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Still not small enough. The 1st gen SE was perfect in size and easy to grip. The iPhone 13 mini is smaller but still easily falls out of my hand if I'm not pay

by als0 5y ago

Still not small enough. The 1st gen SE was perfect in size and easy to grip. The iPhone 13 mini is smaller but still easily falls out of my hand if I'm not paying attention. Alas, we live in the age of phablets.

uxp100 5y ago
It's a little bigger, but thinner, right? I also went 1st gen SE for 5 years, and am hoping my 13 mini lasts 5 as well (with a battery replacement at some point), but I drop this phone way more than my SE. I think the edges are slipperier.
- masklinn 5y ago
  Yes at 7.3mm the 8 design reused by the SE2 and 3 is quite a bit thinner than the SE’s 7.6mm, though it’s at least a blessing they used the 8’s shell because the 6 to 7 shell was only 7.1. The XR and 11 went way up to 8.3, but then the 12 went back down to 7.4, and the 13 back up a notch to 7.65. IME it’s not just that the edges are slipperier (though they are), it’s also that the rounded edges offer way less secure a grip than the flat edges of the 5S shell. And the phone is bigger and less well balanced, so holding it single-handed it always teeters on the edge. I currently have an 11, which replaced a 6S. I’d not seen they’d thinned the phones again so I’m quite dismayed, the 6S was an absolute horror show which I kept dropping. The 11 is significantly better, though I still drop it way more than I’m comfortable with. I miss the 4S design. Not only do I still think it better looking, it was more safer, and easier to use: picking the 6S from a table was an exercise in frustration. The 11 is better, but it’s not great. The 4S was easy, you just… gripped it. You didn’t have to claw your fingers under so it didn’t slip.
paxys 5y ago
There is no market for small smartphones. The mini line has consistently underperformed, and may get cancelled completely in the next refresh. People who complain about large screens online are unfortunately a vocal minority.
- dijit 5y ago
  The mini underperforming is unfortunately proof of very little. I didn't upgrade to the 6 because it was too big, the iPhone mini is the same size as a 6. https://imgur.com/a/W5b7RDF https://imgur.com/a/W5b7RDF If you're in the market for a small phone: an iPhone mini is just taking you back to when they were already too big.
  - mylons 5y ago
    unfortunately it's proof that people do not want it.
    - xboxnolifes 5y ago
      That's not really true. If people want a 4" phone and you only give an option of 6" or 6.5", them picking one of the other here doesn't prove they don't want an actual small phone. I think it's true based on other evidence, but this on it's own isn't conclusive.
  - fouc 5y ago
    Yeah that's an interesting problem, if people refuse to buy/upgrade to newer phones because they're too big, it might be hard to see there's a market for smaller phones.
  - mtalantikite 5y ago
    Yeah, I had a 7 and held on to it for a while hoping a smaller form factor would come out. Then when the original SE launched in 2020 I just gave up hope on a small phone and bought it since my 7 was dying. A few months later the Mini came out, which was annoying timing. I'd be interested in the Mini, but I generally keep my phones at least a few years. iPhone 4 was my favorite form factor. I just want something I can use with one hand.
    - memco 5y ago
      I felt a little cheated when they launched the nini after the 2020 SE. I’m still using my 2020 SE and will probably update in the next year but I’m not sure whether I’ll go for the 2022 SE or the mini. The cost of the SE and the Touch ID are very strong selling points, but the size of the mini and the squared sides are also appealing. I am hoping they’ll make an SE-mini hybrid but I’m not holding my breath.
Nextgrid 5y ago
Cynical me thinks that part of the reasons small phones died out is because you can't fit as many ads on those screens. Small phones are good for a lot of functional purposes, but terrible at "growth and engagement".
- MandieD 5y ago
  Also not as compelling for watching video, aka more ads. Current phone: SE 2020, purchased second hand last summer Previous: SE 2016, purchased second hand fall 2017 Delighted to see this one hit the scene; would have been happier if it were in the 5/SE 2016 form factor, but satisfied with the internals. I’m looking forward to getting one in about two years.
- astrange 5y ago
  The original reason was that LTE modems used a lot more power and the small phones didn't have enough battery. The other reason being that it was an obvious differentiator from small iPhones.

