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Apple unveiled its new line of iPhones on Tuesday and analysts suggested its biggest hit of the season could be its newest smallest product: the iPhone 12 Mini.
It will be Apple’s smallest flagship iPhone since the iPhone 6, which was introduced in 2014, and tech experts said it could mark a turning point in the trend for ever-larger phones and be a huge hit with women.
“The big news for me is the iPhone 12 Mini,” said Ben Wood of technology consultancy CCS Insight. “After years of phones getting bigger and bigger, Apple is reversing the trend by offering a flagship product in a smaller package. I think it will be a very popular move. Where Apple goes, others follow, and I expect all rivals to make similar moves over the next 12 months.
“The fact that the iPhone 12 Mini also supports 5G is another advantage. Apple’s positioning of the device as ‘the world’s smallest, thinnest and lightest 5G phone’ will certainly make headlines. “
In addition to being a low-cost device, the Mini also addresses long-standing criticisms of gender bias in smartphone hardware design. Author Caroline Criado Pérez, in her award-winning book Invisible Women, writes: “The average smartphone now measures 5.5 inches … the average man can comfortably use his device with one hand, but the average woman’s hand is not much bigger than the phone itself. “
That could lead to updates from users who have stuck with older or smaller devices, like Apple’s budget iPhone SE, so far the company’s smallest phone still on the market.
The presence of 5G will help reassure those users that their new phone is future-proof, analysts at stock brokerage Peel Hunt said. The lack of a “killer app,” such as mobile video for 4G, could mean less pressure to upgrade anytime soon, “but in a pandemic, your mobile phone is your lifeline,” they added.
The current weak point continues to be mobile networks. Coverage is spotty, particularly in the US, where a specific variety of 5G, called mmWave, is being rolled out. That technology, which is not used in most of the rest of the world, trades huge speeds for poor signal.
It is only compatible with iPhone 12 models sold in the US, which have had to include a special “window” in the phone to prevent the signal from being blocked by the metal casing, but even then, buyers will follow experiencing a connection degradation. next to trees, buildings, and even thick glass blocking line of sight with cell phone antennas.
Lynnette Luna of analytics firm GlobalData said she expected the initial problems to pass. “Apple has the leverage to bring new technologies to the forefront once it embraces them; We saw this happen when 4G was a new technology. While many are concerned that 5G networks are not robust enough to drive adoption of the new iPhone 12 lineup, there are other reasons why consumers will want to buy the phone.
“Across the line, Apple has significantly improved processor speed, display and camera quality, especially in low light, which should resonate with many consumers.”
What’s new in iPhones 12
CeramicShield
A new glass technology that involves a “high temperature crystallization step that produces nanoceramic crystals within the glass matrix.” Apple says it reduces the screen’s breaking capacity four times compared to previous models.
MagSafe
MagSafe for iPhone is Apple’s attempt to reduce the hassle of wireless charging and introduce a new line of accessories. Magnets on the back of the phone align it with chargers and allow new cases to be attached.
5G
The latest and greatest in mobile technology is here, although for many users it may initially be a wet squib. Fast discharge speeds are available under ideal conditions, at the cost of shorter battery life when in use. The real benefits will come when crowded hotspots finally get to use technology to increase capacity.
LiDAR
Think “laser radar” and you’re halfway there. LiDAR technology enables the new iPhones Pro to accurately measure distance, even in low light conditions. Apple says it will speed up autofocus on its cameras, but the real plan is to use it for AR technology, or augmented reality.
Edge to edge display
The new square edges of the iPhones 12 allow the screen to get closer to the edge than ever. That means the iPhone 12 Mini can have as big a screen as the iPhone 6 Plus, in a device the same size as the iPhone 6.
