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The Verge: Apple is losing the name game

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A

Ashhong

Member
WanderingWind said:
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.
Click to expand...

I edited my post because I read that wrong.

But I'm still wondering, for who is the article saying that this is a problem for? For a buyer at the store? I don't understand why the fact that they look similar is a problem. Let's say that the 4 was round or something but with the same specs? What would that change?
 
G

glaurung

Member
orava said:
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.
Click to expand...
Definitely. But for someone who has zero information on Samsung stuff, this is daunting.

408549.jpg


Not the newest image and not the entire catalog, but a good start.
 
cyberheater

cyberheater

PS4 PS4 PS4 PS4 PS4 PS4 PS4 PS4 PS4 PS4 PS4 PS4 PS4 PS4 PS4 PS4 PS4 Xbone PS4 PS4
TAJ said:
They started fucking up by calling the third-gen iPad "The New iPad" instead of iPad 3.
Click to expand...

Yep. I agree with this. It's confusing as fuck and I keep up on Apple tech.
 
T

thenexus6

Member
Yup, I posted about in the event thread. I swear naming products should be the easiest most straight forward thing but these companies keep screwing themselves over.
 
A

Ashhong

Member
I am trying really hard to understand why it's confusing lol. Three different iPads to choose from. Pro, Air and Mini. They each have clear, defined differences. Nevermind the iPhones and all that, it doesn't get much simpler then this.
 
A

anonymous_abc

Member
I tend to agree. In broad strokes I would say I am on top of what is happening product wise and where the differences are, but even I have trouble remembering what iPad my partner has and there is no immediate way of telling from just looking at it.
 
S

Skux

Member
The phones are fine. Small phone, flagship phone, big flagship phone.

It's the iPads where things get silly with the Air and the Pro. People just want a tablet.
 
A

Ashhong

Member
Skux said:
The phones are fine. Small phone, flagship phone, big flagship phone.

It's the iPads where things get silly with the Air and the Pro. People just want a tablet.
Click to expand...

This makes no sense. It's like saying there should only be one laptop model or one TV model. Choices are silly?
 
M

Mindwipe

Member
I think the SE is the best iPhone Apple have made in years, but the name is a trainwreck.

They should be called the iPhone 6s (the 4 inch version) the iPhone 6 and the iPhone 6l.
 
Putosaure

Putosaure

Member
At least the models have something different, design-wise.

I remember when I bought a sixth gen iPod touch, that I had no indication that it was the last model sitting in its box, as there was no difference between the new and the old packaging.
 
onken

onken

Member
Yep, as someone that doesn't really follow Apple I have no idea what they have when it comes to their product line up these days.
 
A

Ashhong

Member
onken said:
Yep, as someone that doesn't really follow Apple I have no idea what they have when it comes to their product line up these days.
Click to expand...

How could you if you don't follow apple? I assume you wouldn't go stare at their products in a store either
 
V

ViciousDS

Banned
Ashhong said:
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.
Click to expand...

They really should have just called it the damn iPhone mini
 
O

oti

Banned
When members of my family (who arent "in the know") try to tell me what iPhone model they own there are two scenarios:

1. "The one with the colour on the back."
2. "I have no idea."

I used to own both iPhone and iPad (not anymore) and even I think it's too much. New iPad, iPad Air, iPad Pro. What?
 
A

Ashhong

Member
oti xero said:
When members of my family (who arent "in the know") try to tell me what iPhone model they own there are two scenarios:

1. "The one with the colour on the back."
2. "I have no idea."

I used to own both iPhone and iPad (not anymore) and even I think it's too much. New iPad, iPad Air, iPad Pro. What?
Click to expand...

How is that different from other products? That just tells me your family don't remember what they bought, or don't care.
 
T

Tobor

Member
Ashhong said:
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.
Click to expand...

Exactly. This is the media looking for a reason to write an "Apple is slipping" article. If this is the best they can come up with, then Apple is in great shape.

I especially love the "Jobs would never have done this" angle, as if there any more naming conventions now than under his watch. There aren't.
 
