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[Blablurn]

Apple is coming dangerously close to losing control of how consumers make sense of its mobile and tablet lineup. The culprit: the company's ever more complicated naming scheme for its proliferating product lines. With today's announcement of a new 4-inch iPhone, called the iPhone SE, and a new 9.7-inch iPad Pro, we now have a dizzying number of choices to make when considering which Apple smartphone or tablet to buy, and all have almost identical sounding names.

At first glance, it's near impossible to tell the difference between an iPad Air 2 and similarly sized iPad Pro, or an iPad mini 2 and an iPad mini 4. And you'd be hard pressed to find anyone outside die-hard tech circles or watch enthusiast clubs who knows whether the Apple Watch Sport or the plain-old Apple Watch is the one with an aluminium case, how much each costs, and why.

"Does the next iPhone SE become the iPhone SE 2?"

The future doesn't look any simpler. Does the next iPhone SE become the iPhone SE 2? Does the next iPad Air simply replace the iPad Air 2 and drop its numerical modifier? How about the next Apple Watch, which may end up in an online shopping cart with the name Apple Watch Sport 2 38mm Silver with Yellow Sport Band? Right now, we’re stuck referring to the new iPad Pro as the 9.7-inch iPad Pro, or the smaller iPad Pro. Going forward, we may have to tack numerals onto that as well.

These are all questions borne out of a product lineup that’s grown from a single-sized iPhone and iPad to five different iPhones, five different iPads, and dozens of smartwatch configurations. Apple has long prided itself on simplicity. Soon enough, however, the company could be performing the same contortions its fans have long mocked companies like Samsung for, releasing new devices with winding monikers like Samsung Galaxy S II Epic 4G Touch.

The underlying change in Apple's approach to choice is a welcome one. It's great that we can customize our Apple Watch bands and now choose between a myriad of colors, storage capacity options, and screen sizes for tablets and smartphones. At the same time, however, it gets harder for a company to stand apart for its simplicity while slapping a new name and processor into a four-year-old phone and updating a tablet it released just six months ago. In its search for new customers, Apple is trying to squeeze new juice out of old ideas and the wear is beginning to show most prominently in how these products can be told apart.

"Apple is trying to squeeze new juice out of old ideas"

The company could certainly go back to basics, with just one model of tablet and smartphone for each available screen size. That would require a great deal of house cleaning, given the amount of clutter surrounding an iPad lineup with names like iPad mini 4, iPad Air 2, and 9.7-inch iPad Pro. For smartphones, it would mean simplifying the entire iPhone category into three easy-to-understand size choices and starting anew.

Of course, that would entail ensuring all of these devices are operating on the same playing field. Right now, purchasing one Apple phone or tablet typically means losing out on a key feature available only on another. Buy the iPhone SE and you don’t get 3D Touch. Buy the 12.9-inch iPad Pro and you don’t get a 12-megapixel camera.

Or Apple could embrace its new complexity and stop pretending to offer a simple product lineup. In CEO Tim Cook’s vision for the iPhone maker, choice is more important than having a laser-focused lineup with no room for extraneous options. If that’s the case, the company still needs to get its product names in order. Because the iPhone SE 2 sounds just as strange and bloated now as it will to consumers who have even more devices to choose from come next spring.

http://www.theverge.com/2016/3/21/11278554/apple-ipad-pro-iphone-se-confusing-product-names

 

[dc89]

You could probably say the same about the notebook range with 4 different models available.

 

[perfectchaos007]

Yikes. Probably not a good idea to cause product confusion with similarly named products. Just ask Nintendo.

 

[Zalman]

Yikes. Probably not a good idea to cause product confusion with similarly named products. Just ask Nintendo.

Not even Nintendo is this bad.

iPhone SE is basically the "iPhone 6s Minus". It's a smaller iPhone. The SE name makes no sense. iPad is even worse. At first there was the iPad mini, iPad Air, and iPad Pro; three different sizes. That kind of makes sense. Now there's an iPad Air-sized iPad Pro. What the heck?

