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macrumors 601
Aug 6, 2015
4,542
5,712
Earth
Thank god it's not just me....😀
Of all my Apple devices (Macs/iPad/iPhone), my phone is the least used device, but then I don't touch social media.

I really would like an iPhone mini (seems like my perfect option), but they are unavailable in the UK now.
I will probably get an SE3 soon, which is exactly the same size as my 7.

LONG LIVE SMALLER PHONES...📱

Check on Amazon, Backmarket or any other 3rd party seller.
 

ader42

macrumors 6502
Jun 30, 2012
426
378
One option is to have the same mobile phone number on multiple devices. For example, here in the UK with EE you can use Smart Number, so you can have a small iPhone for when you go out (or just your Apple Watch) and a larger iPhone or iPad or Mac for at home for example.

Personally I use my iPhone 12 Mini or Watch when out but most of the time I’m at home so I use my iPad & Mac much much more.
 

GeneralChang

macrumors 68000
Dec 2, 2013
1,676
1,515
The problem is not enough people buy small iPhones or small phones a small market no wonder Apple don’t make them anymore ..

Look, I watched the video, and while yeah there's not really any arguing with the points Marques makes it doesn't stop me being irrationally mad at, like, the world that my 13 mini is probably going to be the last small phone I daily.

I went from the 4S to the 5S to the 6S to the 7 Plus, and never once thought back until my next upgrade was to the XR, which was so much easier to live with than that 7 Plus had been. Then I pulled out that old 5S, realized that was where the size and hand-feel had peaked, and started getting nostalgic. Then the mini phones happened and I thought I'd died and gone to heaven only to realize that this is actually purgatory and those phones only existed as a flash in the pan to show me exactly what I'd be missing for the rest of my life.

To say I feel like this whole journey has been a greek tragedy might be overselling it, but honestly not by that much.
 
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Supermallet

macrumors 68000
Sep 19, 2014
1,925
2,012
A full screen SE would be a nice compromise.
Is that not the rumor for the next SE? Maybe I’m behind on the news. I think a 12/13 Mini form factor for the SE would do really well. Knock it back down to one rear facing camera like the current SE to save some costs, keep the notch, give it an A16 chip and voila!
 

Splitrail

macrumors 6502a
Dec 26, 2021
898
1,099
Is that not the rumor for the next SE? Maybe I’m behind on the news. I think a 12/13 Mini form factor for the SE would do really well. Knock it back down to one rear facing camera like the current SE to save some costs, keep the notch, give it an A16 chip and voila!
Possibly so, it's probably me that's behind on the news! :D
 
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geta

macrumors 68000
May 18, 2010
1,517
1,243
The Moon
Is that not the rumor for the next SE? Maybe I’m behind on the news. I think a 12/13 Mini form factor for the SE would do really well. Knock it back down to one rear facing camera like the current SE to save some costs, keep the notch, give it an A16 chip and voila!

SE with 13 Mini form factor would be a dream, but unfortunately the next SE will have 6” screen. :confused:
 

MarkC426

macrumors 68040
May 14, 2008
3,575
2,001
UK
Check on Amazon, Backmarket or any other 3rd party seller.
I only buy new, so only options on Amazon are £975 (512gb model in pink......😝).
I would only buy refurb from Apple, but 13 mini's never appear.

Some resent research into Amazon's refurbs states phones have at least 80% battery capacity....👎
This is pants, as my current 5 year old 7 has 87%.
 
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Aoligei

macrumors 6502a
Jul 16, 2020
901
981
Is that not the rumor for the next SE? Maybe I’m behind on the news. I think a 12/13 Mini form factor for the SE would do really well. Knock it back down to one rear facing camera like the current SE to save some costs, keep the notch, give it an A16 chip and voila!

An iPhone 12/14 mini form factor for SE is just an other iPhone mini which Apple has already tried and failed? Is it makes more sense for Apple to just open sales for refurbished iPhone 12/13 mini, like they used to do for first gen iPhome SE?

Isn’t next iPhone SE is rumored to have iPhone 14 body? I mean iPhone SE from beginning was using binned parts form couple years ago, so Apple doesn’t have to create new parts?
 
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jediandrew97

macrumors regular
Sep 20, 2018
152
197
Yeah I agree, people that wanted small iPhones were basically a vocal minority. It’s telling that the Plus variants are also starting to pickup in sales a bit even over the minis.
 

han42solo

macrumors newbie
Jan 20, 2024
3
2
Seattle-ish
For what it’s worth, I scored an Apple Refurb 13 mini (256GB) for $529 on March 4th @ approx. 8am PST. I’ve had the refurb site bookmarked for months and check it multiple times a day. I was beginning to think Apple would never offer 13 minis…it’s just a matter of being patient I think. There is clearly a small, but dedicated following for the 13 mini (myself included) so I think they just get snatched up really quick. When I checked back 1 hour later, the link was dead.
 
