Apple today unveiled the 9.7-in. iPad Air 2 and the smaller 7.9-in. iPad Mini 3, both revisions of their predecessors, with the new Mini getting the shortest shrift on stage time and changes.

The 80-minute presentation seemed long for what Apple had to announce, said Ezra Gottheil, an analyst with Technology Business Research, who noted that the first half hour was spent recapping the launch of the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus and providing updates on previously-announced news — Apple Pay will roll out Monday, for example.

“Apple has the right to spin it how they want, but this was pretty empty calories,” said Gottheil of the event.

“I think that’s too harsh,” countered Carolina Milanesi, chief of research at Kantar Worldpanel ComTech. “People are saying, ‘They haven’t pushed the envelope [on tablets] today,’ but maybe it’s not the right time. There’s nothing wrong with the line-up, and I think there was enough here for an upgrade perspective.”

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