Apple Releases New iPad Mini Ads, 'Photos' And 'Books' [VIDEO]

Many have worried about Apple's future in advertising its own products without Steve Jobs, especially given the lackluster reception the company's received in 2012 over its TV ads for the iPad, Mac, and even the Apple Stores themselves.

Thankfully, it looks like Apple's rediscovered its winning formula recently: After audiences cheered for several minutes after CEO Tim Cook showed off the first ad for the new iPad Mini -- a full-sized iPad playing a duet of "Heart and Soul" with an iPad Mini, both using the same piano application on Garageband -- Apple released two more iPad Mini commercials in this same vein on Sunday, hopefully showing audiences that the iPad Mini can do everything the iPad can.

The new commercials -- entitled "Photos" and "Books," -- are available to watch directly on Apple's website, but we've also embedded them here at the bottom of the page.

In "Books," two iPads open different but related books in their respective iBooks Libraries to show off how similar the experience feels between the two devices. Similarly, in the "Photos" ad, an iPad and iPad Mini scroll through Library photos in sync, and despite no voiceover, the song that plays in the background, the 1960 tune "Two of a Kind" by Bobby Darin and Johnny Mercer, reinforces the fact that the iPad and iPad Mini are really one and the same product, albeit different experiences.

The new ads are a welcome return to the basics for Apple, which has always been about presenting its products in a simple but elegant way. Earlier this year, Apple strayed from the course and suffered the consequences from fans and critics, and as a result, its trio of "Mac Genius" commercials were mercifully pulled after just a single run during this year's Summer Olympics.

Check out the ads here, and let us know your impressions in the comments section at the bottom of the page. While you're at it, check out my review of the iPad Mini.