iphone 12 mini lcd screen free sample
The iPhone 12 display has rounded corners that follow a beautiful curved design, and these corners are within a standard rectangle. When measured as a standard rectangular shape, the screen is 6.06 inches diagonally (actual viewable area is less).
Built‑in accessibility features supporting vision, mobility, hearing, and cognitive disabilities help you get the most out of your iPhone. Learn more - Accessibility.
English (Australia, Canada, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Malaysia, New Zealand, Philippines, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Africa, United Arab Emirates, UK, U.S.), Spanish (Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Spain, Uruguay, U.S.), French (Belgium, Canada, France, Luxembourg, Switzerland), German (Austria, Germany, Luxembourg, Switzerland), Italian (Italy, Switzerland), Japanese, Korean, Mandarin (China mainland, Taiwan), Cantonese (China mainland, Hong Kong, Macao), Arabic (Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates), Catalan, Croatian, Czech, Danish, Dutch (Belgium, Netherlands), Finnish, Greek, Hebrew, Hindi (India), Hungarian, Indonesian, Malaysian, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese (Brazil, Portugal), Romanian, Russian, Shanghainese (China mainland), Slovak, Swedish, Thai, Turkish, Ukrainian, Vietnamese
As part of our efforts to reach our environmental goals, iPhone 12 does not include a power adapter or EarPods. Included in the box is a USB‑C to Lightning cable that supports fast charging and is compatible with USB‑C power adapters and computer ports.
We encourage you to re‑use your current USB‑A to Lightning cables, power adapters, and headphones which are compatible with this iPhone. But if you need any new Apple power adapters or headphones, they are available for purchase.
iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 mini are designed with the following features to reduce their environmental impact.17 See the iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 mini Product Environmental Reports
* To identify your iPhone model number, see support.apple.com/kb/HT3939. For details on 5G and LTE support, contact your carrier and see apple.com/iphone/cellular. Cellular technology support is based on iPhone model number and configuration for either CDMA or GSM networks.
Available space is less and varies due to many factors. A standard configuration uses approximately 12GB to 17GB of space, including iOS 15 with its latest features and Apple apps that can be deleted. Apple apps that can be deleted use about 4.5GB of space, and you can download them back from the App Store. Storage capacity subject to change based on software version, settings, and iPhone model.
iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 mini are splash, water, and dust resistant and were tested under controlled laboratory conditions with a rating of IP68 under IEC standard 60529 (maximum depth of 6 meters up to 30 minutes). Splash, water, and dust resistance are not permanent conditions. Resistance might decrease as a result of normal wear. Do not attempt to charge a wet iPhone; refer to the user guide for cleaning and drying instructions. Liquid damage not covered under warranty.
Data plan required. 5G, Gigabit LTE, LTE, VoLTE, and Wi-Fi calling are available in select markets and through select carriers. Speeds are based on theoretical throughput and vary based on site conditions and carrier. For details on 5G and LTE support, contact your carrier and see apple.com/iphone/cellular.
All battery claims depend on network configuration and many other factors; actual results will vary. Battery has limited recharge cycles and may eventually need to be replaced. Battery life and charge cycles vary by use and settings. See apple.com/batteries and apple.com/iphone/battery.html for more information.
Testing conducted by Apple in September 2020 using preproduction iPhone 12 mini and iPhone 12 units and software and accessory Apple USB-C Power Adapter (20W Model A2305). Fast-charge testing conducted with drained iPhone units. Charge time varies with settings and environmental factors; actual results will vary.
Use of eSIM requires a wireless service plan (which may include restrictions on switching service providers and roaming, even after contract expiration). Not all carriers support eSIM. Use of eSIM in iPhone may be disabled when purchased from some carriers. See your carrier for details. To learn more, visit apple.com/esim.
To access and use all the features of Apple Card, you must add Apple Card to Wallet on an iPhone or iPad with the latest version of iOS or iPadOS. Update to the latest version by going to Settings > General > Software Update. Tap Download and Install.
2020 has seen the release of four new iPhones, all of which Apple revealed at a virtual launch event on Tuesday, Oct. 13. The iPhone 12 mini, iPhone 12, iPhone 12 Pro, and iPhone 12 Pro Max offer varying sizes, features, and prices. As such, Apple has designed its new lineup to reach a wide array of customers with different needs and budgets. The four new iPhone 12 models are also the first Apple phones to include 5G connectivity, a potential consideration when shopping for a new phone.
On April 20 this year, Apple announced a new purple color to complement its previous color offerings, and it will be available on iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 mini with pre-orders starting on April 23 and delivery on April 30.
Apple also announced the new AirTag, a chip that helps users find items such as lost keys with Apple’s Find My app. The Air Tag is IP67 water- and dust-resistant. It has a built-in speaker that plays sounds to help locate the tags, and a removable cover makes it easy for users to replace the battery. AirTag features the same easy setup experience as AirPods: Users bring the AirTag close to the iPhone, and it will connect, Apple said. Users can assign an AirTag to an item and name it with a defaults like Keys or Purse, or provide a custom name.
The AirTag is equipped with the U1 chip using Ultra Wideband technology, enabling Precision Finding for iPhone 11 and iPhone 12 users. This technology makes it easier to more accurately determine the distance and direction to a lost AirTag when it’s in range. As a user moves, Precision Finding takes input from the camera, ARKit, accelerometer and gyroscope, and then guide them to the AirTag using a combination of sound, haptics and visual feedback, Apple said.
If the item is out of Bluetooth range, the Find My network can still help the user locate a tagged item. Users can also place AirTag into Lost Mode and be notified when it is in range or has been located by the Find My network. If a lost AirTag is found, the finder can tap it using their own iPhone or any NFC-capable device and be taken to a website that will display a contact phone number for the owner.
