Despite anecdotal complaints that modern smartphones are too large, it looks like Apple’s iPhone 12 mini isn’t selling as well as the tech giant hoped it would.
Apple is reportedly cutting production of the iPhone 12 mini in the first half of 2021, according to Nikkei Asia. The pint-sized smartphone production was already reportedly reduced by 70 percent or more in the first half of the year, resulting in it consisting of only 20 percent of Apple’s total iPhone 12 production. In total, Apple is reportedly slashing iPhone 12 orders across the board by 20 percent, with the iPhone 12 mini making up most of the cut.
Further, Nikkei reports that some suppliers have been asked to stop producing iPhone 12 mini parts. The publication also says that Apple has delayed the production of two new M1 MacBooks originally scheduled to enter production in May or June.
Now, those laptops will be manufactured in the second half of 2021. Nikkei doesn’t mention what MacBooks these are, but they’re likely connected to the rumoured M1 MacBook Pro redesign that is poised to bring back the SD card slot.
Nikkei says that despite the iPhone 12 mini not selling well, iPhone production is still expected to be increased in 2021 compared to 2020, with the company producing a total of 75 million smartphones in the first half of the year. This news also backs up a Reuters report from early February that stated iPhone 12 mini sales consist of just 5 percent of overall iPhone 12 sales.
While I really liked the iPhone 12 mini when I spent a few weeks using it, I found the phone far too small for my taste. Still, like many people, I thought there’d be an audience for the tiny smartphone, especially since it’s just as capable as the iPhone 12 and not a parred-down version of Apple’s 2020 iPhone line.
It’s unclear what this means for the iPhone mini’s future, but Apple’s 2021 iPhone line likely won’t include the 5.4-inch variant if sales don’t improve.
Source: Nikkei Asia Via: MacRumors
