I don’t think that’s related. Apple goes through many iterations of something the market does not want before they axe it: Touch Bar, butterfly keys, USB-C only

I don’t think that’s related. Apple goes through many iterations of something the market does not want before they axe it: Touch Bar, butterfly keys, USB-C only ports, etc. These could all have been axed after the first year and were not. Personally I rather like the minis and hope they don’t kill it, though I’m afraid that I might be in a minority. But it appears they sell more than other companies flagships, so maybe the market for it is underrated.