Apple criticised for poor iPhone 12 mini battery life in early tests

While we are yet to publish our thoughts on the iPhone 12 mini, early reviews of the miniature iPhone have begun rolling in. On the one hand, the size of the device at 131.5 mm has impressed most reviewers, especially as the mini has a much larger screen than the iPhone SE (2020); the smallest iPhone until the arrival of the iPhone 12 mini. On the other hand, reviewers have called Apple out for the 'sub-par but manageable' battery life of its 5.4-inch iPhone.

Apple has equipped the iPhone 12 mini with a 2,227 mAh battery, a size that rarely graces modern Android smartphones. According to Engadget, the battery life of the mini is adequate at best, but it will need recharging every night even with moderate use. Similarly, TechRadar says that the battery will run out before the end of the day if the device is used frequently.

The Verge described the battery life of the iPhone 12 mini as 'below average' too. The website added that its review unit usually needed recharging by the early evening - or slightly longer than a working day. Meanwhile, Dave Lee demonstrated that the iPhone 12 mini would barely last a working day when loading up websites with light backgrounds. However, ten hours is in line with Apple's battery life claims. In short, the iPhone 12 mini should appeal to fans of small smartphones, but only if you can handle middling battery life.