The last compact smartphone from Apple was the 5.4-inch iPhone 13 mini, launched in September 2021. It was later replaced by the larger 6.7-inch iPhone 14 Plus, and there are currently no plans to reintroduce a smaller iPhone model.

According to a recent live Q&A with Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman, Apple has shifted its focus away from smaller phones. Gurman explained that Apple engineers are not working on a smaller iPhone at this time, signalling a continued trend towards larger devices.

The current iPhone line-up includes the 6.1-inch iPhone 16, the 6.7-inch iPhone 16 Plus, the 6.3-inch iPhone 16 Pro, and the 6.9-inch iPhone 16 Pro Max. If you're looking for an iPhone with a display smaller than 6.1 inches, options are currently limited.

While Apple may reconsider its approach if market demand changes, there's no indication of a return to smaller iPhones in the near future. This year, the iPhone 16 Plus is expected to be replaced by the iPhone 17 Air, which will likely offer a similar screen size.

Should Apple reconsider?

Apple never made an official statement, but market reports suggest that the iPhone 13 mini didn’t sell as well as expected, which likely led to its discontinuation. However, many TechRadar readers felt the iPhone 13 mini offered the ideal smartphone size.

In a recent poll on the TechRadar WhatsApp channel, we asked users about their preferred phone screen size. The most popular choice, with 241 out of 799 votes (31%), was for phones with displays 6.9 inches or larger, like the iPhone 16 Pro Max.

Phones with screens under 6 inches—such as the iPhone 13 mini—came second, receiving 171 votes (21%). Despite this interest, it is becoming increasingly difficult to find compact smartphones.

It seems there weren’t enough buyers for smaller phones like the iPhone 13 mini, so Apple has discontinued the model. If you prefer smaller devices, you might want to consider a flip phone, such as the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6.