Surprisingly, there's no iPhone 15 mini that Apple announced during the recent Wonderlust event. There's a Plus, Pro, and Pro Max variant for the next-gen smartphone, but there's no "mini" device mentioned.
Why did the Cupertino giant ditch this particular model this year?
The Rise and Fall of the iPhone Mini
Apple has removed the "mini" variant from the iPhone 15 series, but why did it happen in the first place?
When Apple introduced the iPhone 12 mini in 2020, it was a response to years of demands from users for a compact yet feature-packed device. However, this journey proved short-lived as Apple chose to discontinue the "mini" series with the iPhone 15 lineup.
Right from the start, the iPhone 12 mini faced challenges in the market. According to MacRumors, reports indicated that it accounted for only 6% of iPhone 12 sales in the U.S. shortly after its launch in 2020. This trend continued, with the device representing just five percent of all iPhone 12 sales in early 2021.
iPhone 12 Mini is Underperforming
Apple's response to the iPhone 12 mini's underperformance was evident. It reportedly cut production of the mini by two million units to allocate more resources to the popular iPhone 12 Pro. Moreover, some sources claimed that Apple halted production of the iPhone 12 mini entirely in the second quarter of 2021.
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Dismal iPhone 13 Mini Sales
The struggles of the mini-series persisted with the iPhone 13 mini, which accounted for only 3% of iPhone 13 sales, half of its predecessor's performance.
By the time the iPhone 14 lineup was released, the tech firm abandoned the mini-series in favor of an all-new "Plus" model that matched the 6.7-inch display size of the "Pro Max" variants. This allowed customers to opt for a larger battery and screen, all at a more accessible price point compared to the "Pro Max."
Despite Apple's efforts to gain higher sales for the mini device, demand for the iPhone 14 and 14 Plus remained lackluster.
Experts observed worse pre-order results than for the iPhone SE and the iPhone 13 mini. Panel orders for the iPhone 14 were down 38% compared to the iPhone 13, and resale values dropped significantly faster.
Reports said that the issues surrounding the mini-series might not have been solely due to their size. Even the larger iPhone 14 Plus faced low sales, forcing Apple to reduce production.
No Mini Revival For Now
Rumors suggest that Apple has no plans to revive the "mini" form factor in future iPhones. Instead, upcoming models are expected to feature larger displays, with even "Pro" variants growing in size.
Since there's no iPhone 15 mini at the moment, you can pre-order iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro models as early as now via Apple's online storefront and App Store. Customers can expect to receive the items by
The starting price for the standard model is $779 for a one-time payment or $33.29 for a monthly payment.