Also, there's the MacBook Air and the MacBook Pro. Cool, the Pro is more powerful and the Air is the thinnest model. Makes sense. Except no, now there's a device simply called "MacBook" that's even thinner and lighter than the MacBook Air.

 

[Future]

iPhone se was a mistake. Should have went iPhone 6 mini

The increase of products is due to size options

iPhone mini
iPhone
iPhone giant

iPad mini
iPad
iPad Pro

Not that bad. And necessary to cater to all users. The large phone sales explosion seen with the 6 proves that neglecting that audience would have been stupid. Lack of iPhone manufacturers besides Apple means they had to support people that want small phones too

This is what happens when you are the sole manufacturer of a product. You have to compete with yourself a little bit to cater to all audiences, or users will buy the real competition

Edit: the amount of products is fine, but the naming is hot garbage. Imagine if cars did this: Tesla 5 or BMW 32

Just use the year as a suffix and be done.

iPhone 2016

 

[nubbe]

The iPad Mini Has Company
iPad Mini Mega Micro Max

 

[Always-honest]

Yeah, they're doomed.

Seriously though. Apple is slipping.

 

[Deaf Spacker]

Yeah I use an iPhone 6S at the moment and even I'm slightly confused by the different names.

 

[Chanser]

Can we resurrect Mr Jobs?

 

[Toki767]

I'm kind of under the impression that there won't necessarily be an iPhone SE 2 any time soon. At least, not next year.

 

[Anth0ny]

The iPad Mini Has Company
iPad Mini Mega Micro Max

spot on

 

[Pops Maellard]

Yeah, they're doomed.

Seriously though. Apple is slipping.

Eh, what Apple has released while "slipping" is still arguably better than vast majority of their competitors. I love my Apple Watch and 2015 Macbook.

 

[hamchan]

Have to agree.

iPhone 6S Mini
iPad Air 3

These names make sense and stay consistent.

I'll probably buy an iPad Pro 9.7 inch but why is it even called this? Now there are two different lines of iPads at 9.7 inch wat. Why not just save the Pro moniker for the giant version?

 

[davepoobond]

can't wait for iPhone: Electric Boogaloo

 

[GorillaJu]

Yikes. Probably not a good idea to cause product confusion with similarly named products. Just ask Nintendo.

They've reached a market saturation level that even a fifth of that amount would send guys like Nintendo into boner city.

I do think that they're teetering on the wrong side of that fence in terms of product diversity, but I also think they're so big that the wider public doesn't really have a problem with keeping track of their latest product line.

 

[Pops Maellard]

Have to agree.

iPhone 6S Mini
iPad Air 3

These names make sense and stay consistent.

I'll probably buy an iPad Pro 9.7 inch but why is it even called this? Now there are two different lines of iPads at 9.7 inch wat. Why not just save the Pro moniker for the giant version?

I agree, but I'm assuming that it's the best way to continue to make it clear that most iPad's cannot be used with an Apple Pencil. There's already a shocking amount of people that assume their current iPad model will support the Pencil, and relegating this to the "Pro" line seems the best way to keep this as concise as possible.

 

[Always-honest]

Eh, what Apple has released while "slipping" is still arguably better than vast majority of their competitors. I love my Apple Watch and 2015 Macbook.

I agree.
Apple guy here.

Still. I don't like what i'm seeing these last few years.

 

[massoluk]

They already lost me on the name game sometime ago with the ipad line

 

[Nexus Zero]

I think apples slippage had been greatly exaggerated, but it's clear they're not saying "no" enough anymore.

Some of this could be helped by relegating old models - you can still sell the iPhone 6 for example, just do it outside the main lineup. It's stuff like this that'll slow down their upgrade cycles, as it'll be perceived that previous devices aren't so bad (and they're not)

 

[Peter Ian Staker]

Doesn't really matter.
Customers are smarter than you think and salesmen in most stores do a good job to fill in the blanks when needed.

 

[Spyder_Monkey]

Instead of "iPhone se" it should've been "iPhone 6c" and instead of "iPad Pro" they should've kept it as "iPad Air" c'mon it's really not that hard.