Beyond adding 5G, Apple has equipped the iPhone 12 family with its powerful new A14 Bionic processor, a Super Retina XDR display, a more durable Ceramic Shield front cover, and a MagSafe feature for more reliable wireless charging, and support for attachable accessories.
Apple has also beefed up the cameras on the new iPhones with an array of advanced features designed to enhance and fine-tune your photos and videos. The iPhone 12 mini and iPhone 12 come with a dual-camera system in the rear with wide and ultra-wide lenses. The iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 12 Pro Max add a third telephoto lens as well as a fourth lens for LiDAR augmented reality (AR) mapping.
5G. The 5G technology in all four new iPhone 12 models supports both sub-6GHz and mmWave networks. The sub-6GHz spectrum is more pervasive, can travel farther, and is more resistant to interference. But it’s also more crowded, limiting its actual speed. In contrast, mmWave is much faster but is more susceptible to interference and so works best only at close range to cell towers. In the US, AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon Wireless offer both types of networks, but mmWave is considered the up-and-comer, especially by Verizon.
Adding 5G does make the iPhone 12 lineup more future-proof, as 5G should be more ubiquitous in a couple of years as coverage expands. This aspect is important since budget-conscious consumers are holding onto their smartphones longer than in the past. Of course, Samsung and other Android phone vendors have been equipping their phones with 5G, so Apple needs the feature if only to stay competitive.
Processor. The latest iPhones are powered by the new A14 Bionic processor, which is also found in the 2020 iPad Air 4 announced in September. As Apple’s most advanced mobile chip yet, the A14 is designed to improve performance and save on battery life. The new six-core processor has four high-efficiency cores and two high-performance cores.
Display. All four new iPhones sport OLED screens outfitted with Apple’s Super Retina XDR display and High Dynamic Range (HDR). Offering a 2,000,000:1 contrast ratio and 1,200 nits of maximum brightness, these are some of the most advanced screens ever built into an iPhone. Taken together, these features provide superior image quality, greater energy efficiency, more accurate colors, and better contrast over traditional LCD screens.
Ceramic Shield Screen. Through a feature called Ceramic Shield, the iPhone 12 includes ceramic in its front glass display, thus making the screen tougher and more drop resistant. This process works by adding a new high-temperature crystallization method that grows nano-ceramic crystals within the glass matrix. Based on Apple’s testing, Ceramic Shield increases the iPhone 12’s drop performance by four times over the iPhone 11.
Rear cameras. The iPhone mini and iPhone 12 sport two 12-megapixel rear cameras–one wide and one ultrawide. The iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 12 Pro Max have three 12-megapixel rear cameras–wide, ultrawide, and telephoto. Plus, the two Pro models devote the fourth lens for LiDAR mapping to measure the distance and depth of objects more accurately, a feature of benefit to augmented reality apps. The wide camera boasts an ƒ/1.6 aperture, the fastest yet on an iPhone, which Apple says will provide 27% more light in low-light conditions.
The 12-megapixel telephoto cameras found in the two iPhone 12 Pro models offer an ƒ/2.0 aperture with a 52mm focal length, a 4x or 5x optical zoom range, and optical image stabilization.
On the video front, the rear cameras on the iPhone 12 mini and iPhone 12 can shoot HDR video with Dolby Vision up to 30 fps, while the ones on the two Pro iPhone 12 models can shoot HDR video with Dolby Vision up to 60 fps.
QuickTake. Introduced with iOS 13 on the iPhone 11, the QuickTake feature lets you tap and hold the shutter button to take a quick video while you’re composing a regular still photo. That video then appears as a short clip in your Photos library.
Night Mode. This camera mode is automatically enabled when it’s dark enough to use it, and it works with the new camera sensors to make low-light photos pop. Night Mode takes shorter and longer frames and merges them automatically for better low-light performance. All four iPhone 12 models incorporate Night Mode on both the rear and front cameras. The new Night mode Time-Lapse feature provides longer exposure times, better lighting, and smoother exposure for time-lapse photography when your phone is on a tripod.
ApplePro Raw. Built into the iPhone 12 Pro and 12 Pro Max, this feature allows you to capture photos in a RAW format but with all the advanced camera tools and technologies to enhance the image. You can also edit ApplePro Raw images directly in the iPhone’s Photos app and other third-party apps.
Design. In a major design change, the newest iPhones have shifted away from the rounded edges of the iPhone 11 and reverted to the flat-edged shape last seen on the iPhone 5 and currently found on the iPad Pro.
MagSafe. Introduced with the iPhone 12 lineup, MagSafe improves the wireless charging built into the phone for faster and more accurate charging. But there’s more. MagSafe also offers a magnetic base through with accessories can attach themselves to the phone. As one example, Apple has touted a MagSafe compatible thin wallet that attaches itself to the back of the phone.
Battery. The batteries in the iPhone 12 models will be 10% larger than the ones in the iPhone 11 due to the extra drain taken by 5G. The iPhone 12 Pro and Pro Max promise at least an hour longer of time on a single charge, but the iPhone 12 mini’s battery life is more limited due to its smaller size.
Colors. The iPhone 12 mini and iPhone 12 come in the traditional white and black but also blue, green, and red. Starting April 23, it will also be available in purple. The iPhone 12 Pro and 12 Pro Max are available in blue, gold, graphite, and silver.
To keep down the prices of the new phones and reduce the carbon footprint of accessories, Apple is selling the iPhone 12 without earbuds or charging plugs in the box. The only accessory in the box is the standard Lightning to USB-C cable. Apple also likely expects that many buyers already have earbuds and USB chargers on hand.
