The iPhone mini models were unique, not because they were smaller compared to their larger cousins but because they offered the same power in a smaller chassis.
As smartphones have matured, so have the screen sizes. With often 6-inch and 7-inch phones now being the standard, the mini offered a bit of nostalgia for those who didn't want to get hand cramps from reaching four corners of a screen.
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Let's look at the specifications of the iPhone 13 mini for example, equipped with Apple's A15 bionic chip, which at the time was the same one used across the entire iPhone 13 line-up, it even persisted in the standard variants of the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 plus.
Given its smaller size, the cameras were no slouch either with a double camera module of 12-megapixel sensors that took great shots. On paper, the iPhone 13 mini offered everything the iPhone 13 did but its smaller size is what ultimately proved to be its downfall.
The 5.4-inch display felt a little out of step with time, but its fans wouldn't have it any other way. Unfortunately, as it turns out, there just weren't enough fans for the series to continue.
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Now that the official 'mini' moniker is done for, the only option for people who prefer smaller phones is the iPhone SE third generation, which also has an A15 chip but with a much smaller 4.7-inch screen and missing features such as Face ID.
Rumors were strong before the event that Apple had no interest in refreshing the dwindling iPhone 13 mini stock, which was already running thin since Apple did not make a iPhone 14 mini. We suppose the writing was always on the wall, but it's kind of sad that the underdog went out with a whimper instead of a bang.
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