Apple could have a big league winner in its upcoming iPhone portfolio if the rumor of a “mini” iPhone comes to, uh… fruition.
Harsh Chauhan for The Motley Fool:
Apple’s launch of the new iPhone SE earlier this year at a starting price of $399 turned out to be yet another smart move by the company. Canalys estimates that the device was a key contributor to a 10% jump in Apple’s smartphone shipments in the U.S. in the second quarter…
Consumers are probably looking for lower-priced devices in the wake of the economic havoc wreaked by the [COVID-19] pandemic — and Apple took advantage of this opportunity with its new iPhone SE.
It wouldn’t be a good idea to rule out the possibility of a 5.4-inch iPhone “mini,” a device that is expected to be priced at $649 — $50 lower than the starting price of last year’s iPhone 11… an iPhone “mini” is expected to pack new tech such as 5G and an OLED display at an aggressive price point, a combination that could help make Apple a top 5G stock thanks to the transition to a new smartphone generation.
MacDailyNews Take: 5.4-inches is too small for us (we know that already from our 5.8-inch iPhones, so we want 6.7-inch iPhone 12 Pro Max units ASAP), but, at the right price, the 5.4-inch “iPhone 12” could certainly sell like hotcakes!
When you say “5.4-inches is too small for us”….are you all women who carry purses for their phones??? Phones are for Phone calls….all other crap can be done on iPads….where you do not need a “pocket size” phone!!!
What MDN is actually saying is that they (apparently) don’t have any petite women in their staff. /s
Because their editorial comment otherwise would be admitting is that they’re a bunch of tone-deaf misogynists who simply do note care about others’ use cases and/or anthropometric variations.
I believe it will assume the $699 price point rather than be priced at $649. If it is priced at $699, then the iPhone 11 would be at the historical $100 cheaper at $599, which is itself a great deal. If it is priced at $649, then one would expect the iPhone 11 to be $549 to $579, which may be too steep a drop given production and other costs. Of course it would be the cheapest 6.1 inch display as the iPhone 12 will be $749 to $799, so $599 might still work with a $649 5.4 inch phone. It will be interesting to see what they do. If it is $649, it will be the largest selling iPhone ever.
In the next 5 years, if people primarily use their Apple Glasses for viewing information, videos, etc. (as opposed to looking at their phone screen), there won’t be a ‘need’ to have a phone with a large screen.
I’ve hoped against hope for many years that Apple would do what only they really can — bring out a phone with the approximate size and shape (and as close to weight as possible) as the iPhone 5 in a high end finish with a full edge to edge display, Face ID (no home button), OLED screen and a two great lenses with the same chips as of the larger phones.
I have a 27-inch 5K iMacs at work at home, I travel with a 12-inch MacBook and so I’ve got other screens for getting “work” done in multiple form factors. Got iPads laying around, too. What I’d really like is to be able to travel light with my iPhone like I used to be able to do pre-iPhone 6 but still have a flagship.
Don’t get me wrong, I think Apple NEEDS those larger phones in the war chest. But smaller phones have become the budget options when I really think some people could actually be swayed to spend high end dollars on a device celebrated for its small size and huge tech like it used to be. Don’t forget there really was a time when Android phones were big as hell because they had to be (off the shelf components, less vertical integration).
I’m fine that bigger screens became a positive trait but do miss the days when Apple really put out devices no one else possibly could (and not just because of the silicon).
Well said and totally agree.
The original iPhone “mini” was the first iPhone in 2007 at 3.5 inches, Steve called it the “perfect size.”
About five years later the next mini was 4 inches, so 5.4 inches is certainly no mini, it is one author’s opinion.
I respect those that moved up to the larger sizes from the original minis, if they respect grown men with big hands, women and children hands that prefer small factor phones, fully loaded edge to edge screen with fast chips and a better camera. As you mentioned, MWM the size and thinness of the iPhone 5 updated with better specs and a lower price would be PERFECT and Apple would sell a gazillion in challenging times.
I’ll take four, please…
What would Steve say with this metastasizing array of bewildering sizes, colors, and specs? And I wonder if internal and tech can keep up with identifying them correctly. There must be a tech reference catalogue. And this is just for iPhones.
This is non-Apple-like territory and I blame Tim’s mushy, unfocused, expansive management style.
Yet more brainless mush from Anti-American, anti family commie loving Dingler. LA’s biggest joke.
Whatever they do, smaller size (palm sized) and no silly face ID would be the only way to go for me. No need of OLED either. Price it whatever Apple want for such a phone, and you have my money. I am currently using 2020 SE. 2016 SE is still here on my desk. As some said above, I have all sorts of Apple gadgets but don’t need a large phone. To me, it’s just a tool, mainly for communications (maps and occasional searches etc included).
Actually, shouldn’t it be that hot cakes sell like iPhones
I am very happy with my 1st Gen iPhone SE, it is the perfect size for me. I don’t want a big phone. If this iPhone 12 mini is the same size as my current SE but with edge to edge display, this will be a game changer for me, let alone millions of people who want a small size phone. As for MDN vomiting “5.4-inches is too small for us” did they say the same when the original iPhone 3G, 4, 5 were the norm?
Yup I have the same one (2016!) that just got the latest iOS. I still want to get a bunch of cool toys but, iPhone 12 will probably be it for me 🙂
Agreed, I don’t really know what to say. Everyone has a phone that sticks out of their back pocket because they’re made for people with gigantic hands. A “mini” phone (eg. compared to Android) fits human beings just fine!
I’m getting one as soon as I can – the 5 (and the SE) were the perfect size and I miss ’em – I have an XR now and it’s too flipping big.