The current reasoning in mobile device design might be "big is beautiful," but Apple appears to go in the opposite direction with its most recent device offerings, the 4-inch iPhone SE and a 9.7-inch iPad Pro.
Unveiled during an uncharacteristically short March event, the iPhone SE is identical in size to the iPhone 5s-- making it fully compatible with cases designed for older iPhone models, bringing some good news to both customers and accessory makers. However the internals are similar to those of the iPhone 6s, since it features the same A9 CPU, M9 motion co-processor and a 12MP rear-facing iSight camera.
Also included are Touch ID capability, LTE support, 802.11ac wifi, new microphones, always-on "Hey Siri" voice activation and improved battery life.
On the other hand the 9.7-inch iPad Pro is exactly what it says on the tin-- it is an iPad Pro crammed in regular iPad casing. It includes all features of the 12.9-inch tablet, including Pencil and Smart Keyboard support, while improving the camera (a 12MP number identical to the one found in the iPhone 6s) and the display (featuring "True Tone" technology to adjust white balance according to ambient light levels).
“iPad Pro is a new generation of iPad that is indispensable and immersive, enabling people to be more productive and more creative," the company says. "It’s incredibly fast, extremely portable, and completely natural to use with your fingers, Apple Pencil and Smart Keyboard. And now it comes in two sizes."
Also announced at the event are a set of brightly coloured Apple Watch bands in a new material-- woven nylon-- and "Liam," a robot the company says is able to break down an iDevice into the most basic components for the ultimate in recycling.
The iPhone SE and 9.7-inch iPad Pro ship in select European territories, including France, Germany and the UK, by end March 2016.