Apple stops production of the iPhone 12 mini: TrendForce

Apple released four iPhones under the iPhone 12 series last year: the iPhone 12 mini, iPhone 12, iPhone 12 Pro, and iPhone 12 Pro Max. Out of all of them, the iPhone 12 mini was the only device that underperformed compared to all the others. And the fact that the iPhone 12 mini was released just a few months after the iPhone SE (2nd gen) didn't help.

Now, TrendForce has reported that Apple has stopped producing the iPhone 12 mini, and the smartphone is nearing the end of its life cycle. However, according to reports, the iPhone 12 mini is still available on Apple's website and will continue to be sold while supplies last.

Apple released four iPhones under the iPhone 12 series last year: the iPhone 12 mini, iPhone 12, iPhone 12 Pro, and iPhone 12 Pro Max. Out of all of them, the iPhone 12 mini was the only device that underperformed compared to all the others. And the fact that the iPhone 12 mini was released just a few months after the iPhone SE (2nd gen) didn't help.

Now, TrendForce has reported that Apple has stopped producing the iPhone 12 mini, and the smartphone is nearing the end of its life cycle. However, according to reports, the iPhone 12 mini is still available on Apple's website and will continue to be sold while supplies last.

TrendForce reports that Apple is going to "focus on driving sales of the three non-mini models in the iPhone 12 series" given that the iPhone 12 mini, which "reached end-of-life ahead of time in 2Q21" and "suffered disappointing sales performances compared to others models in the iPhone 12 family".

The iPhone 12 mini was the most affordable of all the iPhone 12 devices released last year and was also the "smallest, thinnest and lightest" 5G device on the Apple market. Unfortunately for Apple, the iPhone 12 mini was fighting for the same customer base that might have been or was interested in the iPhone SE (second generation) released in early 2020.

While the iPhone 12 mini was a pretty complete device in its own right, it paled compared to the other iPhone 12 devices and did not fare well on the market. It only contributed to an estimated 5% of total iPhone 12 series sales. So if TrendForce's reports are correct, it's no wonder Apple wants to stop production of the iPhone 12 mini and sell the stock it has in hand. However, despite the device malfunctioning, it is rumoured that Apple still plans to bring a successor to the iPhone 12 mini this fall with the iPhone 13 series. We will have to wait to find out what this new iteration of the iPhone 12 mini will have.