Apple Kills iPhone 12 Mini Production Due to Poor Sales
Apple has reportedly ended production of the iPhone 12 mini after months of lackluster sales, according to Taiwanese research firm TrendForce.
Following widespread reports that the iPhone 12 mini has suffered from poor sales relative to other iPhone 12 models since its launch last year, TrendForce claims that Apple has now ceased production of the device. The iPhone 12 mini is said to have "reached End-of-Life ahead of time" during the second quarter of 2021, suggesting that Apple will focus on selling its existing inventory of the device without producing any further units.
Launched in October of last year, the iPhone 12 mini features a 5.4-inch display that accommodates fans of smaller smartphones, with pricing starting at $699 in the United States. While production of the device has now allegedly ceased, the iPhone 12 mini remains available on Apple.com without any unusual shipping delays for now. The device is available in six colors, including a purple option that went on sale in late April.
The warning signs began when Apple was believed to have shifted production away from the iPhone 12 mini for the first quarter of 2021, in an effort to combat continuing lead times for the more popular iPhone 12 Pro. Since then, analysis has indicated that the iPhone 12 mini suffered from lackluster sales, capturing just six percent of the total iPhone 12 sales during the launch period, despite broad satisfaction reported by owners of the smaller device. The iPhone 12 mini also failed to obtain a spot in the top five list of best-selling smartphones earlier this year.
Apple is still expected to unveil an iPhone 13 mini later this year, but rumors suggest that the 5.4-inch model will be discontinued in 2022 in favor of a larger 6.1-inch model.
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