3 ms·

Is this really about demand Probably not. My guess is it is about money and that the Mini was in part a result of fabrication yields for screens and PCB's and

Is this really about demand Probably not. My guess is it is about money and that the Mini was in part a result of fabrication yields for screens and PCB's and how many widgets fit in a standard shipping crate. Manufacturing and logistics...that's why Cooke is in charge. Apple also has metrics on how Mini users participate in the rest of its ecosystem. Where do they sit in the space of app store revenue? Other device sales? The upgrade pipeline? Finally, how likely are they to leave the Apple ecosystem over phone size? I mean anyone can buy a small Android phone if size is a priority. Apple makes excellent products but it is not an actual person. It is incapable of loving. Good luck.

sergormo 2y ago
Interesting, would love to know some details here. How much differ and how much the ROI of having to manufacture, bigger more featured vs continuing a mini version. I always questioned that the mini did not sell because of this effect that was worse than their other options. Consumer mind is easy in those fields. If I offer you 3 versions and the other two had "more" but in reality are the same. Why would I choose over the small one, the big one has more, I'm buying less. I think this strategy killed the mini sales, not the value of the format.
- brudgers 2y ago
  Apple did not start making Mini's because of pent up demand. It started because of a specific opportunity to realize high profits in the context of Apple's other manufacturing and logistic operations. The manufacturing line for the Mini made Mini's until the supply of its widgets was exhausted. For example if a screen wafer has 1000mm diameter (I am just making this up). If the yield is 100 large iPad Pro screens and Apple can make 15 Mini screens from the left over area, the Mini screens have a very low cost basis. There is also a low output, so consumer demand doesn't need to be high for the Mini to be very profitable. Apple's product line is the result of an optimization problem that is solved across its entire product line not product by product. It doesn't matter that a product sells well. It matters that it sells right. Too much demand for the Mini means Apple stores don't have them in stock and that will make shoppers unhappy. I doubt Apple has been sending Mini's to the landfill.
  - sergormo 2y ago
    Thanks, really nice point
sam29681749 2y ago
What current android phones are comparable in size to the iPhone mini? The only option I can think of is unihertz.

sergormo 2y ago

Interesting, would love to know some details here. How much differ and how much the ROI of having to manufacture, bigger more featured vs continuing a mini version. I always questioned that the mini did not sell because of this effect that was worse than their other options. Consumer mind is easy in those fields. If I offer you 3 versions and the other two had "more" but in reality are the same. Why would I choose over the small one, the big one has more, I'm buying less. I think this strategy killed the mini sales, not the value of the format.

brudgers 2y ago
Apple did not start making Mini's because of pent up demand. It started because of a specific opportunity to realize high profits in the context of Apple's other manufacturing and logistic operations. The manufacturing line for the Mini made Mini's until the supply of its widgets was exhausted. For example if a screen wafer has 1000mm diameter (I am just making this up). If the yield is 100 large iPad Pro screens and Apple can make 15 Mini screens from the left over area, the Mini screens have a very low cost basis. There is also a low output, so consumer demand doesn't need to be high for the Mini to be very profitable. Apple's product line is the result of an optimization problem that is solved across its entire product line not product by product. It doesn't matter that a product sells well. It matters that it sells right. Too much demand for the Mini means Apple stores don't have them in stock and that will make shoppers unhappy. I doubt Apple has been sending Mini's to the landfill.
- sergormo 2y ago
  Thanks, really nice point

sam29681749 2y ago

What current android phones are comparable in size to the iPhone mini? The only option I can think of is unihertz.