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geta

macrumors 68000
May 18, 2010
1,517
1,243
The Moon
An iPhone 12/14 mini form factor for SE is just an other iPhone mini which Apple has already tried and failed? Is it makes more sense for Apple to just open sales for refurbished iPhone 12/13 mini, like they used to do for first gen iPhome SE?

Isn’t next iPhone SE is rumored to have iPhone 14 body? I mean iPhone SE from beginning was using binned parts form couple years ago, so Apple doesn’t have to create new parts?

If a Mini SE will have the same price as the correct SE3, with up to date internals like any SE so far, they will sell it like hot cupcakes.

The biggest problem with the 12/13 mini wasn't the smaller battery or its size, it was the marketing and the price was the same as the larger iPhone versions.
 

Aoligei

macrumors 6502a
Jul 16, 2020
901
981
If a Mini SE will have the same price as the correct SE3, with up to date internals like any SE so far, they will sell it like hot cupcakes.

The biggest problem with the 12/13 mini wasn't the smaller battery or its size, it was the marketing and the price was the same as the larger iPhone versions.

Isn't that whole reason why iPhone SE sell cheaper were because they were reusing existing parts?

Like the iPhone SE 3 still use iPhone 8 screen which was same as iPhone 6, same camera, same outershell etc.

I don't believe Apple will see iPhone SE with mini form factor at current iPhone S3 3 price. The rumored iPhone SE with iPhone 14 body will likely be a price bump, even if iPhone 14 body is pretty much similar to iPhone 12.

I don't know third try with mini size iPhone is worth the time for Apple. No manufacturers right now are making small phones
 

RoadWarrior56

macrumors regular
Oct 18, 2014
225
414
Unfortunately, I don't think there is a big enough market for a small iPhone to be worth the cost to Apple to produce them, plus they probably make more margin on the larger sizes. I presume the market is more or less the same for Android phone producers. I don't think phones will be getting smaller until or unless sales of upcoming phone models will stall due to their ever-increasing size. IMO, phones will keep getting larger until sales start to peak and then decline due to being too big. Maybe the predicted upcoming 6.3" "regular" size, and the 6.9" "pro-max" size will be the peak size before the market reacts. Time will tell. I know 6.3" would be the last straw for me. I currently have a 13 Mini, and will keep it as long as possible. It will probably be replaced 2-3 years from now with an iPhone with a 6.1" screen, which would be tolerable but not desirable (either a then-current "regular" iPhone or the upcoming SE5).

Even if the market ever "peaks" for large phone sizes, I don't see 5.4" phones coming back or even 5.8" phones. I think sizes might retreat back to 6.1" and 6.7" devices.
 
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Ctrlos

macrumors 6502a
Sep 19, 2022
876
1,910
I would argue that the base 15 is the perfect size for most people but Apple need to rebuild iOS to function on larger displays one-handed.
 

D_J

macrumors member
Mar 1, 2021
45
42
The issue isn’t that people don’t want the option of small phones. It’s that they are gimped in other areas.

For example I was really excited to get a small SE2 before but the battery was SO bad it wasn’t possible to use it daily.
Same experience with the SE2. Got the 12 mini in early '21 and have loved it. Was going to replace the battery in it this year but I'm debating picking up a 13 mini if they're ever available again on the refurb store instead. I also got a new SE2 recently that's only used as a WiFi/VoiP phone for work; with all the services disabled I'm getting about 6 days between charges and it works a lot better (no lag when answering, voice quality) than the cheap Android I was previously using for this (though the Android battery lasted about 2 weeks).
 

D_J

macrumors member
Mar 1, 2021
45
42
i dont think people buy laptops any more
You might not be buying laptops, but rest assured many of us are.


1710860498394.png
 

webkit

macrumors 68030
Jan 14, 2021
2,916
2,526
United States
Maybe in your country.

It would be highly unusual for prices to be the same for mini and regular. I had used U.S. figures but in other countries I've looked at prices weren't the same either. In Germany, for example, the price of the 12 mini was about 98 less than the regular 12 of same storage sizes. The 13 mini was 100 less than the regular 13 of same storage sizes.

In what country do you say the iPhone 12 and 13 mini were priced the same as the regular 12 and 13?
 
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