Rumors that Apple’s smallest 2020 smartphone will launch as the iPhone 12 mini continue to gain weight, with a new leak claiming to show official labeling confirming the new name. Chatter of an iPhone 12 mini began back in January, with talk of it kicking off a four-strong line-up of iOS smartphones that would top out at the largest iPhone 12 Pro Max.
The name resurfaced later in the year, and only this month the purported October range was further detailed. The iPhone 12 mini was said to have a 5.4-inch display, according to the rumor-mill, smaller than the iPhone 12 with its 6.1-inch display.
The iPhone 12 Pro would also have a 6.1-inch panel, but add a third camera among other changes. Finally, the iPhone 12 Pro Max will be the biggest, with a 6.7-inch panel according to the leaks. It may also be the only version of Apple’s 2020 smartphones to get faster mmWave 5G, it has been suggested, with issues around antenna size and power consumption blamed for the omission in smaller, more affordable phones.
We’re still yet to see the actual devices – though an Apple event, almost certain to be held virtually, is expected to be announced imminently – but that hasn’t stopped the leaks around the new phones. Latest comes images of what are said to be labels for official Apple silicone cases for all four of the phones, shared by Twitter user @duanrui1205. The three cases – with one doubling as an iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro case – confirm the names, including the iPhone 12 mini branding.
iPhone 12 mini
— DuanRui (@duanrui1205) September 25, 2020
iPhone 12 / 12 Pro
iPhone 12 Pro Max
Silicone Case Stickers pic.twitter.com/bWaFiWG9Ht
Of course, as with any leak there’s no guarantee that this will pan out. Still, it makes some sense within Apple’s broader range. The iPad mini may have gone some time without an update, but naming the smallest iPhone in a similar way to the smallest tablet would at least be cohesive.
What remains to be seen is just how “mini” the phone’s price turns out to be. Currently, Apple’s range starts with the second-generation iPhone SE at $399; an iPhone XR starts at $599, meanwhile. Earlier leaks have indicated that the iPhone 12 mini will go on sale at $649, slightly cheaper than the iPhone 11’s current starting price of $699.
It’s a compelling spread of pricing – with the iPhone 12, iPhone 12 Pro, and iPhone 12 Pro Max undoubtedly spiraling up into four figures, as with the iPhone 11 Pro and iPhone 11 Pro Max currently – and fleshes out Apple’s range in the more affordable end of the smartphone segment. That’s arguably where the most interest has been in 2020, as economic necessities force phone-shoppers to reconsider just how much they’re willing to spend to put a new handset in their pocket or purse.
