I’ve written about the iPhone 13 Mini a lot but wanted to sum up a few thoughts in one post now I’m over a year using it daily.

It’s complicated…

I both love and hate this device.

I love the form factor, it’s almost the perfect smartphone. It doesn’t cause hand fatigue, it’s got a decent battery, the camera is great and there’s loads of apps to use.

I hate that Apple haven’t thought about accessibility using it though do not fully test it in display zoom mode. The user interface is broken in so many places that I have to disable display zoom now but that makes it a difficult device to use for me personally. I might even get on the beta and continue to raise these accessibility bugs with the display zoom, even though they get no traction from inside Apple based on my experience.

I am at the point that I need to make a decision whether or not to stick. I either hope Apple fix the issues or switch platform. I’d rather not switch but the iPhone Mini form factor is the only iPhone I can use.

I am waiting for a reduction in cost of the Pixel 7a or Asus Zenfone 9 as a test but with current finances I’m not in a position to put money into my side projects so it’ll have to wait.

I’ve gone on a little tangent here but it’s important to say that the iPhone 13 Mini is still the best small smartphone you can buy, there’s not much else out there apart from the iPhone SE or the Asus Zenfone that comes close. I know we are a small group according to Apple but those of us that love devices that fit into our pockets are coming unstuck. Every manufacturer see’s screens getting larger not smaller so unfortunately I see Apple never producing another Mini and that makes me sad.

For me in testing an iPhone X recently, that’s almost the perfect balance of weight and screen. Moving up to 6.1” on the 12 series I feel was a mistake and I would have loved a 5.8” screen on that form factor. To me that would have been the best move and Apple wouldn’t have needed to even create an iPhone Mini, then we wouldn’t be in this position. Keep the “standard” as 5.8” then the Max at however big they want to make it.

I’m going off on a tangent again…

You can tell I have mixed feelings on this device.