 

[andrerobot]

I find it sad and hilarious that they try to keep interest on the Apple Watch by announcing new straps.

 

[Giolon]

I find it sad and hilarious that they try to keep interest on the Apple Watch by announcing new straps.

And a $50 price drop.

 

[EGM1966]

The loss of Jobs continues to bite. Since his demise they've gone from being a leader through clear market positioning and crystal clear understanding of what they're delivering to just another one of the pack reacting to others, throwing out various models accordingly and diluting the core aspects of their brand.

They remain the leader of said pack still arguably, but I expect the slide to continue unless they wake up and find a way to act like they were under Jobs.

I've noted even their stauncest supports in media have been noting concerns over range proliferation, confused offerings and unclear brand management.

Expected though. Like him or loathe him Jobs was a singular individual who ruthlessly identified and led the company with a winning strategy and they've lost that since he passed.

 

[Dougald]

Should have gone with the "iPhone 6S mini" or something, makes sense given the iPad mini line

 

[Kuros]

And a $50 price drop.

Which still makes is far too expensive.

 

[Milly Osworth]

Is the Ipad pro 9.7 the "next" ipad or will they release a new normal one soon?

 

[subrock]

I agree.
Apple guy here.

Still. I don't like what i'm seeing these last few years.

I agree
Apple guy here

Still. I like what I'm seeing but I don't have quite the same urge to buy.

 

[Ashhong]

What's the problem?

iPad Pro is one line
iPad Air is another
iPad Mini is another

They are pretty distinct. I think it's stupid to complain that it's hard to distinguish the Mini 2 and Mini 4. That's like saying it's hard to distinguish a Playstation 3 and a 4. It's just the newer model.

 

[breakfuss]

Agreed. I am super confused by it all...especially with the iPad lines. Far cry from the simplicity of years ago.

 

[ZeroX03]

iPhone Mini would've been a clearer name.

iPad Air 3 would've been better too. The Air is a known quantity. "Pro" was the word people related to the big iPad.

You've got three size tiers. Keep naming consistent between product lines and indicative of sizes and it'll help.

 

[user_nat]

Macbook, Macbook Air and Macbook Pro aren't much better.

 

[massoluk]

What's the problem?

iPad Pro is one line
iPad Air is another
iPad Mini is another

They are pretty distinct. I think it's stupid to complain that it's hard to distinguish the Mini 2 and Mini 4. That's like saying it's hard to distinguish a Playstation 3 and a 4. It's just the newer model.

Right now on Apple website:

12.9-inch iPad Pro
9.7-inch iPad Pro
iPad Air 2
iPad mini 4
iPad mini 2

And then you have retailers selling older generations. Sorry, but the Apple naming scheme made it even more confusing there

 

[WanderingWind]

What's the problem?

iPad Pro is one line
iPad Air is another
iPad Mini is another

They are pretty distinct. I think it's stupid to complain that it's hard to distinguish the Mini 2 and Mini 4. That's like saying it's hard to distinguish a Playstation 3 and a 4. It's just the newer model.

Post a picture of a PS3 and a picture of the PS4 real quick.

 

[soxinthebox]

The iPad Pro 9.7 is pretty strange but as a gamer and a Mac user it's frustrating that seemingly all but the most expensive models of their iMacs/MacBook Pro's are using integrated graphics. My 2012 rMBP has a dedicated card but the same thing in 2015/16 doesn't so if this ever breaks I'm not sure what I would do.

I don't understand why they'd remove options like that. Sure the OS is better on worse specs with El Capitan but why gimp your products?

 

[SynthFetish]

Just imagine the amount ok SKU's in an Apple Store stock room.

 

[oti]

What's the problem?

iPad Pro is one line
iPad Air is another
iPad Mini is another

They are pretty distinct. I think it's stupid to complain that it's hard to distinguish the Mini 2 and Mini 4. That's like saying it's hard to distinguish a Playstation 3 and a 4. It's just the newer model.

Do you even know what a PS3 looks like?

 

[Ryne]

Does the ipad pro succeed the ipad air? That's what I want to know before running off to buy an ipad air 2.