The baby of the bunch, the iPhone 12 mini offers a screen size of 5.4 inches with storage options of 64GB, 128GB, or 256GB. The screen resolution is 2,340 x 1,080 pixels at 476 ppi. The phone incorporates Ceramic Shield in the front with a glass back and an aluminum design. The iPhone 12 mini uses a dual-camera system in the rear with a 12 MP wide and a 12 MP ultra-wide lens. Offered in black, white, red, blue, green and purple, the phone starts at $699.
Next in line, the iPhone 12 has the most of same specs as that of the iPhone 12 mini. But the iPhone 12 offers a 6.1-inch screen with a resolution of 2,532 x 1,170 pixels at 460 ppi and a starting price of $799.
The iPhone 12 Pro also has a screen size of 6.1 inches with the same 2,532 x 1,170 pixel resolution but adds a variety of advanced features over the iPhone 12. The case uses a Ceramic Shield front with a textured matte glass back and stainless steel design. Storage options include 128GB, 256GB, and 512GB. The three-camera system in the rear adds a 12 MP telephoto lens with an ƒ/2.0 aperture and a LiDAR scanner. The iPhone 12 Pro also supports Apple ProRAW for shooting and editing photos in RAW format. This model starts at $999.
The king of bunch, the iPhone 12 Pro Max is similar to the iPhone 12 Pro in most ways but offers a screen size of 6.7 inches with a resolution of 2,778 x 1,284 resolution at 458 ppi. The optical and digital zoom rates are also slightly higher than those on the iPhone 12 Pro, while the price starts at $1,099.
iPhone 12 mini competition. Competing with the 5.4-inch iPhone 12 mini are such phones as the Samsung Galaxy S10e and the Google Pixel 4. Starting at $599, the Galaxy S10e offers a 5.8-inch AMOLED screen with two rear cameras (wide and ultra-wide), face recognition, and a fingerprint scanner. Starting at $799, the Google Pixel 4 comes with a 5.7-inch OLED display with wide-angle and telephoto cameras in the rear and facial recognition but no fingerprint sensor. Neither phone includes 5G connectivity.
iPhone 12 and 12 Pro competition. Rivals to the iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro encompass several of Samsung’s Galaxy phones, including the S10, S10 Plus, S20, and S20 FE. Among these Galaxy phones, only the S20 and S20 FE are 5G models. Starting at $749, the Galaxy S10 has a 6.1-inch screen; starting at $849, the S10 Plus bumps the screen size to 6.4 inches. The Galaxy S20 normally starts at $999 and offers a 6.2-inch screen, while the S20 FE starts at just $699 with a screen size of 6.5 inches.
Also built with 5G, Google’s Pixel 5 and the upcoming Pixel 4A 5G are worth considering. The Google Pixel 5 starts at $699 and includes a 6-inch screen, while the Pixel 4A 5G starts at $499 and offers a screen size of 6.2 inches.
iPhone 12 Pro Max competition. Rivals to the iPhone 12 Pro Max are Samsung’s Galaxy S20 Plus, Galaxy S20 Ultra, Galaxy Note 20, and Galaxy Note 20 Ultra. Normally starting at $1,199, the Galaxy S20 Plus comes with a 6.7-inch screen. Starting at $1,399, the S20 Ultra features a whopping 6.9-inch display. The Note 20 starts at $999 and offers a 6.7-inch screen, while the Note 20 Ultra starts at $1,299 and includes a 6.9-inch display.
The iPhone 12 family is designed for first-time buyers as well as those looking to upgrade from an iPhone X or 11 model or older iPhones. But Apple is naturally hoping to lure unsatisfied Android users who may be leaning toward an iPhone.
The iPhone 12 mini is targeted for budget-conscious consumers who are more comfortable with a smaller screen. Moving up the line, the iPhone 12 is geared toward buyers who crave a larger screen but don’t need all the bells and whistles of the Pro line. The iPhone 12 Pro and Pro Max are aimed at traditional consumers as well as photographers and videographers willing to pay extra not only for a large screen but for the advanced camera lenses and other cutting-edge photographic features.
Apple may have released its largest phone ever with the iPhone 12 Pro Max, but 2020 also saw the launch of two compact crackers that we were big fans of, as shown by our iPhone 12 mini review and iPhone SE (2020) review.
These two devices offer speedy components in pocket-friendly proportions, both at prices that are considerably lower than their larger siblings, making them clear contenders if you"re looking for the best iPhone on a budget.
However, despite these apparent similarities, when looking at the iPhone 12 mini vs iPhone SE (2020) you"ll see that they"re different in just about every way that counts. So which is the best compact smartphone for you?
Apple made its second iPhone SE model available to buy on April 24, 2020, though it"s no longer sold by the company, having been replaced by the iPhone SE (2022). When it was sold, prices started from $399 / £399 / AU$679 for the 64GB model. There’s also a 128GB option for $449 / £449 / AU$759 and a 256GB option for $549 / £549 / AU$929.
The iPhone 12 mini landed in shops on November 13, 2020. Prices for Apple’s smallest phone for quite some time started at $699 / £699 / AU$1,199 for the 64GB model at launch, moving up to $749 / £749 / AU$1,279 for 128GB and $849 / £849 / AU$1,449 for 256GB.
Considering both devices are available in the exact same storage options, it’s simple to make a direct price comparison. Across the options, the iPhone 12 mini comes in at $200 / £180 more expensive than the iPhone SE (2020).Today"s best Apple iPhone 12 Mini and Apple iPhone SE (2020) deals
To understand the enormity of this design gap, you have to examine Apple’s distinct approach for both phones. The iPhone SE was a result of the company deliberately setting out to create an affordable phone for only the third time in its history.
