A render video of what could have been the iPhone 16 Mini. (Image source: @asherdipps)
There’s no such thing as an iPhone 16 Mini, some people might exclaim. Indeed, the compact 5.4-inch smartphone does not exist, and render artist Asher Dipprey isn’t the only one who finds this a shame. Readers can now admire a virtual rendering of the sleek and compact iPhone with the powerful Apple A18 and all the latest iPhone features.
This weekend, compact smartphone fans can feast their eyes on what will never be: an artist’s video impression of an iPhone 16 Mini, accompanied by the song “Have You Ever Seen the Rain” by Creedence Clearwater Revival. The smallest iPhone is currently the iPhone 16 with a 6.1-inch display, which is slightly larger on the Pro model. This is compact compared to many other smartphones these days, but still quite a bit larger than the last official “mini iPhone”, which, as we all know, was discontinued after the iPhone 13 Mini in favor of the complete opposite in Plus format.
We’re not the only ones who think this is a shame; there’s even a petition calling for the revival of an iPhone Mini on Change.org. However, the 456 supporters so far highlights the problem that likely led Apple to end the Mini series: The iPhone 12 mini and iPhone 13 mini weren’t exactly a huge commercial success. But the same could also be said of the successors to the iPhone Plus series, as according to previous leaks and rumors, they too will no longer be developed. Instead, the new buzzword is “thin”. Following the Galaxy S25 Edge, Apple will likely counter Samsung with the iPhone 17 Air in September 2025 and perhaps usher in a new success story.
Fans of smartphones that are as compact as possible will likely only have the 6.1- to 6.3-inch format to choose from in the future, which is increasingly being used by Android OEMs. Xiaomi, Oppo, Vivo, and of course Samsung and Apple will continue to offer this display size as an alternative to the more powerful 6.7- to 6.9-inch giants. But back to the iPhone 16 Mini: The concept video below by US render artist Asher Dipprey visualizes what a modern mini iPhone could look like in 2025, including the latest Apple A18 chip, vertical dual-camera design, dynamic island, and an action button instead of a mute switch.
As a young tech enthusiast with a history involving assembling and overclocking projects, I ended up working as a projectionist with good old 35-mm films before I entered the computer world at a professional level. I assisted customers at an Austrian IT service provider called Iphos IT Solutions for seven years, working as a Windows client and server administrator as well as a project manager. As a freelancer who travels a lot, I have been able to write for Notebookcheck from all corners of the world since 2016. My articles cover brand-new mobile technologies in smartphones, laptops, and gadgets of all kinds.
Translator: Jacob Fisher – Translator – 1883 articles published on Notebookcheck since 2022
Growing up in regional Australia, I first became acquainted with computers in my early teens after a broken leg from a football (soccer) match temporarily condemned me to a predominately indoor lifestyle. Soon afterwards I was building my own systems. Now I live in Germany, having moved here in 2014, where I study philosophy and anthropology. I am particularly fascinated by how computer technology has fundamentally and dramatically reshaped human culture, and how it continues to do so.