Is Apple Employing A “Go Small” Strategy With Latest Product Unveilings?

You have probably already heard of what Apple officially introduced during its event held in its headquarters located in the city of Cupertino in California. The company introduced a smaller (4 inches), cheaper (starting at $399), but powerful (thanks to the A9 chip set) iPhone and a shrunken version of last year’s iPad Pro tablet device. For sure, both the iPhone SE and the 9.7 inch iPad Pro are impressive products in their own right regardless of their size, but one must wonder if Apple really is opting for a “go small” approach for its two newest mobile device offerings, which are launching on March 31st of this year.

Releasing a smaller iPhone really does qualify as a sort of an “against the flow” move for Apple. We are now entering into the age phablets, where just about every other device out there sports a display screen bigger than 5 inches. Even Apple has joined in on the fun with the release of its iPhone 6 and iPhone 6s devices in the last couple of years, and will surely continue with the unveiling of the new iPhone 7 handsets later this year. 

So what’s with the 4 inch iPhone SE? Its release marks the first time that the company is introducing a new iPhone that is actually smaller than some of its predecessors. Some industry analysts are saying that perhaps Apple is simply catering to iOS mobile users who either do not mind owning a mini iPhone or are looking for a less expensive iPhone option. 

Introducing a budget friendly iPhone (or something like that) does make sense for Apple, especially if it wants to strengthen its presence in emerging mobile markets, where most consumers simply can not afford a $650 Apple smartphone. Or maybe, just maybe, Apple is releasing a more accessible iPhone device in order to combat iPhone fatigue or fix its first ever slump.

As for the 9.7 inch iPad Pro, there is no question that the purpose of its introduction is to revive Apple’s ailing tablet sales. When the company released its earlier 12.9 inch iPad Pro last year, it never really took off with the masses, despite of its very impressive capabilities. Indeed, during the final quarter of 2015, the tech giant saw its tablet sales decrease 25 percent, a remarkable showing considering that the holiday quarter is usually considered a very good three month stretch for Apple devices.

The question now is: will consumers actually buy the new 9.7 iPad Pro? One reason why people do not buy new tablets anymore is that they generally find their existing tablets still good enough. This holds true for the entire tablet industry. The new iPad Pro does offer some really interesting specifications, but whether those shiny new features will translate to purchases is still anyone’s guess. 

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