{"id":137795,"date":"2025-09-06T20:04:09","date_gmt":"2025-09-06T20:04:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/137795\/"},"modified":"2025-09-06T20:04:09","modified_gmt":"2025-09-06T20:04:09","slug":"apple-could-reintroduce-iphone-mini-thanks-to-this-recent-lineup-change-heres-how","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/137795\/","title":{"rendered":"Apple could reintroduce iPhone mini thanks to this recent lineup change, here’s how"},"content":{"rendered":"

\t\"iPhone<\/p>\n

In 2020, Apple surprised a lot of people by re-entering a neglected segment of the smartphone market: small phones. With iPhone 12 mini<\/a>, Apple did something fairly special, by squeezing all of the same technologies of the iPhone 12<\/a> into a 5.4-inch form factor. Unfortunately, it didn\u2019t live for too long, but thanks to a recent lineup change, a new window might\u2019ve opened for its resurgence.<\/p>\n

iPhone mini history<\/p>\n

The iPhone mini<\/a> ultimately lived a 2 year life. There was the iPhone 12 mini<\/a>, then a subsequent iPhone 13 mini<\/a>. That was the end of the road for the iPhone mini.<\/p>\n

It was then replaced by the polar opposite the next year, with iPhone 14 Plus<\/a> joining the lineup.<\/p>\n

Why did the iPhone mini <\/a>fail? Ultimately, it served a new market by catering to those who want a smaller phone. There\u2019s been a very large audience of people who want small phones, and Apple even addressed this when they introduced the original iPhone SE<\/a> back in 2016.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

My guess? I think people ultimately did not want to pay $699 for a small iPhone with compromised battery life, when ultimately you could get the larger phone with satisfactory battery for just $100 more. People love small phones, just not at the price of the iPhone mini. I think that\u2019s a key difference in why the original iPhone SE <\/a>thrived and the iPhone 12\/13 mini<\/a> did not. Price point matters.<\/p>\n

A new iPhone mini model<\/p>\n

Earlier this year, Apple introduced iPhone 16e<\/a> at $599. It\u2019s a 6.1-inch iPhone that\u2019s ultimately a version of the iPhone 14 with a USB-C port, A18 chip, and a single camera. It\u2019s only available in that one 6.1-inch size. Meanwhile, the rest of the iPhone lineup offers two sizes.<\/p>\n

\"Apple<\/p>\n

While it\u2019s unlikely that Apple would take this risk, I think it\u2019d be incredibly nifty to re-introduce the iPhone mini underneath its new \u2018e\u2019 lineup of devices. An iPhone 16e mini (perhaps they\u2019d call it something else) at $499 could be quite a compelling offering for a lot of people.<\/p>\n

At that price point, I think a lot of the trade-offs required to create a small phone become a lot more justifiable.<\/p>\n

Ultimately, a lot of the R&D has already been done, so it likely wouldn\u2019t be a huge hurdle to put another iPhone mini out on the market.<\/p>\n

Additionally, The Information has reported that Apple wants to switch to a staggered release schedule<\/a> in 2026, with iPhone 18 Air\/Pro models launching in the fall, and iPhone 18\/18e models launching in the following spring. If this change comes to fruition, a potential iPhone 18e mini would have an even larger stage than it traditionally would, which would potentially make more people give it a go.<\/p>\n

Wrap up<\/p>\n

The odds of this happening are slim to none, but that doesn\u2019t stop me from putting my new iPhone mini dream out there. Apple is uniquely positioned to fill the small smartphone niche, and with standard iPhones now packing 6.3-inch displays, I believe Apple should take another swing at it.<\/p>\n

In the meanwhile, if small phones are up your alley \u2013 they have become fairly affordable! You can pick up refurbished iPhone 13 mini <\/a>models in excellent condition on Amazon for under $300, and you can get them under $200 if you want a 12 mini. Even if you just want one for collections sake, they\u2019re priced pretty well:<\/p>\n

Would you like to see the iPhone mini <\/a>make a comeback? Let us know in the comments.<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re under 24, check out Amazon Prime for Young Adults<\/a>. You can get a 6 month free trial, and afterwards it\u2019ll run you only $7.49\/month. You don\u2019t need to be in college either.<\/p>\n

Follow Michael:\u00a0X\/Twitter<\/a>,\u00a0Bluesky<\/a>,\u00a0Instagram<\/a><\/p>\n

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