iPhone 12 Mini Sales Lackluster Compared to Other Models

by

Apple's 5.4-inch iPhone 12 mini, which is the smallest iPhone that has been released since the 2016 iPhone SE, may not be selling as well as Apple hoped. According to new sales numbers from Consumer Intelligence Research Partners, the ‌iPhone 12 mini‌ accounted for a lower number of sales than other ‌iPhone‌ 12 models that Apple offers.

cirp iphone sales chart
Combined, all new ‌iPhone‌ 12 models accounted for 76 percent of ‌iPhone‌ sales in the United States in October and November. The standard ‌iPhone‌ 12 was the best selling model, accounting for 27 percent of those sales.

‌iPhone 12 mini‌ sales made up just six percent of the total ‌iPhone‌ 12 sales during the launch period, while the ‌iPhone‌ 12 Pro and Pro Max had sales numbers closer to the ‌iPhone‌ 12.

iPhone 12 models garnered a significant share at launch, but with mixed results, as iPhone 12 mini seems to have been lost among the other models," said Josh Lowitz, CIRP Partner and Co-Founder. "Apple not only launched a wider range of new models than ever before, and also divided that launch into two pairs of models, so comparison to earlier launches is tricky. In addition, Apple launched a new iPhone SE earlier in the year, further complicating the lineup.

Last year's ‌iPhone‌ 11 models accounted for 69 percent of sales in the period after their launch, so the ‌iPhone‌ 12 models did better overall. In 2019, the ‌iPhone‌ 11 was the best-selling ‌iPhone‌, accounting for 39 percent of sales, with the 11 Pro and Pro Max making up the remaining 30 percent.

Compared to last year's launch of iPhone 11, which accounted for 69% of sales in the period after the launch, the four iPhone 12 models did even better, with 76% of sales. However, there was no clear leader among the new models, with sales evenly distributed among iPhone 12, 12 Pro, and 12 Max. In contrast, in 2019, iPhone 11 had an incredible 39% of sales, with iPhone 11 Pro and Pro Max combining for only 30% of sales.

CIRP speculates that the availability of lower-cost models like the $399 ‌iPhone SE‌, $499 ‌iPhone‌ XR, and $599 ‌iPhone‌ 11, may have ultimately limited the appeal of the more expensive ‌iPhone 12 mini‌, which is priced at $699.

Tag: CIRP

Popular Stories

iPhone SE 4 Vertical Camera Feature

iPhone SE 4 Production Will Reportedly Begin Ramping Up in October

Tuesday July 23, 2024 2:00 pm PDT by
Following nearly two years of rumors about a fourth-generation iPhone SE, The Information today reported that Apple suppliers are finally planning to begin ramping up mass production of the device in October of this year. If accurate, that timeframe would mean that the next iPhone SE would not be announced alongside the iPhone 16 series in September, as expected. Instead, the report...
Read Full Article • 68 comments
iPhone 17 Plus Feature

iPhone 17 Lineup Specs Detail Display Upgrade and New High-End Model

Monday July 22, 2024 4:33 am PDT by
Key details about the overall specifications of the iPhone 17 lineup have been shared by the leaker known as "Ice Universe," clarifying several important aspects of next year's devices. Reports in recent months have converged in agreement that Apple will discontinue the "Plus" iPhone model in 2025 while introducing an all-new iPhone 17 "Slim" model as an even more high-end option sitting...
Read Full Article • 160 comments
Generic iPhone 17 Feature With Full Width Dynamic Island

Kuo: Ultra-Thin iPhone 17 to Feature A19 Chip, Single Rear Camera, Semi-Titanium Frame, and More

Wednesday July 24, 2024 9:06 am PDT by
Apple supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo today shared alleged specifications for a new ultra-thin iPhone 17 model rumored to launch next year. Kuo expects the device to be equipped with a 6.6-inch display with a current-size Dynamic Island, a standard A19 chip rather than an A19 Pro chip, a single rear camera, and an Apple-designed 5G chip. He also expects the device to have a...
Read Full Article • 162 comments
iPhone 16 Pro Sizes Feature

iPhone 16 Series Is Less Than Two Months Away: Everything We Know

Thursday July 25, 2024 5:43 am PDT by
Apple typically releases its new iPhone series around mid-September, which means we are about two months out from the launch of the iPhone 16. Like the iPhone 15 series, this year's lineup is expected to stick with four models – iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, and iPhone 16 Pro Max – although there are plenty of design differences and new features to take into account. To bring ...
Read Full Article • 130 comments
icloud private relay outage

iCloud Private Relay Experiencing Outage

Thursday July 25, 2024 3:18 pm PDT by
Apple’s iCloud Private Relay service is down for some users, according to Apple’s System Status page. Apple says that the iCloud Private Relay service may be slow or unavailable. The outage started at 2:34 p.m. Eastern Time, but it does not appear to be affecting all iCloud users. Some impacted users are unable to browse the web without turning iCloud Private Relay off, while others are...
Read Full Article • 81 comments
iPhone 17 Plus Feature Purple

iPhone 17 Rumored to Feature Mechanical Aperture

Tuesday July 23, 2024 9:32 am PDT by
Apple is planning to release at least one iPhone 17 model next year with mechanical aperture, according to a report published today by The Information. The mechanical system would allow users to adjust the size of the iPhone 17's aperture, which refers to the opening of the camera lens through which light enters. All existing iPhone camera lenses have fixed apertures, but some Android...
Read Full Article • 60 comments

Top Rated Comments

Treq Avatar
Treq
46 months ago
Everyone I know loves theirs. It's the perfect form factor. The pro is too big. But the battery life is what's really killing sales.
Score: 57 Votes (Like | Disagree)
SamRyouji Avatar
SamRyouji
46 months ago
This report just confirms the fact that most loud voices on the internet forums are just...bunch of vocal minorities.
Score: 54 Votes (Like | Disagree)
RaoulDuke42 Avatar
RaoulDuke42
46 months ago
I went from a Xs to a 12 mini and am quite pleased with it. I feel like the mini is going to be a slow-burn sleeper hit eventually, although my evidence is anecdotal. Four friends of mine all thought they wanted the "normal" 12 until they realized the display of the mini is the same width as a 6,7,8, but taller (and yet still a smaller device overall). Once this pandemic finally ends and people can see the things in person, I think a lot of folks coming from a 6,7,8 will go for the phone most comparable in size to what they already have despite the (imho) misleading "mini" label.
Score: 50 Votes (Like | Disagree)
fenderbass146 Avatar
fenderbass146
46 months ago
Love my Mini! It's the phone I've been waiting for for years. My only gripe is the choice to do wide angle instead of zoom for the second lense and the battery life. I'm so happy with my Mini especially with how close the mini and the pro are now. The fact that they added OLED to the midrange phones was huge.
Score: 39 Votes (Like | Disagree)
4jasontv Avatar
4jasontv
46 months ago
Let's not forget that the Mini came out a month after the 12, and that most carriers were doing 'free' iPhone 12's in November. Even the 12 Pro had better discounts than the mini. I wonder how many people actually paid money for their iPhone 12.

Maybe if Apple actually priced it as the same phone as the 12. Or promoted the fact that it's the 12 but smaller and not missing feature, or if they actually made a flagship 12 mini sized phone.

Love my mini. It fixed everything I hated about the bloated X.
Score: 37 Votes (Like | Disagree)
midkay Avatar
midkay
46 months ago
I knew it! It used to be so fashionable to go around tirelessly complaining that Apple needs to make smaller phones, but this proves it — nobody actually wants that.
Score: 30 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Read All Comments