by als0 5y ago

uxp100 5y ago

It's a little bigger, but thinner, right? I also went 1st gen SE for 5 years, and am hoping my 13 mini lasts 5 as well (with a battery replacement at some point), but I drop this phone way more than my SE. I think the edges are slipperier.

masklinn 5y ago
Yes at 7.3mm the 8 design reused by the SE2 and 3 is quite a bit thinner than the SE’s 7.6mm, though it’s at least a blessing they used the 8’s shell because the 6 to 7 shell was only 7.1. The XR and 11 went way up to 8.3, but then the 12 went back down to 7.4, and the 13 back up a notch to 7.65. IME it’s not just that the edges are slipperier (though they are), it’s also that the rounded edges offer way less secure a grip than the flat edges of the 5S shell. And the phone is bigger and less well balanced, so holding it single-handed it always teeters on the edge. I currently have an 11, which replaced a 6S. I’d not seen they’d thinned the phones again so I’m quite dismayed, the 6S was an absolute horror show which I kept dropping. The 11 is significantly better, though I still drop it way more than I’m comfortable with. I miss the 4S design. Not only do I still think it better looking, it was more safer, and easier to use: picking the 6S from a table was an exercise in frustration. The 11 is better, but it’s not great. The 4S was easy, you just… gripped it. You didn’t have to claw your fingers under so it didn’t slip.

paxys 5y ago

There is no market for small smartphones. The mini line has consistently underperformed, and may get cancelled completely in the next refresh. People who complain about large screens online are unfortunately a vocal minority.

dijit 5y ago
The mini underperforming is unfortunately proof of very little. I didn't upgrade to the 6 because it was too big, the iPhone mini is the same size as a 6. https://imgur.com/a/W5b7RDF https://imgur.com/a/W5b7RDF If you're in the market for a small phone: an iPhone mini is just taking you back to when they were already too big.
- mylons 5y ago
  unfortunately it's proof that people do not want it.
  - xboxnolifes 5y ago
    That's not really true. If people want a 4" phone and you only give an option of 6" or 6.5", them picking one of the other here doesn't prove they don't want an actual small phone. I think it's true based on other evidence, but this on it's own isn't conclusive.
- fouc 5y ago
  Yeah that's an interesting problem, if people refuse to buy/upgrade to newer phones because they're too big, it might be hard to see there's a market for smaller phones.
- mtalantikite 5y ago
  Yeah, I had a 7 and held on to it for a while hoping a smaller form factor would come out. Then when the original SE launched in 2020 I just gave up hope on a small phone and bought it since my 7 was dying. A few months later the Mini came out, which was annoying timing. I'd be interested in the Mini, but I generally keep my phones at least a few years. iPhone 4 was my favorite form factor. I just want something I can use with one hand.
  - memco 5y ago
    I felt a little cheated when they launched the nini after the 2020 SE. I’m still using my 2020 SE and will probably update in the next year but I’m not sure whether I’ll go for the 2022 SE or the mini. The cost of the SE and the Touch ID are very strong selling points, but the size of the mini and the squared sides are also appealing. I am hoping they’ll make an SE-mini hybrid but I’m not holding my breath.

Nextgrid 5y ago

Cynical me thinks that part of the reasons small phones died out is because you can't fit as many ads on those screens. Small phones are good for a lot of functional purposes, but terrible at "growth and engagement".

MandieD 5y ago
Also not as compelling for watching video, aka more ads. Current phone: SE 2020, purchased second hand last summer Previous: SE 2016, purchased second hand fall 2017 Delighted to see this one hit the scene; would have been happier if it were in the 5/SE 2016 form factor, but satisfied with the internals. I’m looking forward to getting one in about two years.
astrange 5y ago
The original reason was that LTE modems used a lot more power and the small phones didn't have enough battery. The other reason being that it was an obvious differentiator from small iPhones.