If you’ve been quietly holding out hope for another bite-sized iPhone, it might be time to let go. The last truly ‘mini’ phone from Apple — the charmingly compact iPhone 13 mini with its 5.4-inch display — launched back in 2021. And ever since, things have only gone bigger. It was replaced by the iPhone 14 Plus, which stretches out at a sizeable 6.7 inches. That shift wasn’t just cosmetic — it was strategic. And now, the writing seems painfully clear: the mini might never return.
According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, who rarely misses a beat on Apple matters, the company has “really shifted away” from small form factors. He added that Apple’s engineers aren’t even working on a smaller iPhone at the moment — not in secret, not even experimentally.
That’s a pretty firm “nope” from Cupertino.
So, what does the current lineup look like? Bloated. Beautifully bloated. The smallest iPhone today is the standard iPhone 16 with a 6.1-inch screen. Then there’s the iPhone 16 Plus (6.7 inches), iPhone 16 Pro (6.3 inches), and the king-sized iPhone 16 Pro Max at 6.9 inches. Basically, if you’re craving something smaller than 6.1 inches, your options are dwindling fast — unless you’re ready to flip your expectations entirely (more on that later).
Gurman did leave a small crack in the door. He mentioned Apple might reconsider compact phones if market forces shift. But don’t hold your breath — or your credit card. The company seems focused on the iPhone 17 Air as the next iteration, likely keeping the same hefty dimensions.
And why did the mini vanish in the first place? Simple economics. Apple never officially admitted it, but sales data spoke louder than any press release. The iPhone 13 mini just didn’t sell well enough to justify its existence.
Still, the market speaks louder than sentiment. For all the nostalgia and affection the mini inspired, not enough people put their money where their preferences were. And Apple, predictably, noticed. So if you’re someone who misses that one-hand-friendly form factor, you might need to start thinking outside the slab. Devices like the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 offer a small-phone feel without sacrificing modern screen real estate.
Because let’s face it — compact might be cool, but it’s no longer king.