That explains the decision to recycle the design of the iPhone 8 from 2017. Now consider that the iPhone 8 itself launched at the end of one of Apple’s three-year design cycles, with its basic shape traceable to the iPhone 6 in 2014.
The result is a deeply familiar, compact yet rounded phone, with a flabby 65.4% screen-to-body ratio. The SE sports a sizable forehead and chin, the latter of which houses Apple’s classic Touch ID home button. There’s no Face ID notch here.
As small as the iPhone SE is (138.4 x 67.3 x 7.3mm and 148g), it’s actually a little larger than the iPhone 12 mini. They’re about the same thickness, but the mini is 7mm shorter, 3mm narrower, and 13g lighter.
Despite this, the iPhone 12 mini display is actually larger, owing to the fact that it stretches out much closer to the edges of the phone for an 85.1% screen-to-body ratio. Talking of edges, the iPhone 12 mini’s flat rim and sharp 90-degree angles are what really sets it apart from the iPhone SE.
In a sense, the iPhone 12 mini’s angular aesthetic harks back to the original iPhone SE, and the iPhone 4 before that. But Apple has greatly refined its classic industrial design language for the 2020s.
This includes implementing a toughened nano-crystalline Ceramic Shield screen technology that lays on four times the drop protection of previous generations. It also involves an improved IP68 rating that enables immersion in six metres of water for up to 30 minutes. The iPhone SE comes with only an IP67 rating, which enables a dunk in one metre of water for 30 minutes.
We’ve already touched upon the differences in display size between these two phones, but let’s spell things out. While the iPhone SE (2020) has a tiddly 4.7-inch display, the iPhone 12 mini has a 5.4-inch screen – which is still considered small by modern standards.
Apple has managed to present more screen space on a smaller canvas by lengthening the aspect ratio (19.5:9 for the mini, 16:9 for the SE) and drastically reducing the bezel size.
But the differences go way beyond the dimensions of these displays. While both phones achieve a typical brightness of around 600 nits (which isn’t particularly bright), the iPhone SE uses dated Retina IPS LCD panel technology. The iPhone 12 mini, on the other hand, utilizes a Super Retina XDR OLED panel.
You’re getting a good example of the LCD format with the iPhone SE, but it still has its limitations. OLED packs much bolder, more vibrant colors, higher contrast, and deeper blacks.
The iPhone 12 mini screen is also much sharper, with a resolution of 1,080 x 2,340 for a pixel density of 476ppi. With the iPhone SE you’re getting a mere 750 x 1,334 and 326ppi.
Both phones are stuck with a 60Hz refresh rate – but we can let that pass in the cheaper, older iPhone SE. We had rather hoped to see a 120Hz refresh rate in the mini, so it’s something of a missed opportunity.
We were very fond of the iPhone SE’s camera in our review. This singular 12-megapixel f/1.8 sensor offers the kind of reliably crisp and balanced point-and-shoot experience that has become Apple’s stock and trade – and for a knock-down price.
Even with its ostensibly limited hardware (most affordable Android phones have multiple image sensors), Apple’s advanced computational photography algorithms help the SE take better shots than its 2017 heritage would suggest. We’re talking improved sharpness and more accurate color reproduction in a variety of lighting conditions compared to the pre-iPhone 11 class, although it does manifest a tendency towards overexposing in some scenarios.
As good as the iPhone SE camera is for the money, the iPhone 12 mini trounces it in every respect. You’re getting two 12-megapixel sensors here, with an f/2.4 ultra-wide assisting a brighter f/1.6 wide sensor. The quality of the shots captured here is quite staggering in a phone of this size, facilitated by Apple’s A14 Bionic CPU more than any great camera hardware improvements.
It’s a more flexible camera than the iPhone SE’s, too. Yes, there’s that 120-degree ultra-wide sensor to call upon, but the iPhone 12 mini also gains Night mode for all three of its cameras. While this may not appear to make much difference in good lighting, the newer phone produces far superior results when the lights dim.
On the video front, both phones can shoot 4K at 60fps. However, only the iPhone 12 mini can shoot in Dolby Vision HDR, which makes footage look brighter, better exposed, and more professional.
While the iPhone SE shares its A13 Bionic CPU with the iPhone 11 family, the iPhone 12 mini runs on the all-new A14 Bionic. It’s difficult to pin these things down, but the newer chip enjoys a roughly 20% advantage in the CPU department, and around a 10% advantage with the GPU.
Elsewhere, the A14 packs a 16-core Neural Engine for a significant 80% boost to AI performance compared to its predecessor. It’s also worth mentioning that the iPhone 12 mini comes with 4GB of RAM, while the iPhone SE runs on 3GB.
There’s plenty more performance headroom in the iPhone 12 mini, but that’s unlikely to become evident for a year or two. Everything sails along effortlessly on both phones, from 3D games to intensive image processing apps.
Apple’s phones continue to be so fast relative to the kind of applications we subject them to, that you’ll have to look to future use cases to really stretch either. Looking forward, the iPhone 12 mini will without doubt perform better for longer.
The iPhone SE still offers outstanding performance for the price, though. We defy you to find another $400 / £400 phone on the market that runs as smoothly.
Both phones are available in the same storage options: 64GB, 128GB, and 256GB. While that seems fine in the iPhone SE, we feel it’s a little miserly in the more expensive iPhone 12 mini; 128GB should really be the new normal.
One other spec advantage that the iPhone 12 mini enjoys over the SE is 5G connectivity. Coverage is still a little spotty in most countries, but where available you’ll be able to access download speeds that make your fibre broadband connection seem like a 56k dial-up modem. Until you move two metres down the road and lose your 5G signal, that is.
