Yesterday’s Cupertino Keynote provided users with valuable insights. Surprisingly, Apple decided to lower the prices of its iPhones, contrary to expectations fueled by the current economic situation and recent leaks. However, my excitement waned when I examined the iPhone mini lineup. One of the products that had initially caught my attention at its launch seemed to have lost its appeal without any clear explanation – I’m referring to the iPhone 13 mini.
Apple’s Latest Move in the Sales Arena
With the introduction of the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro, Apple bid farewell to the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max, as anticipated. Apple has a pattern of discontinuing its Pro generation to avoid competition with the current models, especially when they’ve significantly reduced prices by over 100 euros compared to the previous generation.
The Farewell to the iPhone 12
In line with this trend, the iPhone 12 has also been retired, which was expected given its presence in the iPhone lineup for more than three years. Apple typically doesn’t keep products on the market for more than three generations. By the way, have you seen the pastel colors of the iPhone 15? This new iPhone marks the end of the era for the stunning colors seen in the standard series.
A Notable Exit: The iPhone 13 mini
However, if we delve into Apple’s catalog, one product’s discontinuation signifies the end of an era and a rather interesting chapter in Apple’s product history – the iPhone mini. With the iPhone 13 mini series being discontinued, it vanishes entirely from Apple’s lineup.
Why Did Apple Discontinue the iPhone 13 mini? One might speculate that Apple forced the iPhone 13 mini out of the picture, but that’s not the case. Apple already discontinued the iPhone 12 mini last year, leaving only the 12 generation. Hence, Apple has repeated this move with the iPhone 13 mini, making it the last of its kind in the company’s lineup.
It also aligns with rumors about the launch of the fourth-generation iPhone SE, which is expected to inherit many components from the iPhone 14. This new generation could cater to a significant portion of the market that the iPhone 13 mini used to target, as the SE’s success lies in its affordable price point – similar to what we can expect from the fourth-generation SE.
In summary, a careful analysis reveals that the iPhone “minis” were introduced at an inopportune time in the market. Modern devices serve as productivity tools more than ever, necessitating larger screens for content consumption, email responses, video recording, and subsequent editing in Final Cut or Adobe Premiere.
In such a landscape, a 5.4-inch iPhone falls short, making it less ideal for video calls and less capable of sustaining battery life over extended periods. These were the shortcomings of the iPhone mini series, marking two generations that have etched their place in the annals of Apple’s less successful ventures.
