[DigitalToday reporter Yoonseo Lee (이윤서)] The iPhone 13 mini is still rated as an outstanding compact smartphone, but criticism has emerged that its role as a main device is effectively coming to an end in the face of changes in battery and charging conditions.

On May 6 (local time), IT media outlet The Verge pointed out that in a market reshaped around larger smartphones, the iPhone 13 mini’s strengths remain, but its real-world usage environment is becoming unfavorable even faster.

The iPhone 13 mini, released in 2021, remains the last compact iPhone Apple has effectively put out. The problem, though, is not so much the product itself as the fact that the usage environment has changed.

Its strengths are clear. It is easy to use with one hand, and its size fits easily into a pocket or small bag, a feature that is rare in the recent smartphone market. In fact, even among today’s mainstream Android phones, it is difficult to find a device comparable in size to the iPhone 13 mini.

Its feature set is also unexpectedly solid. The iPhone 13 mini includes MagSafe and an ultra-wide camera, and it also supports a physical SIM tray. Some users also say this slot has been one of the most practical elements in recent years. The explanation is that putting an Android phone’s physical SIM into the iPhone 13 mini and then switching to eSIM to move it to another iPhone was the most stable method.

But the factor that held it back in real-world usability was the battery, more than screen size. The assessment was that it was hard to last a full day even though battery health was shown at 97 percent of maximum capacity. Even spending most of the time at home connected to Wi-Fi, a day’s use was tight, and on business trips it needed charging as soon as the user arrived at the hotel. In the end, battery anxiety, more than the small screen, was cited as the bigger limitation.

Changes in charging standards are also seen as a burden. The iPhone 13 mini uses a Lightning port. In everyday use it can be used without major inconvenience with MagSafe and wireless earphones, but in-car CarPlay cables are based on USB-C, and when a charging cable or wired earphones are needed in a hurry, it has become much easier to find USB-C products.

In an environment where multiple devices are used interchangeably, the convenience of standardising cables and accessories to a single standard increases. For that reason, the assessment is that Lightning-based devices are becoming an increasingly inconvenient choice over time.

The shrinking market for compact phones is also becoming apparent. Apple did not release a successor to the 'mini' line in the iPhone 14 series, and while the iPhone Air inherited some characteristics, it has a 6.5-inch screen and is hard to view as a compact phone. While some small companies are keeping compact phones alive, the view is that it is unlikely major manufacturers will again release products similar to the iPhone mini.

The iPhone 13 mini still best shows the advantages of a compact smartphone, but battery life, the Lightning port and market momentum shifting toward larger screens are increasingly acting as major constraints. There remains a user base that prefers compact phones, but it seems unlikely major manufacturers will re-enter this market in earnest. Ultimately, the iPhone 13 mini is likely to remain the last highly finished compact iPhone.