Still, give it six months to a year and we predict that the picture will look a whole lot rosier for 5G – and for the iPhone 12 mini’s connectivity advantage.
Neither phone is what you’d call blessed with outstanding stamina. A large part of that comes down to their compact size, with a mere 2,227mAh battery crammed into the iPhone 12 mini and a piddling 1,821mAh unit serving the iPhone SE.
Sure enough, we noted mediocre battery life as a key flaw for both phones in our review summaries. It isn’t much of a competition, in truth – but for what it’s worth, the iPhone 12 mini comes out on top again.
With the iPhone SE, we often found ourselves reaching for the charger come the evening. With the iPhone 12 mini we could typically get to our usual bedtime charge.
One additional battery-draining component with the iPhone 12 mini is its 5G antenna. When we were out and about, flitting between networks and actively using the phone a fair amount, we found ourselves needing to recharge part way through the day. Basically, you shouldn’t buy either of these phones if you’re a heavy or power user.
Both phones support wireless charging, but the iPhone 12 mini also benefits from Apple’s repurposed MagSafe standard. However, you’ll need to pay extra for this magnetized charger (or one of the related cases and wallets), and it remains to be seen if it’s anything more than a gimmick.
Apple turned its attention back to the compact phone market in 2020, and we’re delighted with its double effort. But despite fitting similar form factors, the iPhone 12 mini and iPhone SE (2020) are actually two very different phones.
The iPhone 12 mini is far more advanced in terms of display quality, performance, and camera capabilities, and it looks much fresher too. It’s also a little tougher, and has the benefit of being able to take advantage of the fledgling 5G network.
You’ll pay for those forward-thinking components, however. The iPhone SE (2020) still feels like good value to this day, offering a loosely equivalent iOS experience for $200 / £180 less.
If you’re shopping for a genuinely small phone, these two handsets are all you really need to consider at present. If ‘very good’ is good enough for you, then the iPhone SE will serve you brilliantly for an affordable price. But if you demand a nigh-on compromise-free experience, then the iPhone 12 mini gives you close to the full modern iPhone experience in the daintiest of form factors
If you asked me which of the four different models of the new iPhone 12 you should buy without providing any further context on your needs or desires, I would tell you to buy the regular iPhone 12 without question. It has the best balance of screen size, storage, cameras, battery life, and value. It is, in my opinion, the best iPhone 12 for most people.
For the first time in many years, Apple is making an intentionally small phone. The key, though, is that unlike other small phones, Apple isn’t putting worse parts in it. The iPhone 12 mini has all the same features as the larger iPhone 12. It has the same cameras, same processor, same everything save for two things: screen size and battery life.
The iPhone 12 mini starts at $729 for a 64GB model in the US, but $50 more gets the 128GB model and that’s a much better option. It’s a small phone, but it’s not a cheap phone.
It’s traditional to refer to phones by their screen size and for the iPhone 12 mini, that number is 5.4 inches diagonally. But that number doesn’t tell the story at all. The phone is smaller than the traditional 4.7-inch-home-button iPhone design we saw from the iPhone 6 on through the 6S, 7, 8, and 2020 SE models, even though the screen itself is larger.
That’s because the 12 mini, just like the rest of the iPhone 12 line, has switched over to Apple’s more modern OLED screens and Face ID notch for unlocking. Those two features allow Apple to design the phone with minimal bezels and maximal screen.
Despite the smaller screen size, you don’t miss out on as much as you might expect. Compared to the regular iPhone 12 with a 6.1-inch screen, there are maybe one or two lines of text that are cut off. What you actually miss out on is that sense of immersion you can get from a bigger screen when you’re playing a game or watching a movie. Those were the only times this screen felt cramped.
If there is a knock on the screen, it’s that it doesn’t offer a high refresh rate like many Android phones — including the Pixel 5, which isn’t too far off from the iPhone 12 mini’s size. I’m more annoyed that the Pro iPhones don’t have it, though — here on the mini, I think battery life is more important.
To me, the iPhone 12 mini is most reminiscent of the iPhone 5. Yes, it is bigger and has a glass rear panel instead of aluminum, but it shares the squared-off aluminum sides and general feeling of being an object that was designed to be proportional to your hand. This is a phone that you can get a grip on, literally.
Because it’s a bit narrower, it’s easier to reach the opposite side of the screen with your thumb. Because it’s a bit shorter, a lot of people will be able to reach the top for the swipe-down gestures without contorting their hands into awkward claws or risking dropping the phone.
As a man with big pockets and big hands, I do not have the strongest feelings about why it’s been so frustrating not to have a small iPhone option. But I sympathize with those who do and agree with the sentiment 100 percent — I’m glad Apple recognized it and I hope other phone companies do what they often do and follow Apple’s lead.
Apple chose to make the iPhone 12 mini hew closely to the features and specs of the regular iPhone 12. It’s a laudable goal, but as I used it I found myself second-guessing that decision a little bit.
It’s corny to say I’m impressed by how much Apple packed into such a small space — but I am. The iPhone 12 mini has the fastest processor on any phone, it has the same dual-camera system as the iPhone 12, and most remarkably it has all the components and antennas necessary for both sub-6 and (in the US) mmWave 5G. It is fast, multitasks well, and doesn’t feel like a compromise when you use it. It really is an amazing feat of technology.
The iPhone 12 (left) and the iPhone 12 mini (right). The mini only loses a couple lines of text compared to the bigger screen but feels less immersive.
I don’t want to sugarcoat it nor be overly dire about it, but the battery life on the iPhone 12 mini is noticeably worse than on the iPhone 12, which itself was a step down from the battery-champ iPhone 11. For me, it’s good enough, but it does mean I’m already using it differently than I use bigger phones.
