A sleeker design hasn't necessarily translated to better sales for the iPhone 12 mini. Apple's smallest phone in years may not have the battery life or storage that consumers expect for its current price point.

The phone is easier to hold and handle, and has earned praise from those who use it, but with so many other options on the market, the mini hasn’t become as popular as other new models have in the past. A report released earlier this week by Consumer Intelligence Research Partners (CIRP) showed that sales of the iPhone 12 mini lagged compared to some of Apple’s other models.

"Apple has seen other phones struggle in a similar way, such as the iPhone X, which they cancel after a year. Typically, Apple just drops the price of a phone and keeps it on the market for two to three years," Michael Levin, CIRP partner and co-founder, told Lifewire in an email.

The smallest iPhone in years doesn’t seem to be the first choice for consumers at the Apple Store. After receiving good reviews from the New York Post, CNET and even Lifewire experts, the device has seen slow sales, the report says.