iPhone 13 mini still planned despite ailing 12 mini sales

A new report from Jon Prosser says that Apple still plans to release an iPhone 13 mini despite reports of poor iPhone 12 sales.

In the most recent Front Page Tech video, Prosser notes recent reports that Apple plans to stop making the iPhone 12 mini next quarter because it has already met the demand for the year. As Prosser reiterates, this doesn't mean Apple will stop selling the iPhone 12 mini, and Apple can always restart production if necessary. The iPhone 12 mini reportedly made up only 5% of iPhone 12 sales in January.

Despite this, Prosser says this doesn't mean that Apple is having second thoughts about the iPhone 13 mini. As we reported back in October, the very earliest reports for the iPhone 13 stated it would follow the exact same lineup configuration of the iPhone 12, four models in three different sizes. This report, of course, came before later reports that the iPhone 12 mini was struggling to sell. However, Apple seems committed to the iPhone 13 (or more likely, 12S) mini for a couple of different reasons.

Prosser notes that the demographic in the market for a smaller iPhone last year bought the iPhone SE, meaning Apple's cheaper small phone possibly cannibalised some sales. Not only that, Prosser has reiterated previous reports there will not be a new iPhone SE this year. At least, not a regular one. Prosser says if an SE update comes this year it will in fact be an iPhone SE plus. Apple can also just choose to retain the 'mini' iPhone but make less of them, anticipating similar demand it saw for the iPhone 12.

As we discussed on the iMore show, it's very likely Apple sees the 'mini' version of its iPhone as a good way to draw customers to its lineup with a cheaper price, even though it's not the iPhone 95% of customers end up buying.