iPhone Mini Models Hit Apple's Refurb Store Just Days Before Debut of Larger iPhone 14 Series

For the first time in several weeks, Apple has repopulated its Refurbished and Clearance store with a range of iPhone 12 mini models, just days before the smaller form factor is expected to be dropped from Apple's flagship smartphone lineup.

iphone 12 vs iphone 12 mini
For the upcoming iPhone 14 series, Apple is believed to be removing the 5.4-inch iPhone "mini" size in favor of larger device dimensions. Available options are expected to include a 6.1-inch ‌iPhone 14‌, a 6.1-inch iPhone 14 Pro, a 6.7-inch ‌iPhone 14‌ Max, and a 6.7-inch ‌iPhone 14 Pro‌ Max.

The 5.4-inch iPhone "mini" size was originally introduced in 2020 with the debut of the iPhone 12 mini, which was greeted with much fanfare for its compact size. The device was followed by last year's iPhone 13 mini, a largely incremental update. Apple still sells both models on its main store page, but despite the smaller devices' clear popularity among enthusiasts, Apple has deemed the form factor to be not popular enough to make a new iteration for the third year running.

It remains to be seen whether Apple will decide to continue offering brand new iPhone mini models after it launches its next-generation flagship iPhone 14 series, and given its successor model has yet to be listed in Apple's refurb store, the returning availability of refurbished iPhone 12 mini units is likely to be noteworthy for consumers who favor the smaller size.

Apple began selling certified refurbished ‌iPhone 12 mini‌ devices in July of this year – a full 21 months after they were originally launched – but demand has made them hard to get hold of for the last several weeks after news of their imminent demise in Apple's upcoming new flagship range.

The iPhone 12 mini provides the same feature set as the ‌iPhone 12‌, just with a more compact design, 5.4-inch display, and 15 hours of battery life during video playback, while the ‌iPhone 13‌ mini's upgrades over the ‌iPhone 12‌ mini are mostly iterative, offering refinements in terms of a brighter display, a smaller notch, performance improvements, and new camera software features.

The more significant upgrades include camera hardware and longer battery life, but at face value there is likely not enough to justify getting the new model over the ‌iPhone 12‌ for most customers.

refurb iphone 12 mini
In Apple's Refurb store, iPhone 12 mini models are now available for as little as $529 for a 64GB version (a saving of $100), and as much as $659 for a 256GB version (saving $120).

Refurbished iPhones come unlocked and SIM-free. All refurbished iPhones come with a new battery, a new outer shell, and a new white box that includes all manuals and a USB-C to Lightning cable. All refurbished iPhones are covered by Apple's standard one-year warranty and are eligible for extended AppleCare+ coverage.

Apple says its refurbished iPhones are thoroughly tested and cleaned, and in our view, they are virtually indistinguishable from brand new iPhones. One of the only notable differences with a certified refurbished ‌iPhone‌ is that it comes in a plainer box.

Apple is expected to announce the iPhone 14 series at its "Far Out" media event on Wednesday, September 7. Check out our guide for everything we're expected to see at Apple's upcoming event and be sure to visit MacRumors over the coming week for comprehensive minute-by-minute coverage of all the breaking developments.

(Thanks, Jason!)

Related Forum: iPhone

Top Rated Comments

Haust Avatar
21 months ago
Those prices for an iPhone 12 mini are insanely high.
Score: 20 Votes (Like | Disagree)
KaliYoni Avatar
21 months ago
Or what if the Mini is being replaced by...
iPhone Nano?
iPhone Shuffle?
iPhone IIfx
iPhone Quadra?
e-iPhoneMate?

