Recently, analyst Ming-Chi Kuo claimed that Apple will not feature the smallest 5.4-inch iPhone mini model in the upcoming iPhone 14 series. And the company will only offer 6.1-inch 6.7-inch models with larger displays.
- 6.1-inch- iPhone 14
- 6.7-inch – iPhone 14 Max
- 6.1-inch – iPhone 14 Pro
- 6.7-inch – iPhone 14 Pro Max
This means 2022 will be the year to bid farewell to the unsuccessful 5.4-inch iPhone mini model which was first launched in the 2020 iPhone 12 series.
Since its launch in 2020, the 5.4-inch iPhone mini has been the least popular model
Apple launched the first-generation 5.4-inch iPhone 12 mini in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic. The company had intended to offer a new compact model with a faster processor, 5G network support, improved camera, and new features but the iPhone 12 mini did not have impressive battery life and more importantly, it had a much smaller screen than other iPhone 12 models. Therefore, it failed to attract consumers who preferred larger displays and longer battery life, especially during stay-at-home lifestyle.
Apple even launched a TikTok campaign to promote the iPhone 12 mini model but to no avail. In January 2021, only three months after its launch in October 2020, it was reported that the iPhone mini sales had a slow start while other models took the lead, especially the more expensive iPhone 12 Pro and Pro Max models.
iPhone 12 has been doing really well and the complete line-up has already been accounting for three-quarters of iPhone sales since its launch. The regular iPhone 12 has proven to be the most popular model in the United States, with 27% share of sales, followed by iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 12 Pro Max, gaining 20% share of sales each.
iPhone 12 mini has just 9% share of sales, which is not as per expectations, considering its low price, but it is competing against the likes of iPhone 11 and iPhone SE, both of which have selling points that give them the edge over the mini.
It was reported that in the first half of January, iPhone 12 mini only accounted for 5% of sales. And soon after Apple increased production of iPhone 12 Pro models by 2 million and cut down iPhone 12 mini production by 70% in the first half of 2021 and later the company ended the iPhone mini’s product ahead of time.
However, in 2021 Apple launched the new iPhone 13 mini with battery and camera improvements but it might be the last iPhone mini to launch ever.
For Q1, 2022, iPhone sales accounted for a record $71.6 billion revenue driven by strong demand for the iPhone 13 series. Although, Apple did not breakdown the sales figures of each model, a market study by Counterpoint revealed Apple became the #1 smartphone brand in China because of consumers’ preference for high-end iPhone 13 Pro models, not the iPhone 13 mini model.
Furthermore, Counterpoint’s Senior Analyst Varun Mishra said that in the face of supply shortages, smartphone manufacturers prioritized high-end and higher-margin devices because of consumers buying trends. He wrote that;
“Due to supply issues, the normal wait time for the iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max ranges between four and five weeks in China. Some Chinese customers choose to pay premiums to get the new phones delivered immediately…. It indicates that Chinese smartphone users are maturing fast and are looking to buy more high-end devices, which can be a good opportunity for brands.”