Without making any effort at it, I have consistently drained the iPhone 12 mini’s battery by early evening. I’d say it’s fair to expect the 12 mini to clock up something near four hours of screentime with stuff like web browsing, Facebook, and taking photos. Intense games give you a chance to watch the battery percent tick down minute by minute.
Of course it works with Apple’s new magnet-based MagSafe system for cases and wireless charging. Using MagSafe, the iPhone 12 mini maxes out at 12W wireless charging instead of the 15W you get on the larger iPhones, but since the battery is smaller, the overall charge time ends up being about the same.
Exactly how small is small? Apple never provides exact battery size specs — and I get the reasoning even though I disagree with it. Lots of factors affect battery life, and the iPhone 12 mini has the benefit of a smaller OLED screen. But it also has 5G.
I often have to remind people that phone design isn’t inevitable. Apple chose to keep this iPhone 12 mini the same thickness as the iPhone 12 and it chose to keep the extra parts necessary for mmWave 5G. I would rather lose both of those things in exchange for a bigger battery.
The iPhone 12 mini has the exact same camera setup as the regular iPhone 12. There’s the 12-megapixel main wide-angle camera with a f/1.6 aperture for letting in more light paired with a somewhat worse 12-megapixel ultrawide camera. Unlike the Pro models, there’s no telephoto lens nor a LIDAR sensor.
I am happy to report that the results are just like the specs: the same. The iPhone 12 mini reverts to Night mode less often than even the iPhone 11 Pro and the Pixel 5. Apple has made some improvements in image processing this year with its A14 Bionic processor that results in more detail in more lighting conditions (aka the Deep Fusion “Sweater Mode”).
As I said above, I don’t have ergonomic reasons to need a smaller phone. My advice for most people is to get the regular iPhone 12 for its better battery and bigger screen.
And yet, I love the iPhone 12 mini. It is my favorite of the new iPhone 12 models. Despite real concerns with the battery, it’s the one I have decided to get for myself.
For me, the reason to prefer the iPhone 12 mini is hard to state in words, but I’ll give it a shot. With every phone, you can tell what it was designed around. There’s some key feature that everything else has to contend with, that sets the hardware narrative. For many years now, that feature was the screen. Making it big, bright, beautiful, and bezel-less was the big thing driving phone design, and all other considerations were secondary.
The iPhone 12 mini feels like the first iPhone in a long time with a different goal. It was designed around the human hand and real pockets. It is an object that doesn’t aim to be judged against other smartphones (which are mostly big now), but to be judged simply as an object you need to hold. You judge a spatula or can opener or whatever by whether it’s easy to grip, by whether it fits in your hand. It’s about time we got back to judging smartphones that way, too.
Whether we admit it or not (and whether we hate it or not), we’ve subtly been adapting ourselves to ever-growing phone sizes. The iPhone 12 mini is adapted to us.
Apple isn"t planning to introduce an Nikkei Asian Review. An April research note from industry analyst Ming-Chi Kuo obtained by MacRumors also suggested that Apple"s 2022 iPhone lineup would lack a sequel to the Mini.
Removing the iPhone Mini from Apple"s flagship lineup would be understandable. Reports from the past year have suggested that people just aren"t interested in buying it. Nikkei Asian Review report. Counterpoint Research reported similar findings earlier this year, saying that the iPhone 12 Mini only represented 5% of US sales of the iPhone 12 lineup in the first half of January.
If the iPhone 12 Mini hasn"t been selling well, why would Apple even bother releasing the iPhone 13 Mini? It"s partially because the lead time for smartphone development is more than a year, according to Ben Stanton, a research manager for research firm Canalys. As such, there probably wasn"t enough time for Apple to factor iPhone 12 Mini sales data into the development cycle for the iPhone 13 generation.
Apple"s 2019 iPhone comes with a 6.1-inch screen, solid battery life, excellent cameras and fast performance, since it runs on a relatively recent A13 Bionic processor. It lacks 5G connectivity, MagSafe support and Apple"s more durable Ceramic Shield coating, but otherwise comes with many of the same benefits as the iPhone 12 (here are all the main differences between the iPhone 11 and iPhone 12). It"s even cheaper now that the iPhone 13 has arrived, bringing the price down to $500.
In other words, there wasn"t really a place for the Mini in Apple"s iPhone 12 lineup. It wasn"t quite cheap enough to be a budget phone like the iPhone SE, and there wasn"t enough that set it apart from the Phone 11.
The other major hurdle to the iPhone 12 Mini"s success was that analytics firm Flurry and Consumer Intelligence Research Partners also indicated that the 6.7-inch
Patrick noted in his iPhone 12 Mini review that some may find the device"s smaller screen less practical for typing, reading and viewing documents -- critical tasks that many people use their phones for everyday. That smaller size also meant a smaller battery and therefore shorter battery life, a compromise many people might not have been willing to make. Apple clearly understands this, which is why it"s extended the iPhone 13 Mini"s battery life by an hour-and-a-half compared to the iPhone 12 Mini. (The iPhone 13 Mini"s battery life will still be shorter than the iPhone 13"s, however.)
Plus, the iPhone 12 Mini"s compact design may have been less valuable during a year when many people spent most of their days at home. Who cares about having a phone that"s more portable when you"re not going anywhere?
The only time I regularly struggle to use my phone with one hand is during my morning commute since I"m usually gripping the subway pole. Otherwise, a phone with a screen that"s 6.1 inches or larger is usually manageable. I also imagine that having a phone with a larger screen and longer battery life was particularly important over the last year considering the amount of time we"ve spent on video calls throughout 2020.
