone 6s with a screen measuring 4 inches, while the 2^nd generation iPhone SE was released with a 4,7-inch screen. By today's standards and smartphone specifications, neither can be considered particularly large. Although the iPhone SE was never regarded as an Apple flagship, its sales figures were impressive, earning it a well-deserved place among the top 10 best-selling devices in certain countries.

More recently, the iPhone 12 mini took a different approach from previous models, offering exactly the same specifications as the iPhone 12, with the same processor, display technology, camera and design, simply in a smaller body. However, while the iPhone 12, iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 12 Pro Max appear to have achieved impressive sales, the same does not seem to be true of the iPhone 12 mini. Although Apple does not publish sales figures for individual models, analysts and research firms suggest that the iPhone 12 mini did not generate the profits the company had expected. For example, the iPhone SE 2^nd generation accounted for 22% of sales at the time of its launch in the US market, while the iPhone 12 mini reached just 6%.

This gap appears to be influenced by the value for money each model offers. On the one hand, the iPhone SE cost around 400$ , while the iPhone 12 mini starts at 700$, offering the features of the iPhone 12 models, but without a screen and battery that adequately support them. As a result, watching content, gaming and frequent everyday use were not this particular model's strengths, leaving users dissatisfied with a device that cost them 700$. In addition, the number of consumers looking for smaller devices appears to have fallen considerably.

There is still no evidence of a future mini model in the iPhone 13 range. There is speculation that a model might be released that shares  components with the iPhone 12 mini, allowing the company to make use of that investment, but we are still in the dark, as Apple has neither confirmed nor denied these rumours. So, if you are a fan of mini iPhone models, you will need to be patient until there is an official announcement from the company about the release of future mini devices.

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