Almost every device in the market is huge, which we used to call a ‘phablet’ a few years ago! Now, phablets have become the new normal and screens have become so big that single-handed usage has become a nightmare. For years now, people have been asking for devices with “small form-factor” and Apple has finally given what they want in the form of the iPhone 12 Mini. Unlike every time, Apple did not cut the corners here. iPhone 12 Mini comes with the same full-HD display, cameras, and A14 Bionic SoC found on the vanilla iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro. But still, iPhone 12 Mini hasn’t been as popular among the masses as the company hoped it would be.
Earlier this year, DigiTimes reported that Apple was cutting down the production of its 12 Mini and is planning to double the production on the Pro models instead. It was reported that the sales of the iPhone 12 Mini are slower than expected in the US and Europe due to the ongoing pandemic. Now, according to a new report from Nikkei Asia, Apple is cutting production of the iPhone 12 Mini in the first of this year. Planned production of the small iPhone has been reduced by 70 percent or more in the first half of this year. This makes up to the majority of 20 percent cut in the overall production of the iPhone 12 series.
The biggest revision is for components and parts for the 5.4-inch iPhone 12 mini, multiple sources said, which retails for around $699. Some suppliers were even asked to temporarily stop building components specifically for the mini, a source told to Nikkei. The mildest estimate was that Apple will cut planned production by more than 70% for six months through June.
So, why did the iPhone 12 Mini fail, despite packing the best of what the company could offer? Well, the last year’s iPhone 11 which is priced around the iPhone 12 Mini offers a larger battery and display, and the vanilla iPhone 12 with again, a better battery and display is just $100 pricier. iPhone 12 Mini was highly criticized for its battery. If you think about this, the criticism does not make any sense. As mentioned earlier, Apple did not cut any corners with the device, and after throwing in the same camera setup and the same SoC, there is clearly not a lot of space for the battery here.
Despite all the hold-offs, Apple is reportedly targeting a production run of approximately 75 million iPhones in the first half of 2021, lower than its initial target of 100 million units. It is worth noting that Apple has assured suppliers that it still aims to make 230 million iPhones for the entire 2021, which is still a growth of 11% when compared to last year. Nikkei also reports that Apple has pushed back production for two new Apple Silicon MacBooks. The company plans to enter mass production in May or June, meaning the laptops will now be manufactured in the second half of this year.