Some reports we"ve seen around the iPhone 14 so far indicate Apple is planning to focus on larger phones for its flagship models. Apple"s 2022 iPhone family will still consist of four iPhones, according to Nikkei Asian Review and Kuo. However, Apple will reportedly replace the Mini with another 6.7-inch variant, meaning there will likely be two versions of the iPhone 14 Pro Max.
The iPhone 13 Mini certainly has more going for it than the iPhone 12 Mini did. Carriers are offering compelling discounts that could make it an attractive buy over cheaper older models. Apple has addressed one of the biggest complaints about the iPhone 12 Mini by extending the iPhone 13 Mini"s battery life. And people might find more value in a compact phone now that the COVID-19 vaccine has made it safer to spend less time at home compared to 2020. Only time will tell whether these changes are enough to make the iPhone 13 Mini stand out in Apple"s increasingly crowded iPhone lineup.
The new iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro have on paper almost the same display characteristics, both being 6.06” OLED panels with 2532 x 1170 resolution, however they differ in their characteristics when looking at the peak maximum brightness achieved, with the regular iPhone 12 model peaking at 625 nits and the 12 Pro peaking at 800 nits.
We’re not exactly sure as to the actual manufacturing differences between the two panels, but one thing that I immediately noticed as being different between the two models is their viewing angles. The iPhone 12 showcased a larger off-axis brightness drop-off and what I would consider a more classical OLED off-axis colour tint, while the iPhone 12 Pro behaved significantly better with almost perfect off-axis brightness and colour performance. This points out to a quite different lamination process and maybe different polarisation layer between the two models.
We move on to the display calibration and fundamental display measurements of the iPhone 12 screens. As always, we thank X-Rite and SpecraCal, as our measurements are performed with anX-Rite i1Pro 2 spectrophotometer, with the exception of black levels which are measured with an i1Display Pro colorimeter. Data is collected and examined usingPortrait Display"s CalMAN software.
In terms of display brightness, we pretty much measure figures in line with Apple’s advertised marketing and specifications, with the new iPhone 12 reaching 631cd/m² and the iPhone 12 Pro reaching a significantly higher 839cd/m². The latter figure is the highest and brightest amongst any OLED device we’ve ever measured, although it’s not all that much brighter than the iPhone 11 Pro models.
We start off the detailed measurements with the greyscale performance of the iPhone 12 Pro. Generally speaking, there’s very little to criticise the device here as there’s generally an excellent performance. Apple still showcases higher gamma at higher level colours, but that’s only a minor imperfection.
The white balance for whites actually is a tad warmer than it should be with some clearly higher-than-average levels of red. Although the total average white balance over all levels lands in at an excellent 6502K, actual whites land in at 6372K. It’s not an issue, but a little less perfect than we had come to expect from iPhones.
The iPhone 12 seems to showcase a different calibration than the 12 Pro, further evidence of the two different panels employed on the two models. The 12 seems to have slightly better gamma behaviour on the higher levels, but in exchange showcases worse off gamma at the lower levels, clipping lower level colours to black earlier than on the 12 Pro, which had near perfect behaviour here.
Oddly enough, colour temperature on the 12 behaved better than our 12 Pro sample. Average colour temperature landed in at 6520K while white landed in at 6462K, with less dominant reds than on the other phone.
sRGB colour saturations on the iPhone 12 Pro are quite excellent, with the biggest error margin happening at maximum saturation blues and magentas, with also a slightly oversaturated red. Below maximum intensity, the colours are all showcasing dEITP errors below 3 which is the just perceivable threshold for the average eye.
The iPhone 12 has slightly better results, with the blue and magenta error being less pronounced on this phone. Generally it looks that our sample here is again performing a little better than our 12 Pro sample.
In our GMB chart with common colours such as skin tones, the iPhone 12 Pro behaves admirably. Given the phone’s inaccuracies seemed to be more prevalent in higher saturations in the blue and red spectrum, and this test doesn’t contain patches in that region of the gamut, it means that the remaining test colours perform extremely well.
The iPhone 12 generally seems to beat the iPhone 12 Pro in terms of accuracy, again showcasing better results and an outstandingly good overall error result of dEITP of 1.44.
Overall, the new iPhone 12 series continues Apple’s tradition of having amongst the best calibrated displays on the market. The 12 Pro seems to just shy away from the usual Apple perfection, but the results are still outstandingly good and beyond that of any other device.
I think what’s most important for this generation of devices is the fact that the iPhone 12 now features a higher resolution OLED screen. It can’t be understated how much of an upgrade this is compared to the “Retina” grade LCD panel of the iPhone 11. Personally, this makes the iPhone 12 an actual consideration whereas I wouldn’t have been satisfied with using the iPhone 11’s LCD. It also vastly diminishes the feature gap to the Pro models – I don’t consider the brightness advantage of the 12 Pro to be all that significant, although again the Pro model does showcase better viewing angles and a more pronounced “sticker feel”.
Apple surprised us last year when it announced a new self-service repair program to allow iPhone owners to replace their own broken screens, aging batteries, and other key components.
That program finally launched last month, although, at this point, it’s limited to the iPhone 12 and iPhone 13 families. Nevertheless, if you’re thinking that this may finally let you fix your own screen, you might want to take a closer look at the various other service options available. Apple’s new Self Service Repair program isn’t for the faint of either heart or wallet.
The cost is more reasonable for older iPhone models, especially those without OLED screens. For instance, while an iPhone 11 Pro screen replacement will set you back the same $279 as the iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro, you can get the LCD-equipped iPhone 11 screen replaced for only $199. Set the Wayback Machine to an iPhone 5S or an iPhone 6, and it drops to $129.
