Sidebar, apparently the Mini is a flop, but ironically in my social circle of engineers, 90% of iPhone users have a Mini. I hope it’s demise is just a rumor.
Whereas in the wider population the appeal of a full computer is more limited: people are more likely to throw cash at a bigger screen for better media consumption and gaming, and maybe have a cheap laptop for times where you really need a keyboard and desktop software.
I think you are underestimating how much people are using their phones for content creation. My daughter uses her phone for her entire video production pipeline. She records and edits videos, does compositing and animation, mixes audio, does photo editing etc. all on her iPhone.
I've tried several times to show her the advantages of using a 'real' computer with 'real' software, but she just finds it slow and annoying.
Guess it'll be pop-sockets for me from here on out!
I imagine the SE will carry the mantle of the Mini going forward. That's fine with me, I've switched to upgrading my phone every 4-5 years anyway.
Sadly it seems like the 13mini will be the last one.