The iPhone 14 Plus is such a blunder that it is apparently causing Apple to rethink its entire iPhone lineup.
In a new post from yeux1122, a semi-reliable Apple leaker, Apple is reportedly seeing dismal iPhone 14 Plus sales. According to the post, the decline in iPhone 14 Plus sales is "far beyond the range predicted by the external environment." This is leading the company to consider the following changes to the iPhone 15 lineup:
- Actively considering reducing the difference between the pro model and the basic model rather than 14
- The iPhone 14 Plus is in a serious situation, and the biggest problem is the price. The plus position of the 15 series is It is highly likely that the price will be set differently than it is now
- The difference in material and camera parts between the pro model and the max (15 series naming may change) is definitive.
It sounds like one of the changes could be to bring the Dynamic Island, the display feature currently exclusive to the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max, to the entire iPhone 15 lineup.
While the post notes that Apple could become more aggressive with its pricing of the regular iPhone 15 models, it's unclear how much the price could come down. Regardless of the changes, it seems the failure of the iPhone 14 Plus has turned from rumor to reality and the company is having to pivot in another direction.
Speaking of direction, I have a suggestion as to what Apple could do: bring back the iPhone mini.
iPhone 15 mini or we riot
The failure of the iPhone 14 Plus isn't surprising. Those looking for a huge iPhone have already been used to paying the extra price for the iPhone Pro Max models. While the Plus offered the screen size of the Max, those customers would have to give up all of the other features they've enjoyed for years with the Max like improved (and more) cameras, a Pro Motion display, and premium materials.
Not only would customers have to give up those features, but they'd do so for a price that gets pretty inconsequential when the Plus costs $899. When you're already spending almost $1000 on a phone, you might as well spend $1099 to get the one with all of the features (and all of the status).
With the iPhone 14 Plus bombing, Apple should reconsider the resurrection of the iPhone mini. While the iPhone mini only saw life for two years, I think Apple was premature in removing it from the lineup.
The iPhone 14 Plus is never going to build a community behind it like the iPhone 12 mini and iPhone 13 mini did. People who have tried going back to a tiny phone (myself included) fell in love with the iPhone mini. It's like a movie that slowly gains a cult following. Those are the kinds of movies that stand the test of time, and the iPhone mini is that cult movie.
I really hope that next September rolls around and Apple announces the iPhone 15 mini. A tiny iPhone with Crash Detection and Emergency SOS via satellite would be a sleeper hit with users. All you need to do is put an iPhone mini in someone's hand and you see their eyes light up. There's nothing as magical as a fully-featured iPhone in a mini package. Just ask everyone who still thinks the iPhone 4 is the best iPhone ever made.