F

Fliesen

Member
Baron Doggystyle von Woof said:
The iPad naming is confusing but iPhones are still fine.

iPhone SE (smaller edition)
iPhone 6s
iPhone 6s plus

Until they bring a iPhone pro.
Click to expand...

yeah, but there's nothing that would have prevented them from calling it 6S mini. Which is exactly what it is.


a combination of device family - hardware generation - form factor

iPhone - 6S - mini
iPhone - 6S
iPhone - 6S - plus

i don't see how that's so hard.

anyways, Apple's name game as been bad for ages now.

the whole "iPad mini" -> "iPad mini with retina display" -> "iPad Mini 3" jump was dumb
so was "iPad" -> "iPad 2" -> "the new iPad (with retina display)" -> iPad (4th generation) -> "iPad Air" -> "iPad Air2 was dumb

Apple's always been kinda dumb. Those "one-off" names are idiotic.
The "Air" name needs to die across all their devices (because "Air" stands for "light and thin" - every piece of electronics is "light and thin" by now)

don't even get me started on the "with retina display" scheme on their MacOS devices.

also: "iPhone" "iPhone 3G" "iPhone 3Gs - THE S IS FOR SPEED!!!" "iPhone 4" happened under Jobs. - so he was no stranger to dumb naming.
 
J

jelly

Member
They are just trying to hit many different price points for maximum sales so they have many products and variations to do that. Nothing else but a new stellar product line is going make sales go up so packing their offerings like that is the only option.
 
O

oti

Banned
Ashhong said:
How is that different from other products? That just tells me your family don't remember what they bought, or don't care.
Click to expand...

People actually care about Apple's products (I guess?). I don't know, you're right. It's just that back in the day™ when I was an iOS user I really enjoyed the simplicity of their brands.

In the end though I don't really care. I'm someone on NeoGAF, I will research phones for hours before I buy something and I've never met someone who's actively upset by all the new Apple brand names.

But it dies go against what they preached a few years ago. There's no denying that.
 
G

goodcow

Member
Ideally, they would name the lineup:

iPhone mini
iPhone
iPhone Plus

iPad mini
iPad
iPad Pro

But then they would, again ideally, have the specs be identical between the lines, other than the size as a differentiating factor.

Why are there two iPad Pros, but the smaller model has half the RAM and a worse processor? How is the smaller model an iPad Pro then?

The current naming conventions, AND hardware crippling is asinine.
 
T

Tobor

Member
goodcow said:
Ideally, they would name the lineup:

iPhone mini
iPhone
iPhone Plus

iPad mini
iPad
iPad Pro

But then they would, again ideally, have the specs be identical between the lines, other than the size as a differentiating factor.

Why are there two iPad Pros, but the smaller model has half the RAM and a worse processor? How is the smaller model an iPad Pro then?

The current naming conventions, AND hardware crippling is asinine.
Click to expand...

This is a bizarre conclusion for someone who I know has owned Macs for years to make.

MacBook Pros have always had different specs between sizes. Why would you expect iPad Pro to be any different?
 
G

goodcow

Member
Tobor said:
This is a bizarre conclusion for someone who I know has owned Macs for years to make.

MacBook Pros have always had different specs between sizes. Why would you expect iPad Pro to be any different?
Click to expand...

Maybe because they're all in one devices, where you can't customize any of the specs like a laptop? If I see two different iPads, of the same generation, I would want the only difference spec wise to be the screen size.
 
A

Ashhong

Member
goodcow said:
Ideally, they would name the lineup:

iPhone mini
iPhone
iPhone Plus

iPad mini
iPad
iPad Pro

But then they would, again ideally, have the specs be identical between the lines, other than the size as a differentiating factor.

Why are there two iPad Pros, but the smaller model has half the RAM and a worse processor? How is the smaller model an iPad Pro then?

The current naming conventions, AND hardware crippling is asinine.
Click to expand...

What product line has different sizes but identical specs? That's not how it works. If that was the case, the larger one would be woefully underpowered. The smaller pro still has the features that the Pro line advertises, such as the use of the pencil.

I do agree it should be iPhone mini. Maybe they thought that would sound too small
 
M

marrec

Banned
They should change the name of the 13" iPad Pro to the iPad Pro Mega.

That one's free Apple, you want more you'll have to gimme that cash.
 
F

F1Fan

Banned
Its not just the naming scheme. They have completly lost the plot with their design. They are making their devices far worse due to keep on reducing tickness that hardly anyone notices.

Take this new ipad pro 9.7 example. With the protruding camera, the tablet can no longer lay flat on a tablet. How are you suppost to use the new apple pencil? The tablet will be wobbling all over the place without a case.

Not only are their making their battery performence worse by reducing the thickness but now there are actual design issue with how you can use the tablet. Who gives a shit if the tablet is 0.2mm thinner. Nobody notices it after 1 day of use.
 
T

Timbuktu

Member
Mindwipe said:
I think the SE is the best iPhone Apple have made in years, but the name is a trainwreck.

They should be called the iPhone 6s (the 4 inch version) the iPhone 6 and the iPhone 6l.
Click to expand...