 

[TAJ]

They started fucking up by calling the third-gen iPad "The New iPad" instead of iPad 3.

 

[EmilioLargo]

I agree, but I'm assuming that it's the best way to continue to make it clear that most iPad's cannot be used with an Apple Pencil. There's already a shocking amount of people that assume their current iPad model will support the Pencil, and relegating this to the "Pro" line seems the best way to keep this as concise as possible.

This. Why should the pro label be connected with size? The iPad pro 9,7" has even more pro features than the bigger version. I agree that they have to straighten their product lineup in terms of names for the sake of consistency but labeling the new 9,7" device Air 3 is not the way to go imo.

 

[Ashhong]

Post a picture of a PS3 and a picture of the PS4 real quick.

The article meant physically? My bad, I thought it meant specs wise. But who cares? It's about the consumer making the purchase. You see the Mini 2 and the Mini 4, and you read the specs and see which one is better. I'm honestly confused as to what the problem is there. What about TVs? Tons and tons of TVs look exactly the same, with even more negligible specs. Or hell, Galaxy S4 vs S5

Right now on Apple website:

12.9-inch iPad Pro
9.7-inch iPad Pro
iPad Air 2
iPad mini 4
iPad mini 2

And then you have retailers selling older generations. Sorry, but the Apple naming scheme made it even more confusing there

Each one is it's own product line. I really don't think it's that hard. Macbooks have been doing this forever. The most confusing thing to me there is the fact that they sell Mini 2 and Mini 4. Just seems weird to not be selling 3.

 

[Jimrpg]

Maybe they are going to name the next iphone, iPhone SEX.

The naming is annoying though, its definitely intentional, they want to confuse their customers into thinking its something new.

 

[HazySaiyan]

Don't know why they didn't just call the iPhone SE the iPhone Mini or iPhone 6S Mini, it's so much simpler. Not only that but the fact it looks pretty much identical to a 5S is just going to confuse some people, they should have styled it like the 6S/6S+

 

[glaurung]

If you are in the know, it's still very easy. If you are outside the circle, you will need a bit of effort to educate yourself.

Still 1000000x better than the Samsung clusterfuck with 50+ products.

 

[Bonfires Down]

Why can't they just merge the iPad Air and Pro lines? Is pen support very expensive to implement or something?

 

[Ashhong]

Why can't they just merge the iPad Air and Pro lines? Is pen support very expensive to implement or something?

I think it's just about having the separate product lines and features. They want different tier priced products to entire more consumers. If they got rid of the Air, they would have to lower the Pro, or else it would look like they were raising the price of the iPad Air. Better to have the different product lines

 

[FerranMG]

The 9.7" iPad Pro naming is egregious.
The SE is not that bad per se, but it won't make any sense starting next year, when/if they plan to update it.
I also think Apple have been messing up the naming of their products for some time already.

 

[WanderingWind]

The article meant physically? Who cares? It's about the consumer making the purchase. You see the Mini 2 and the Mini 4, and you read the specs and see which one is better. I'm honestly confused as to what the problem is there. What about TVs? Tons and tons of TVs look exactly the same, with even more negligible specs. Or hell, Galaxy S4 vs S5

A PS3 and PS4 - your analogy, not mine - are immediately distinguishable from one another. An iPad Mini 2 and 4 are not. That is part of what the article is talking about. Too many choices that aren't immediately indistinguishable from one another. You many not view it as an issue. That's fine. You are not a part of what the article is talking about. Not everything is about people like us, Ash.

 

[- J - D -]

Is it really a problem?

Judging by how effin packed Apple stores always seem to be, the consumer who can't tell from one iPad/iPhone to another are probably already in an Apple store talking to one of the employees.

Call me back when they stop selling like gangbusters.

 

[orava]

If you are in the know, it's still very easy. If you are outside the circle, you will need a bit of effort to educate yourself.

Still 1000000x better than the Samsung clusterfuck with 50+ products.

I'm in the "samsung loop" and their products are very clear to me. I don't have a clue about the current apple shitsoup. So i guess it goes both ways.