Note that this assumes your screen is the only thing that’s damaged on your iPhone. You’ll pay more if there’s anything else wrong. Apple calls these “out-of-warranty prices,” but except in very rare cases, a damaged screen is never covered by a manufacturer’s warranty, so if you’re walking into an Apple Store, expect to pay. Apple Authorized Service Providers (AASPs) usually follow Apple’s repair pricing, but they aren’t bound by it, so they’re free to charge different rates.
At these prices, you might think Apple’s self-service repair program is a breath of fresh air. After all, shouldn’t it be cheaper to repair your iPhone screen on your own? You’d think so, but in a perhaps misguided desire to ensure that you have everything you need to do the job properly, Apple is making the process nearly as expensive and considerably more cumbersome than visiting your local Apple Store or AASP.
For one thing, genuine Apple parts don’t come cheap. An iPhone 12 Pro display bundle, which gives you a replacement screen and all of the pieces that go with it, costs $270 upfront. That’s only $10 less than having Apple repair it for you, although you will get a $33.60 credit after returning your old display to Apple. This still brings the out-of-pocket cost to $236.35.
This kit comes in two separate cases, collectively weighing 79 pounds and measuring 20 inches wide by 47 inches high when stacked. They’re also specific to each iPhone model, so you won’t be able to use the same kit to repair additional phones for friends or family members unless they all happen to be using the same iPhone.
It’s almost as if Apple doesn’t really want you to repair your own iPhone, but what could possibly be its motivation for that? It’s not like it hasn’t spent years lobbying against people’s right to repair their own devices. Apple’s stated rationale for this has always been that it doesn’t want its customers to hurt themselves by trying to fix their own iPhones without the proper tools and “Genuine Apple Parts.” Apple’s new Self Service Repair Program provides both, but in doing so, it also looks like the company wants to tacitly make a case for why its repair services are so expensive.
Screen replacement costs from most AASPs are in the same ballpark as what Apple charges. Large national AASPs like Best Buy charge identical prices, while smaller local and regional AASPs may sometimes charge $10 to $20 less depending on the model and other factors.
Unfortunately, these IRPs pay the same prices for genuine Apple parts and the necessary tools that AASPs do, and it’s not much less than what Apple charges in its Self-Service Repair Store. A survey of about a dozen IRPs across the U.S. revealed iPhone 12 and iPhone 13 screen repair pricing in the $230 to $300 range. Yes, some IRPs are charging more than Apple, most often those located in areas far from an Apple Store or AASP.
Some of the IRPs I’ve spoken with since Apple introduced the program have told me that it’s not worth it from a profitability point of view. Many have only remained in the program hoping to use iPhone repairs as a “loss leader” to bring in new customers.
You can shave quite a bit off your repair costs if you’re willing to seek out an unauthorized repair shop that’s not part of one of Apple’s repair programs, but you’ll also be doing so at your own risk. Apple isn’t lying when it says that genuine Apple parts work better for screen and battery replacements, but it is being slightly disingenuous. While there are dangers to using substandard parts, not all unauthorized parts fit into this category.
For one thing, many repair shops will salvage screens and batteries from iPhones that are otherwise unserviceable. Despite being used, these are still genuine Apple parts, and there’s no reason they can’t be repurposed to repair another iPhone as long as the shop is honest about it. There are networks of repair shops that work together to take advantage of trading in these types of replacement parts.
Apple’s repair costs have also created a significant gray market for genuine iPhone screens and batteries. In these cases, the parts are legitimate, but the sources of the parts aren’t. These methods, along with using parts legitimately manufactured by third parties, allow unauthorized repair shops to offer screen replacement prices significantly below those found in the AASP and IRP market. In my research, I encountered iPhone 12 screen replacements offered for as little as $120, although the median price from more reputable repair shops hovered closer to the $200 mark.
Unfortunately, to try and prevent this dealing in gray market and used parts, Apple has made it progressively more difficult each year to use “non-genuine” parts. Replacing a battery, screen, or camera system on recent iPhone models requires the service technician to pair the new component. If that’s not done, the iPhone will regularly alert you that it’s “unable to verify this iPhone has a genuine Apple part” and may even cause features like Face ID to fail entirely.
These high repair costs make a good case for buying AppleCare+ for your new iPhone. That will cover you for two incidents of accidental damage every 12 months for a deductible of only $29 per incident for a screen replacement or $99 for other types of damage.
Two years of AppleCare+ costs $199 for the iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 12 Pro models (and their “Max” counterparts), or $149 for the iPhone 11, iPhone 12, or iPhone 13. Compared to the screen replacement costs, which start at $279 for an iPhone 12 Pro or $229 for an iPhone 12 mini, it’s easy to see how AppleCare+ is a bargain if you break your screen even once.
Of course, like most insurance plans, unless you’re accident-prone, you’re mostly paying for peace of mind here. Apple is hoping that you don’t break your screen while you’re betting that you will break it at least once during the life of your iPhone. However, AppleCare+ isn’t the only option. Most carriers offer protection plans for an additional monthly fee on your regular bill, most of which will let you take your iPhone to an Apple Store for the same level of service you’d get with AppleCare+.
There are also independent insurance programs like Allstate’s Squaretrade that may offer better options for your individual needs. For instance, some charge a fixed deductible regardless of the type of repair; these usually work out higher for screen replacements, but can save you money for other types of damage. They may also offer a higher number of incidents or different types of coverage. So, it’s worth shopping around to see what’s available. Repairs under these programs are still conducted by an Apple Store or Authorized Apple Service Provider; either the company has an AASP it deals with, or it reimburses you directly for the cost of the out-of-warranty repairs.
What’s the takeaway here? If you break the screen on your iPhone, you’ll probably wish you had AppleCare+ or a similar extended warranty. What you may not want to do is try to repair it yourself unless you’re very handy with some rented spanners.