I can see the logic behind the SE, when it has the body of a 5 and the internals of a 6s, throwing any number at it might do it some injustice.

It does feel slightly haphazard and you are reminded that when Jobs came back to Apple one of the first things he did was to cull product lines down to just 4 and just pro and consumer distinction. They are reacting to a larger and more complicated market, but at some point it'll have to be streamlined.
 
R

Rootbeer

Banned
"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."

I mean, just go into an Apple store, Target, wherever, LOOK at the products, and chose based on what you can see and hold. With Apple especially, the differences in the naming between each product is not that important. I agree that they are doing a bad job at naming their products in a way that feels cohesive, but it's not preventing anyone from finding the product that is best for their needs. For the most part, at least with iPhones and iPads, you just pick based on the size you prefer. The name isn't that big of a deal.

It's really just "what size do you want?" and " do you want the 'Pro' version which has slightly higher specs?" and then factor in your budget to narrow it down.
 
T

Tobor

Member
goodcow said:
Maybe because they're all in one devices, where you can't customize any of the specs like a laptop? If I see two different iPads, of the same generation, I would want the only difference spec wise to be the screen size.
Click to expand...

You're still not making any sense.

If I walk into an Apple Store they have different sizes of MacBook Pros all with different specs. The only way to get the most powerful model is to buy the biggest model. Right now, a quad core processor is only available in the 15".

This is not a new strategy. It's how Apple has done business for a long time. Since before Apple stores existed.

The iPad Pro following the MacBook Pro business model is not a shocking development or a sign of "slipping". It's Steve Jobs Business Plan 101.
 
T

thenexus6

Member
F1Fan said:
Its not just the naming scheme. They have completly lost the plot with their design. They are making their devices far worse due to keep on reducing tickness that hardly anyone notices.

Take this new ipad pro 9.7 example. With the protruding camera, the tablet can no longer lay flat on a tablet. How are you suppost to use the new apple pencil? The tablet will be wobbling all over the place without a case.

Not only are their making their battery performence worse by reducing the thickness but now there are actual design issue with how you can use the tablet. Who gives a shit if the tablet is 0.2mm thinner. Nobody notices it after 1 day of use.
Click to expand...

"We offer a silicone smart case for iPad Pro, it just costs $69.99 and we think you're going to love it"
 
C

CLEEK

Member
I bought an iPad Air 2 last year. Came back from the store, went to open the box and get started but wtf, the twats had given me the old model. The box clearly said iPad Air.

Drove back, found the dickhead employee who'd sold it to me and explained he's given me the old model. He apologised then went to get me an Air 2.

Came back a few minutes later to say the box I had was an Air 2. Apple just use the iPad Air branding. I could tell the difference by opening the box and looking at the bezel which is slightly different from the first gen iPad Air. You can't tell by looking at the unopened box.

TL:DR yeah, Apple branding sucks balls
 
F

Fliesen

Member
F1Fan said:
Its not just the naming scheme. They have completly lost the plot with their design. They are making their devices far worse due to keep on reducing tickness that hardly anyone notices.

Take this new ipad pro 9.7 example. With the protruding camera, the tablet can no longer lay flat on a tablet. How are you suppost to use the new apple pencil? The tablet will be wobbling all over the place without a case.

Not only are their making their battery performence worse by reducing the thickness but now there are actual design issue with how you can use the tablet. Who gives a shit if the tablet is 0.2mm thinner. Nobody notices it after 1 day of use.
Click to expand...

that is simply not true.

a tiny camera bump - especially when it's in the corner of the device, not the middle - will not add any significant wobble. Try it out. Tape a paperclip to your iPad where the camera bump would be. It won't wobble.
WdyFVae.jpg
Click to expand...


You're expecting
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H5NQBxuZcZk

what it'll actually look like
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l8T8Iliup9E

trust me, there is NO PERCEIVABLE wobble.

There would be, if the bump wasn't that close to the corner, of course.
 
E

EmilioLargo

Member
SPE said:
You can't tell by looking at the unopened box.
Click to expand...

I can relate to this. Even worse is their inconsistentency. I bought two iPad's in Germany (both iPad Air2) and while one package was labeled as iPad Air2 the other stated iPad Air despite containing an iPad Air 2.
 
M

Mindwipe

Member
Fliesen said:
that is simply not true.

a tiny camera bump - especially when it's in the corner of the device, not the middle - will not add any significant wobble. Try it out. Tape a paperclip to your iPad where the camera bump would be. It won't wobble.
Click to expand...

It does wobble. I mean, I've just got an iPad and tried this. It wobbles a lot. That would drive me up the fucking wall.
 
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