Apple discontinued the iPhone 12 mini with the launch of the iPhone 14 series in September 2022. However, for a while, the company continued to sell the device in refurbished condition on its website in the US.
The refurbished variant hit the shelves in late July 2022, which was months before the handset even got discontinued. But the product was only available in 128GB version.
iPhone 12 mini Refurbished Model with 256GB Storage Now Available
Now, more than a year later, Apple has brought back the iPhone 12 mini refurbished model in stock on its US website. But this time around, the device is offered with 256GB storage and at a cheaper price.
The iPhone 13 mini was discontinued after the iPhone 15 lineup went official this September. With this, the ‘mini’ lineup was officially dead and it was no longer listed for sale, including refurbished variants.
Surprisingly, two months later, the iPhone 12 mini 256GB makes a return in its refurbished avatar on Apple’s US website. It is listed at $529, which makes it $50 cheaper than the 128GB refurbished variant ($579) that was sold earlier.
Currently, it is the only iPhone mini smartphone officially sold by Apple. Unfortunately, it is limited to the US.
The Rise and Fall of the iPhone 12 mini
Apple debuted its inaugural 5G iPhones in the form of the iPhone 12 lineup in the fall of 2020. The series also introduced the ‘mini’ model for the very first time.
Though netizens praised the return of the small form factor, the market preference is towards large-screen phones. Thus, the sales of iPhone 12 mini and its successor iPhone 13 mini tanked compared to the regular and pro models.
