With the introduction of the iPhone 12 series, special attention was paid to the iPhone 12 mini. Finally, people who wanted a smaller form factor had a device that didn’t compromise on performance. But no matter how much praise has been received on the device, sales have apparently been below expectations.
William Yang of JP Morgan, via AppleInsider, has reportedly overhauled its iPhone build plan mix for 2021. Apparently, demand for the iPhone 12 mini remains weak by Apple standards, prompting Yang to lower build number expectations by 11 million units. Yang apparently claims Apple could shut down production of the device by the second quarter of this year if things don’t change.
A separate report from Counterpoint Research (via Reuters) has revealed similar findings. The iPhone 12 mini reportedly accounted for just 5% of total iPhone 12 series sales in the first half of January in the U.S. Both reports seem to confirm a growing body of data suggesting that the iPhone 12 mini is not as as popular as Apple had hoped.
In every way, the iPhone 12 mini is a great smartphone. And with a starting price of $ 700, it’s relatively affordable as far as flagship iPhones are concerned. However, the data may underline how the smartphone market has largely evolved beyond the smaller form factor. Sure, the iPhone 12 mini might be easier to hold and put in a pocket, but the smaller screen size isn’t that nice to use when watching video or playing games. And the smaller form factor means a smaller battery.
To be fair, the iPhone 12 mini didn’t go on sale until November. And it started in the middle of a pandemic. However, the iPhone 12 Pro Max is reportedly selling quite well, with Yang adjusting his expectations of the iPhone 12 Pro Max sales by 11 million units. Apple does not report unit sales for any of its products, so we never get official numbers. Even if iPhone 12 mini sales are lower than Apple expected, they can still be high by other manufacturers’ standards.