Apple unveils iPad mini

SAN JOSE, Calif —

Apple introduced the iPad mini, confident that a smaller version of its beloved tablet computer will trump lower-priced offerings by rivals Amazon, Google and Samsung. Chief executive Tim Cook coolly presided over the launch of what was considered his first Apple product not bearing the thumbprint of late co-founder Steve Jobs, who derided small tablets as “DOA.”

The iPad mini’s touchscreen measures 7.9 inches diagonally compared to 9.7 inches on the original iPad. A 16-gigabyte version of the iPad mini with Wi-Fi connectivity costs $329, while a 16GB model with both Wi-Fi and cellular capability costs $459. The top-of-the-line 64GB iPad mini with Wi-Fi and cellular connectivity will sell for $659. Like later versions of the original iPad, the new Apple tablet also features rear- and front-facing cameras.

Apple also unveiled a fourth generation of the original iPad  for the same starting price of $499 for a 16GB model with Wi-Fi connectivity. Apple has sold over 100 million iPads in two and a half years, more than 275,000 applications were now available for the iPad in Apple’s App Store and that customers have downloaded a total of more than 35 billion apps.

Apple set the tablet computer market ablaze with the first iPad in early 2010 and stuck with its 9.7-inch screen while rivals introduced lower-price tablets with screens closer to seven inches.

Amazon’s seven-inch Kindle Fire proved popular last year, and a new version was launched last month. Meanwhile, a Google Nexus 7 powered by Android software has since joined the Samsung Galaxy in the seven-inch tablet market.

While the cheapest iPad mini costs $329, less than the original iPad, the device is still considerably more expensive than the seven-inch tablets from Amazon, Google and Samsung which start at $199.

This will open up new segments of the market to Apple segments that would like an Apple, but which prefer a smaller screen or a lower price tag. Apple shares ended the formal trading day down 3.26 percent to $615.25 but regained ground in after-market trades.

Some analysts believe the iPad mini was priced too high to fend off competition from Nexus 7 and Kindle tablets.