Rumors suggest that in 2022, Apple might offer two iPhone models in a size that matches the current iPhone Pro Max and two in the standard size, removing the iPhone mini entirely. Clearly, there will have to be some way to distinguish between devices with the same dimensions, with price point and hardware features being the most likely differences. However, it might be less obvious why Apple would sell two of the largest size and none of the smallest.
In 2020, Apple launched the iPhone 12, offering three sizes and four models. The iPhone 12 mini is the smallest flagship in recent history with its 5.4-inch display. The standard iPhone 12 matches the mini in almost every way but measured 6.1-inches. Apple made a second model in the same size, the iPhone 12 Pro that added a telephoto camera and LiDAR capability. The largest iPhone ever made, the iPhone 12 Pro Max, includes a 6.7-inch screen, LiDAR, and further enhancements to the cameras.
According to Nikkei Asia, multiple sources say Apple will launch four iPhone models but the mini won't be one of them. Instead, there will be two 6.1-inch and two 6.7-inch variations of the iPhone. The duplication might seem unusual, but there are good reasons that Apple might be making this adjustment to its strategy. Apple's iPhone 12 mini didn't sell as well as the other models and while an iPhone 13 mini is expected to come this year, unless there is a dramatic change in sales of this small size, it might not be renewed in 2022. Another factor is the popularity of the iPhone 12 Pro Max. PCMag referenced statistics from two sources that each point to Apple's 6.7-inch model as being the most popular 5G phone in the nation. This includes both Android and iOS devices.
Apple might have made a rare mistake with the positioning of its iPhone 12 mini. Apple pitched thinner as better for many years and sold that idea successfully but, in 2020, it seemed to accept the idea that bigger is better, making the iPhone 12 mini its lowest-priced Apple flagship phone. If Apple had priced the iPhone 12 mini higher and provided good reasons for why that was the case, it might have been more successful, instead of positioning it as more of a budget model with less battery life and slower wireless charging. Compared to the Pro models, it lacked a telephoto camera and LiDAR and ProRAW. Apple is known to reinvent its products over time and a premium iPhone mini may appear at some point, perhaps with advanced battery technology to allow super fast charging and longer life despite the size.
On the other hand, a lower priced 6.7-inch iPhone is almost certain to be a success with most users eager for more screen space. The full lineup for 2022 is rumored to include an iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Max occupying the lower pricing tiers and basically competing on hardware and capabilities, with the size the primary difference. The upper two price points are expected to have an iPhone 14 Pro and an iPhone 14 Pro Max, featuring more advanced hardware, better cameras, and more capabilities. While it seems the iPhone mini is set to be replaced by another Max by 2022, making the most popular size available to more shoppers at a lower price, don't count the mini out entirely as it might return someday.
Source: Nikkei Asia, PCMag
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