A mini iPhone had been rumored for years until it arrived with the iPhone 12 mini in 2020. But due to the reportedly low sales, it looks as though the mini will disappear with the iPhone 14 line.
However, it’s a model that’s carved out its own group of fans, mainly due to the fact that it’s at a size that’s roughly the same as the iPhone SE (2016), and you can use it with one thumb instead of two hands.
To have the power of the latest iPhone but in a smaller body is very appealing, but it could go even further.
There hasn’t been an iPhone 13 Pro mini variant where you have three cameras in a 5-inch body, but there should be for the 14 series.
A pro in a mini body
It took me many years to like the bigger-sized iPhones. I was content with navigating apps and messages with one thumb that would cover the screen, with no effort required in using my hand to reach the top corner of the iPhone.
I still regard the iPhone 4 to be the best model Apple has made for the line, but if you pushed me to think of the best iPhone in recent years, it would be the iPhone 13 Pro. The improvements in the camera, the battery life, and the display make it an iPhone that I haven’t enjoyed since the iPhone 5 due to these three features.
However, to think of the same model in a smaller chassis feels more appealing, as there are times where I’m having to move my hand to reach the top parts of the screen, such as for the Control Center.
While the battery would be less due to the size, it would be a compromise I would happily take if it meant having the best features from an iPhone into a smaller display that I can reach the entirety of with one thumb.
What could be in an iPhone 14 Pro mini?
We’re only three months since the launch of the iPhone 13 series, but there are features that I’d like to see appear.
FaceID is still awkward to use in certain situations, especially when wearing a face mask. To have TouchID come back to the iPhone, perhaps in the power button, similar to the iPad mini, would be a great help.
A smaller notch will always be welcome, and it was great to see the start of this with the iPhone 13 series, but let’s go the distance next year. An even smaller notch that could represent a raindrop that houses the front camera and FaceID module in one could enable more icons to return to the top of the display, especially the battery percentage icon.
MagSafe has been another standout feature for me since owning the iPhone 13 Pro. But there are moments where my AirPods Pro doesn’t charge during the night, and instead, drains completely.
To have them snap to the back of an iPhone 14 so that they can charge would be a great help for those situations.
Finally, I was surprised to see a light blue choice appear for a Pro model this year, so let’s see a dark purple for an iPhone 14 Pro mini.
However, Apple likes to keep it simple, and having a mini model in the Pro line could further confuse customers who are looking to upgrade. There are also rumors of a bigger iPhone SE coming as well, so there may be five different models to choose from in 2022.
But whatever they decide, to see a Pro mini would be my idea of the perfect iPhone. To mix in the past with the present, to prepare it for the future, would be tantalizing.
But if not, just give us back TouchID, Apple.