There are two reasons Apple released the iPhone 12 and 12 Pro first. First, they share most of their components, which simplifies the build process. Two, Cupertino must have thought they are the two most interesting models of the four.
And analysts think the same: Ming-Chi Kuo estimates that between 7 and 9 million units were ordered on Day 1 and predicts that the mini and Pro Max will not be as popular. However, last week’s survey shows otherwise, as the two models scheduled for a November launch cannot arrive soon enough. As usual, there is a large contingent of people who are not interested in buying an iPhone.
Apart from them, the iPhone 12 mini turned out to be the most desirable model. There is nothing like it on the market, especially after Sony discontinued the Compact line (the Xperia 5 II is not that small). This also made the mini a divisive phone – some say the regular iPhone 12 is better value for money as it has a larger screen and battery, others love the mini exactly for its size.
Interest in the new smaller iPhone may cause curious ripples in the smartphone market: Some commentators believe (or perhaps hope) that Android makers will follow Apple’s lead and make small flagships again.
Moving on, the second most popular model was the iPhone 12 Pro Max, the largest and most expensive phone in the series and the one with the best camera. The largest main camera sensor and longest telephoto lens are available exclusively on the Max. This is also the largest iPhone with a 6.7 ”screen.
Checking our daily interest chart, the Max is way ahead even of the mini. Going back to Kuo’s predictions, the analyst believes that the Pro Max will account for 15-20% of all iPhone 12 models sold, while the mini will be the least popular with a 10-15% share. One thing is for sure, more people are looking for the biggest phone – in about a month it will be known how many end up buying it.
Next up is the vanilla iPhone 12. In some ways, this was the biggest update year after year, as the LCD was swapped for OLED. And if you have an XR, the ultra-wide camera is a new addition. However, Apple didn’t double the storage like it did the two pros, so folks coming from an 11 or XR are looking for the same storage options (and 64GB is starting to feel tight).
Ultimately, the iPhone 12 Pro attracted the least amount of attention among the new models, but it’s not all bad: It proved more popular than older iPhone models, which got a price cut when the 12 series was introduced. The 12 Pro offers a larger screen compared to the 11 Pro and XS (6.1 “vs. 5.8”), double the base storage, LiDAR and a few other benefits, notably 5G.
Apple waited until the US, Europe and other key markets developed 5G networks instead of launching them last year when coverage was limited. We didn’t see much excitement for faster connectivity though, but it seems like potential buyers are more interested in the other 12-series updates.
