Apple’s new iDevices say: Small is beautiful, too

CUPERTINO, Calif. – As it struggles to match the success of its big-screen iPhones, Apple is now contending that small can be beautiful, too.

The giant tech company showed off downsized versions of its signature iPhone and iPad Pro tablet on Monday, hoping they’ll appeal to first-time buyers and those who have shied away from the bigger-screen models Apple has sold in recent years.

At a time when overall smartphone sales are slowing, Apple touted its new 4-inch iPhone SE as the “most affordable” new phone the company has offered. While it comes with an upgraded camera, faster processor and other features, the SE has a starting price of $400, or $50 less than the older iPhone 5S that it’s replacing. By contrast, the iPhone 6S Plus, which had been Apple’s newest and biggest phone, starts at $750.

The company also knocked $50 off the price of its Apple Watch, showed off some new bands for the wearable gadget, and announced some software enhancements for its mobile devices and the Apple TV system.

Few of Monday’s announcements surprised industry experts. Analysts say Apple clearly hopes the new devices will broaden its appeal and get more people to use the latest versions of its lucrative online services – such as Apple Pay, Apple Music and the mobile App Store – at a time when overall sales of Apple’s sleek iDevices are leveling off.

“We’re at a point, in a mature market, where it’s about having niche products that satisfy different needs,” said veteran tech industry watcher Bob O’Donnell of Technalysis Research.