The iPhone mini series lasted only two generations. There was an iPhone 12 mini, followed by an iPhone 13 mini, but then Apple went in the opposite direction and launched a larger iPhone 14 Plus instead of an iPhone 14 mini. While compact phone fans may lament this decision, it seems likely to have been the right one.
A recent report by Display Supply Chain Consultants (DSCC) (opens in new tab) – via Phone Arena (opens in new tab) – has tracked iPhone 14 series display units and found that panel shipments for the iPhone 14 Plus in the last 11 months is 59% higher than the same period last year for the iPhone 13 mini.
Now, that number won’t exactly reflect the number of units of each model that actually sold, but Apple won’t order more panels than it needs or expects. So it seems pretty conclusive that the iPhone 14 Plus is far outselling the iPhone 13 mini at this stage in its lifespan.
The obvious takeaway from this is that small phones don’t have much of an appetite compared to big ones. Of course, some people still buy compact phones, so it’s a shame that they may have fewer and fewer options.
That report also revealed that panel shipments for the iPhone 14 series are 2% higher than the iPhone 13 series at this point last year, so the new phones are likely to outsell marginally overall.
It’s not all good news for the iPhone 14 Plus
The iPhone 14 Plus is still not selling well (Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)
While the iPhone 14 Plus seems to be doing much better than the iPhone 13 mini, it still doesn’t look like it will hit the market as the Pro models seem to be the best sellers by far.
iPhone 14 Pro Max has a 36% share of iPhone 14 series panel shipments, iPhone 14 Pro has a 28% share, iPhone 14 has a 25% share, and iPhone 14 Plus has a 11% share.
Compared to their predecessors, that’s a 23% increase for the iPhone 14 Pro Max, a 22% increase for the iPhone 14 Pro and a 36% decrease for the iPhone 14. So it seems that people are whetting their appetites best phones they can currently get. Then again, this change probably has as much to do with Apple delivering a rather boring iPhone 14 as anything else.
There’s no iPhone 13 Plus to compare the current model to, but when panel shipments for the iPhone 14 are down 36% compared to the iPhone 13, it’s still shipping more than twice as many panels as for The iPhone 14 also doesn’t paint a very rosy picture for the Plus.
As such, we wouldn’t be surprised if the Plus line doesn’t last long, just like the Mini line. Leaks suggest we’ll be getting at least one iPhone 15 Plus, but it might actually be cheaper than the current model for better selling.
