Alright, I caved and bought the iPhone 12 Mini, but not because I got sucked into Apple’s marketing magic, but because I fell in love with the size. I love that there are no hand gymnastics needed to navigate through the phone. I can’t even imagine how annoying it would be to use the iPhone 12 pro max with iOS’s horrible one-handed user experience. But I do love the iPhone 12 mini, a lot!
This is not a regular specs review (there are plenty of reviewers for that). Instead, it is based on my experience with the iPhone 12 mini.
Before I get into it, I still hate A LOT about iOS. Here’s a list:
• iCloud is a backup right? Well, for some reason, if I delete something from my photos app, it gets deleted from iCloud, my backup. For 64Gb that’s not a very elegant solution and it is an easy way for Apple to make more money. I need and want to be able to delete photos on my phone!!!
• When I start typing a number, why doesn’t the phone app understand which number I am typing and suggest the contact directly?
• I hate the fact that I have to go all the way up and drag down the notification shade or the control centre.
• Also, why can’t I just have apps on the bottom of the screen.
Well, these are some of the things I noticed in a week. But I’m sure people that are used to this won’t care, so let’s get into the review.
What’s the interface like?
There’s something really attractive about iOS, it is extremely easy. I don’t have to make a lot (I still had to) of changes. Most of the settings were good out of the box (for an iPhone). That is definitely a bonus for people that don’t want to fiddle around with the settings. The software and iOS integration works for the most part. Snapchat for instance is way better on an iPhone compared to any other Android phone. However, iOS just isn’t that customisable. While it’s been getting progressively better over the years, it still doesn’t come close to the customisation of Android. You do, however, get the security of knowing your phone will be updated for many years to come, unlike a lot of Android devices. I feel the OS is very limiting for someone like me and the annoyances I mentioned above are real and it feels coming from Android where you can literally fix anything.
Mini but Mighty
Even at A$1190, the iPhone 12 Mini slays in performance. It beats nearly every phone in its pricing tier in RAW performance. I didn’t experience a single slowdown during my time with the device. However, the 4GB RAM is noticeably worse than 12GB on my fold 2 or note 10+. Older apps keep shutting on me and they end up refreshing, which gets tiresome after a while. However, in most cases, you won’t notice any slowdowns from this tiny beast.
Siri vs Google Assistant
Siri has gotten better over time but it is still not as complete as Google assistant. Google’s integration with smart homes is far superior to that of Siri too. I do like the minimalistic bubble when you call Siri. It seems a lot less intrusive compared to past iOS versions.
Is the ecosystem really a thing?
Short answer, yes! But that is only if you use an Apple Watch, AirPods, Mac, iPad, etc. However, I am still not extremely integrated into the ecosystem despite the numerous Apple devices I own. I back up all my photos to Google and not iCloud. I don’t message a lot of people on iMessage and so on. But once you are in the ecosystem, you are trapped for a while. However, Apple does have the best smartwatch in the market right now and everything works really well with each other. As a whole package, it is great if you are sure you can trust Apple with future products.
Apart from the software ecosystem, Apple seems to be building a hardware ecosystem with MagSafe accessories. Third-party accessories from Moft, Moment, Satechi, Spigen and a lot more are coming up which makes using the phone a lot more fun. For those of you that don’t know what MagSafe is, Apple added magnets to the back of every iPhone 12 which allows added accessories like a wallet, phone stand, car mount, or even align a wireless charger perfectly (image below).
Small phone, Small battery!
Unfortunately, a natural trade-off of a smaller phone is worse battery life. The iPhone 12 Mini doesn’t get abysmal battery life by any means, but if you’re going to be out for the night, you’ll have to give your phone a bump to make sure you can make it home with no battery anxiety. However, the standby time on iPhones is great and if you don’t intend to use the phone a lot, then you won’t have to worry too much about the battery.
iPhones truly have horrible charging speeds compared to most Android flagship in 2021. The one benefit of the iPhone 12 mini is that because of the small battery size, it feels like the phone is charging really fast. MagSafe is a delight and it is my favourite form of wireless charging in 2021. The magnets align the charger perfectly to the phone and I don’t have to worry about the phone not charging overnight.
Oh also, lightning cable sucks. I don’t use it, I just stick to MagSafe or regular wireless charging. I hate carrying another cable because literally, all my devices charge via USB C.
Face ID or Touch ID
I personally prefer a fingerprint scanner over face ID, mainly because I can unlock my phone from unconventional angles. I do like the fact that my fold has both face unlock(even though it is not as secure) and a fingerprint scanner.
Smaller size, Same cameras!
I’m surprised Apple used the same cameras on the iPhone 12 mini as the iPhone 12, considering its size. iPhone cameras have never been the most versatile in the market. But I can give them one thing, they are consistently good. You know what to expect and that does give an additional level of confidence in smartphone photography. I do miss having single-take feature that is on my fold which lets me take a wide range of photos and videos with a single click. The videos are the best on an iPhone and it is the same with the 12 mini. The videos are a lot more natural and seem very natural with an excellent dynamic range.
Photo samples below:
In the end, I am still not switching to an iPhone completely. I do love Android more but I understand the appeal of using an iPhone. However, I love the iPhone 12 mini as a phone and it is an easy recommendation for anyone that just wants an iPhone. Apart from the slightly worse battery life, there is nothing wrong with the phone. Most of my gripes were with iOS and not the phone. Using it with one hand is a delight, the cameras are great, apps on iOS usually work really well and the ecosystem is enticing. I am glad I exchanged my pixel 4 for the iPhone 12 mini. For now, I will continue using it as my personal phone and my beastly Fold 2 as my main work phone.
TechAware 
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