Apple iPhone 12 mini (64GB) - Blue

So a bit of history about me that led me to buying this. I have had pretty much every iphone since they first appeared. The 4/4s and 5 remain my favourite. The mIni shares many design cues with those which was part of th eappeal.However the real appeal was that I wanted a small, light premium phone after lugging my iphone 11 around since it came out.So I took the plunge and decided to get the 12 mini despite it being a drastic drop in screen size and on arrival I wonder if I had done the right thing.The phone comes in the usual premium Apple packaging minus a charger which is fine. I went for the white one, and its more off white but stunning.Immediately it felt at home in my hand. Setup is mega easy, I just turned it on next to my 11 and about half hour later all my apps, photos and settings were transferred. Some additional setup was needed for banking apps and signing into Apple Pay but thats fine and expected.Its light and the design is spot on. I started to have a play and contrast against my 11 and initially i felt it was the wrong choice but now the 11 feels completely alien to me.The OLED screen is lovely and the difference by comparison to my 11 is amazing. A few videos latter and the screen has won me over.The key point for me is using it one handed is a joy again. Moving about the gym with it is a joy again, generally living with it so far has been joyful.The camera is superb and in particular low light pictures are a win.Battery life, it has a small battery. As an 'average' user I get through the day fine. At a push I could get almost 2 days out of my 11, this wont do that but gets me through my average day. When I'm int he car using carplay the phone is charging, in fact most places I have access to charge if need be.The build quality is fantastic. Every bit the premium phone and this time I went for white which I am loving.I have encountered one issue that has been reported on by the tech press, and that is if you fit a screen protector and a case, there is an intermittent issue where the screen doesnt respond to a swipe. I notice that maybe one in ten swipes to unlock requires me to reswipe. Hoping Apple resolve this with a software fix and that it is not hardware. Though Apple I know are better than most offering support programs to fix any problems.Overall, the camera, screen and build are amazing and this is the perfect phone for me against a trend of making phones bigger and bigger. There are compromises such as average battery and the aforementioned problem. Theres even 5g support when that becomes available.

My iPhone 7 plus was great, but I now wanted a similar size screen but with less weight and bulk, something easier to carry in my jeans pocket. I've had my iPhone 12 mini for a month now, and am very happy with my choice.Screen size is only fractionally smaller, I don't even notice after a month. But the smaller overall dimensions and lighter weight mean I barely feel it is in my pocket, which is a benefit I chose it for.My concerns about facial recognition were completely unfounded - it is much easier than the finger print ID, and I don't miss the home button either. I don't use my phone for gaming or watching films, so I find the battery life absolutely fine. Excellent screen display quality and camera, and it's fast.In terms of iPhone pricing, the current discounts being offered represent a serious bargain! I hope Apple continue with a small version of future phones, but they could do to come up with a better name than mini, which I think may put some people off - it's an ideal size for those not wanting or needing a phablet. I have absolutely no regrets buying the 12 mini.

I bought my last iPhone (iPhone 8) back not long after it was released so I was definitely due an upgrade. I purchased the 12 mini when it was on offer during Prime Day - and I’m so glad I did. I’d forgotten what it’s like to have a phone that actually lasts all day - the 8 required mid-day charges quite quickly after I bought it so I had chargers dotted all around my life for convenience. I think I’ve only had to use them with the 12 mini a couple of times in the months I’ve had it.Other plus points - it’s fast, 128gb storage means I no longer have to offload apps to save space, and the size is absolutely perfect - it fits in my jeans front pocket easily (the “normal” 12 is too big for your pocket to be comfortable. I’m a huge advocate that if I want a big screen I’ll use my iPad - my iPhone is for convenience, messaging and calls.The camera is brilliant - has lifted my photos to a whole new level. I must admit though, I don’t rate the wide angle lens much - it creates a bit of a fish-eye distort to pictures which I’m not a fan of. The decent front facing camera is great for selfies though. And I really love portrait mode how it blurs the background behind the subject.This is my first phone with FaceID. Mixed opinion - in many ways it’s nice and convenient - when it works. But if for some reason it’s having a moment and doesn’t recognise your face, it’s a pain. I’d say I have more difficulty opening my phone with faceid than I have ever had with TouchID. Given the choice I’d go back to touch. And when wearing a face mask it’s a pain!All in all, I’m very happy with my new phone and I’m expecting it to last many years.

I really really like this phone and to be honest I shouldn’t complain.I enjoy the size of it, I’d personally not have a phone too large as it would just be an inconvenience carrying it round. The camera quality is superb and is to a very high standard. As well as this the speed it operates at, is again, to a very standard. However the battery life is good but not excellent. Now I’m being very harsh when I say this, as I’ve never actually ran out of charge, throughout a whole day. Although it could be a tiny bit better, as towards the end of the day I may need to adjust my usuals slightly, to help stretch it out.I will admit, the only thing I’d say about buying this phone is sometimes I dwell on purchasing one further up the higher end range. Purely because, although the camera quality is fantastic on this, there are more desirable features on the more expensive options.To conclude it’s a very good phone and will most definitely do everything you need it to, to a high standard.