I'd go for a Shuffle, myself (random phone calls and texts sent out every few minutes).
;-)
Score: 16 Votes (Like | Disagree)
UltimateSyn Avatar
21 months ago
I hope they keep the 13 mini available for sale for the people who want a more premium phone in a relatively small package.
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)
frogslapper Avatar
21 months ago
Nobody should buy a 12 mini. The battery improvement on the 13 mini is very significant.
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Benjamin Nabulsi Avatar
21 months ago
iPhone 12 mini is not great but 13 mini is solid and there to stay.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Apple_Robert Avatar
21 months ago
I hope we see the 13 mini offered soon. Not interested in a 12 again at those prices.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

reset password request iphone

Warning: Apple Users Targeted in Phishing Attack Involving Rapid Password Reset Requests

Tuesday March 26, 2024 4:34 pm PDT by
Phishing attacks taking advantage of Apple's password reset feature have become increasingly common, according to a report from KrebsOnSecurity. Multiple Apple users have been targeted in an attack that bombards them with an endless stream of notifications or multi-factor authentication (MFA) messages in an attempt to cause panic so they'll respond favorably to social engineering. An...
iPhone Home Screen Gradient Blank Spaces 1

Sources: iOS 18 Lets Apps Be Placed Anywhere on Home Screen Grid

Sunday March 24, 2024 1:33 pm PDT by
iOS 18 will give iPhone users greater control over Home Screen app icon arrangement, according to sources familiar with the matter. While app icons will likely remain locked to an invisible grid system on the Home Screen, to ensure there is some uniformity, our sources say that users will be able to arrange icons more freely on iOS 18. For example, we expect that the update will introduce...
maxresdefault

Apple Announces WWDC 2024 Event for June 10 to 14

Tuesday March 26, 2024 10:02 am PDT by
Apple today announced that its 35th annual Worldwide Developers Conference is set to take place from Monday, June 10 to Friday, June 14. As with WWDC events since 2020, WWDC 2024 will be an online event that is open to all developers at no cost. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. WWDC 2024 will include online sessions and labs so that developers can learn about new...
iPad Pro 2024 Landscape Camera Feature

New iPad Pro Again Rumored to Feature Landscape Front-Facing Camera

Monday March 25, 2024 5:43 am PDT by
The next-generation iPad Pro will feature a landscape-oriented front-facing camera for the first time, according to the Apple leaker known as "Instant Digital." Instant Digital reiterated the design change earlier today on Weibo with a simple accompanying 2D image. The post reveals that the entire TrueDepth camera array will move to the right side of the device, while the microphone will...
apple maps 3d feature

Apple Maps May Gain Custom Routes With iOS 18

Tuesday March 26, 2024 3:10 pm PDT by
Apple may be planning to add support for "custom routes" in Apple Maps in iOS 18, according to code reviewed by MacRumors. Apple Maps does not currently offer a way to input self-selected routes, with Maps users limited to Apple's pre-selected options, but that may change in iOS 18. Apple has pushed an iOS 18 file to its maps backend labeled "CustomRouteCreation." While not much is revealed...
sonoma desktop wwdc

Apple Releases macOS Sonoma 14.4.1 With Fix for USB Hub Bug

Monday March 25, 2024 10:10 am PDT by
Apple today released macOS Sonoma 14.4.1, a minor update for the macOS Sonoma operating system that launched last September. macOS Sonoma 14.4.1 comes three weeks after macOS Sonoma 14.4. The ‌‌‌‌macOS Sonoma‌‌ 14.4‌.1 update can be downloaded for free on all eligible Macs using the Software Update section of System Settings. There's also a macOS 13.6.6 release for those who...
Generic iOS 18 Feature Purple

iOS 18 Will Finally Bring This Android Feature to iPhone

Monday March 25, 2024 6:42 am PDT by
iOS 18 will allow iPhone users to place app icons anywhere on the Home Screen grid, according to sources familiar with development of the software update. This basic feature has long been available on Android smartphones. While app icons will likely remain locked to an invisible grid system on the Home Screen, our sources said that users will be able to arrange icons more freely on iOS 18....
Generic iOS 18 Feature Purple

iOS 18: What to Expect From 'Biggest' Update in iPhone's History

Wednesday March 27, 2024 11:10 am PDT by
At least some Apple software engineers continue to believe that iOS 18 will be the "biggest" update in the iPhone's history, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Below, we recap rumored features and changes for the iPhone. "The iOS 18 update is expected to be the most ambitious overhaul of the iPhone's software in its history, according to people working on the upgrade," wrote Gurman, in a r...