Will We Ever See Another iPhone Mini?

iPhones have typically been available in “regular” and “large” sizes, so seeing a brand-new form factor with the first iPhone 12 Mini was a breath of fresh air. So what happened to the small iPhone, and will we ever see a new one?

What Was the iPhone Mini, and What Happened to it?

The first iPhone Mini debuted alongside the rest of the iPhone 12 lineup back in 2020. With the same chip as the iPhone 12, the Mini managed to fit all the regular iPhone features and capabilities into a new, smaller frame.

The only place the difference was noticeable was between the iPhone 12 Mini and the iPhone 12 Pro models, whose chip, extra camera lens, and more were not available in the smaller form factor. Besides these downsides and a bit of a battery life hit, it was a dream come true for the iPhone user looking for something a bit smaller.

Unfortunately, it doesn’t seem like too many people were interested in the smaller phone at launch. Though it has its passionate supporters, the iPhone 12 Mini only accounted for about six percent of total iPhone 12 sales during its first two months. Regardless, Apple kept it alive, releasing a new Mini as part of the iPhone 13 lineup in 2021. Like its predecessor, sales were less than excellent.

The writing was on the wall in 2022 when the iPhone 14 lineup launched with no mention of a Mini. Though Apple would continue to sell the previous year’s iPhone 13 Mini alongside the new models, the lack of an upgrade signaled the beginning of the end.

It wasn’t until 2023, with the release of the iPhone 15, that the iPhone 13 Mini was officially discontinued.

Will We Ever See Another iPhone Mini?

Despite a dedicated community of small-phone lovers, there’s no indication that another iPhone Mini is coming anytime soon. With three new generations of iPhone since the Mini was last refreshed, none of which included a smaller model, it seems like the Mini’s relatively poor performance has cemented its place in the past.

Though some were hoping to see a Mini as part of the iPhone 16 lineup, the reality was quite different, with Apple announcing it’s the biggest phone yet with the iPhone 16 Pro Max. There has been no word from Apple directly about whether or not the Mini will ever make a comeback, but it’s not looking likely.

Apple’s smallest iPhone, the iPhone SE, is still available, and is considerably smaller than their other models. However, this model is a notable downgrade from Apple’s main sellers, and serves as more of a budget-friendly option than an intentionally small phone.

Is There Any Hope For Another Mini, and When?

Since Apple itself hasn’t made any definitive statements about the iPhone Mini, it isn’t impossible for a new version to be released sometime in the future. However, seeing as the iPhone 16 announcement has come and gone with no mention, it’ll probably be a while before we hear much about it. Rumors currently suggest that Apple will cut the Plus model iPhone from 2025’s lineup, with talk of a new iPhone 17 Air model making an appearance instead.

It’s speculated that the next small iPhone refresh will be a direct iteration of the iPhone SE, instead of a compact version of their latest and greatest. Even with this in mind, there’s no indication that a Mini will feature as part of the iPhone 17 lineup, and it’s possible that we’ll never see one again.

Though beloved by its fans, Apple probably didn’t see the sales it wanted from its iPhone 12 and 13 Mini models. For now, compact iPhone lovers will have to keep using their older devices, and keep their fingers crossed that the form factor is revived in the future.

Apple iPhone SE (2022)

The iPhone SE offers a snappy but more traditional iPhone experience with a Home button and fingerprint scanner at around half the price of the iPhone 15.