No one buys the best iPhone

Apple sells a lot of iPhone's, but for some reason, no one is buying the best one! But the few people that do buy it, LOVE it. So let's look into what makes this failed product so great.

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CHAPTERS
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0:00 Why is everything so big!?
0:48 The only small premium phone you can get
1:40 I'm a bit of a Goldilocks, but the perfect phone is real!
2:33 I'm not alone in loving it!
3:45 Thanks Squarespace!
4:14 You're spoiled for choice, but I think it's an easy one to make
5:06 It isn't ALL perfect though...
6:13 The thing everyone hates is what we all love
6:49 So... what happens when it's gone?
7:54 There's another option: the Zenfone 9
9:05 I wouldn't worry about the Mini going away though

[macaddress]

What are your thoughts on the iPhone Mini? Do you prefer larger phones? Let us know below!




Purchases made through some store links may provide some compensation to Linus Media Group.

[austinevans]

A few weeks ago I made the exact same swap from 14 Pro to 13 mini and I couldn't be happier I'm going to really miss this form factor

[DangerousDac]

If they did a Pro mini I'd have dropped everything and bought it in a heartbeat.

[farhadkader]

Honestly speaking, the mini line-up is only something you truly appreciate once you get a chance to experience it in person.

[jamiepoirier]

Something worth noting about the Minis is that the single hand-able form factor means that one of iOS' biggest usability drawbacks–no dedicated back button–is pretty much a non-issue. reaching your thumb across the screen to gesture swipe backward feels so intuitive. On even a standard 6.1" iPhone I find it gets much more in the way.

[Dionyzos]

Still rocking my 5 year old iPhone X. It's smaller than newer iPhones but not as small as the mini and still looks great thanks to the stainless steel. It's actually insane how well it holds up if you're not a power user. I don't plan to upgrade anytime soon. The best value smartphone is the one you already have as long as you're happy with it.

[nhand]

Always impressed by the artistic style on Jonathan's videos. They demonstrate a keen eye for framing and composition. So much more entertaining than the standard "person sitting at a desk".

[mrkylematz]

I think it’d be interesting if Apple alternated annually between a Mini phone and a Plus phone. That way if you wanted a specific form factor, you’d only have to sacrifice a years worth of upgrades (not much considering the changes year-to-year seem to be getting smaller).

[PaulHojda]

I also bought a 13 mini two months ago and absolutely love it. Even the battery life is more than adequate, I rarely end the day with less than 30% with my usage. I'm really sad that apple discontinued the mini line. Really hope they bring it back.

[scribsandskets]

If they make the 13 mini into an SE sometime in the future, that'll be better than not having the option at all. But I will be disappointed if the SE label means it won't have parity with the regular line. That's what made it so unique and great in the first place. You shouldn't have to settle for outdated features just because you like a smaller form factor.

When I worked in the Apple Store, pretty much every employee would buy the flagship at launch. The few of us that bought the mini were the happiest among them and many would actually sell the current flagship to “downgrade” to the mini from the Pro/Pro Max. Unfortunately, I think we’ve seen the mid of the mini as a current gen device. I’ve kept both my 12 and 13 minis and occasionally switch to them when the mood strikes. Every time I do I just feel we were soo close to nailing it. If only the screen were brighter… if only the battery stronger… if only the speakers were louder. If only they’d just bring it back 💔

[WilhelmGutentag]

The iPhone 5s was peak iPhone design for me. Upgrading from the 11 Pro to the 13 Mini was a no-brainer - for the exact reasons mentioned: It has all the bells and whistles is the best dimensions possible for what a Phone should do. Using a regular-sized iPhone side by side (given as work phone) and constantly get reminded why the Mini is superior.

Adding a fingerprint sensor to a... 15 mini would be “the dream”

[goncaloveiga]

Damn it. This channel has become my favorite from the LTT consortium. The format of the video is simply amazing. The editing parts with Jonathan speaking on a location and then the shift to a voice over is my favorite editing troupe. I also love the fact that the channel interviews people to opine on the subject matter of the videos. Great job everyone.

Keep making these videos and I’ll keep watching!

Video idea: maybe you could find out when Samsung is going to release the Viewfinity S9 5k - a direct competitor to the Apple Display. Samsung showcased it at CES this January but since then they’ve been pretty quiet about it. I’d love to know if they are going to mass produce it and release it this year.

[SkyDX]

I can't believe there's a video dedicated to people like me, let alone other people who love the Mini so much as I do! I have a disability that makes using large phones not impossible but annoying and when I saw the 12 Mini and the 13 Mini I was like: "YES FINALLY! SOMEONE GETS IT!" and now I might or might not have to worry where I go after my 13 Mini gets long in the tooth so I appreciate this video.

[personwhohasnoname]

I was a dedicated Android girl, but the lack of decent small options ended up pushing me to the 13 mini and I have not regretted it. There was a learning curve, and some frustration with changing OS, but the phone itself is perfect. I wish there were more options in the small form factor, the Galaxy S10e was main alternative, I did have a previous Zen phone but price and support made a poorer option.

[krismarkduthie]

Until 2021 I had an iPhone 6s, I couldn’t let go of that 3.5mm port!! I upgraded to the 13 mini and love it’s size. Like you said it does everything it needs to and I’m more than happy with its performance. I’d happily wait for another mini phone to appear later in the apple ecosystem.

[IsamBitar]

Thank you, Jonathan, for championing our cause for reasonably sized phones! As with some of your colleagues, my very first iPhone was the iPhone 12 Mini. I bought it on launch day, and I bought it ONLY because of the form factor. I now have a 13 Mini and plan to keep this until it is no longer updated. Like others, I won't get a new iPhone if it is not a Mini. Before the 12 Mini I was an Xperia Compact customer since the launch of the first Compact until it was axed with the XZ3. If there won't be a similarly sized premium phone when I am ready to upgrade, I think I might go for the Galaxy Z Flip. It's not a true "mini" but at least it is pocketable.

[nikolai]

I agree absolutely. I was on the search for a small phone, and found the perfect match in the 13 mini. It's small yet competing. It has all the features i would want in my day to day life, and does not feel akward when I use it as a telephone. I really hope they will continue the SE Lineup with the Mini's Body.

[gabethemodder]

I recently went from a pixel 6 to an iPhone 13 mini. I chose it mostly based on size followed closely by a standard non bloated experience like raw android. There are a few things I miss like having my apps anywhere I want and having to rebuy paid apps since no play store. I used to drop my pixel 6 a lot because of how massive it was, for the past month I’ve only dropped the iPhone 13 mini 2 or 3 times. It’s just much easier to handle. I like that about it a lot. It reminds me of my pixel 3 that I missed while owning my pixel 6.

[Poliwager]

I would have bought the 12 Mini, but I instead got a 2nd gen SE when it launched and I upgraded from an iPhone 6. The Mini is actually smaller than my current phone, so I keep hoping they release another.

I still think the reason the 12 and 13 Mini "failed" was because they launched right after the new SE... a phone that a lot of people like me upgraded to, that wanted a smaller phone. Why buy another new phone so quickly after getting that new SE?