Nobody knows what the next version will be called, but I think the "S" models are perfectly acceptable iterations of the existing model. Maybe a different monikor is needed, but not a full increment of the model number for every reason.
I personally think 5S is a bad marketing choice, but not for the reasons he's stated, although I'm sure he'll take credit for the change if they go a different route. Look at the number '5' and the letter 'S'; they are too similar looking, IMO.
It doesn't matter what the next iPhone will be called. People are still going to buy it. If Apple calls it a 6, critics will complain it looks like the 5 but is faster.
First of all, the automotive analogy is a poor choice to support his thesis. Today, in 2013, one can purchase a 2014 automobile. Secondly, the assumption that people make their purchasing decisions entirely on the basis of the current name of the product is insulting to consumers everywhere. As long as the label differentiates one model from another, consumers will attach all sorts of personally relevant data to that label. What;s the difference between iPhone 4, iPhone 4S and iPhone 5? See: http://www.apple.com/iphone/compare-iphones/ Which of these differences is meaningful to you? I'll bet you know that already.
The "S" stands for "Special" as in "Special Edition" -- mostly it is internal tweaks such as processor bump and camera optics, etc...
The major revision such as 4 brought Retina Display and 5 brought a complete new form-factor design with a longer display and another major processor jump. 5 also brough Lightning interface connector to the iPhone.
Likely the 5s, if it is indeed called that, will bring a processor revision and maybe some camera updates, possible battery revision, etc. My guess is the 5s will look identical to the 5 as the 4s looked identical to the 4...only internal upgrades.
The only weak message is calling your 6th device "5". That's just pre-kindergarten levels of stupidity.
I'm perfectly fine with the "S" monicker otherwise.
And if he weren't a complete idiot, he'd realize that the "S" models are no more "identical to last year's but better" than any other product from any other company.
This is a forum troll being paid to troll and disguising it as a job. "It looks the same; it must be the same phone" is crap we delete these days.
I wish I could see the time stamp that shows you posting 3 seconds after the article headline went live.
"iPhone Naming Convention?".....BAM! Tallest is slways there, like death and taxes, to remind all that the naming convention is flawed.
The largest pool of potential customers for this next iPhone will be 4S owners by far since it will be upgrade time. Sure you will have some 3, 3GS, 4, 5, and new customers as well but the 4S base will be the largest due to upgrade cycles every 2 years. You could make the case that since they bought the S moniker once before and will do so again. Ultimately the success in sales of the next iPhone will have a lot more to do with what it brings the table in terms of "gotta have" type features than the name. Internal features can be just as sexy as a new case or form factor. Double the CPU and GPU speed or more along with a far better camera and maybe throw in something new like a fingerprint reader or similar should be enough to continue past trends of beating prior version sales records. Apple is fun to follow because they can at times appear very conservative and make very incremental updates then all of a sudden reverse course 180 degrees and introduce something completely unexpected like the iPad then iPad mini.
Personally I think the real excitement this year might be with iOS 7 and not hardware. The iPhones's success after all has a lot more to do with iOS than the hardware. That wasn't always the case as the hardware used to blow away all competition. But other companies have caught up in hardware and you could argue surpassed it in terms of several key areas. But iPhone buyers tend to stick with the platform now due to iOS more than the phone itself.
If they ever decide to release a larger iPhone for example 4.8" and keep selling the smaller 4" model then they will have to really rethink a naming scheme. Perhaps it might be something as simple as adding a + symbol to the name or maybe Pro.
On the iPad topic, dropping the version number was about the most confusing thing Apple ever did. Instead of calling it a simple "iPad 4" they call it "iPad, fourth generation". In daily usage, people will call it the iPad 4 anyway, but then the "new iPad" is only the iPad 3. If only Apple had sticked the same simple principle for the GUI.
actually they market the 4th gen ipad as "Ipad with Retina Display"
Its reference as 4th gen in support documents though.
I have read a lot of ad folks bashing on Apple, but this may be the first time I believe there might actually be something to the criticism.
While simply keeping to the same name and just adding a number, you maintain something of a certain iconic nature to the device. So long as only one version remained on sale, no problems emerged; every generation of iMac has just been "iMac" with perhaps the exception of the early "iMac DV." Confusion arises when several generations of a device remain on sale, as is the case with both the current and two previous generations of iPhone in stores.
Fortunately, we have the history of the iPod to examine similar circumstances. The flagship iPod was just the "iPod" until it received some major new feature, such as the "iPod video," and ultimately became the "iPod classic." Now, we have the Shuffle, iPod nano, and iPod touch.
The iPhone has avoided this problem for the past four years with its convenient S additions. The S in 3GS supposedly stood for speed, while the S in the 4S stood for Siri. There is much speculation that the next iPhone will incorporate many new security features (though I really hope that will not be the sole basis for calling it the iPhone 5S). The reputed less expensive iPhone in the works may adopt the same naming scheme as with the current iPods and iPad mini and garner its own surname ("iPhone mini?").
I'd tend to agree. But if I'm not mistaken sales aren't really affected by the fact that there's an S each year instead of a new model. If they changed number every year people would complain. Until Apple can't make a drastic redesign each year, there is no need to change this convention. That said, I hope that there is no 5S this year. Having the S as a trend isn't very original. Or at least use it this year for the last time. 6S would feel wrong.
They wisely called the the second version of the A5 processor the A5X. If they had called it the A5S, they would have opened themselves to endless jokes about the ASS-powered phone.
Honestly, the S versions have been much better than the new models. Yes, they may have modest improvements, but they are still fasterer than it's predecessor.
For me, thanks to my carrier in Canada where we're only eligible for hardware upgrades on smartphones every 3 years and our contract terms are 3 years as well. I shall be looking at the iPhone 7S as my next smartphone. Hopefully, my iPhone will last one year longer and be able to survive after my extended warranty runs out. Smartphones don't usually last longer than 2 years. Canadian carriers don't care about that though.
It makes perfect sense to pretty much everyone other than you.
No one on Earth would tell you that it makes sense to call the 6th model of a product running the 6th version of its software on the 6th iteration of its processor "5".
Were it an Apple competitor, it would be still be mocked "six months out".
Originally Posted by Slurpy
Tallest Ski, the phone has been out for 6 months, has been a massive success, and clearly you're the only person on the planet that has an issue with the name, so with all due respect it's high time you got the hell over it. It's just embarassing for you at this point. Don't you see how ridiculous you look?
Yes, it's quite embarrassing for me that everyone else seems to want to perpetuate stupidity. Maybe I should say, "2+2=5". That probably makes more sense, given the sheer lack of questioning the name.
I don't give a flying frick how successful the device is. That doesn't matter. People clearly don't have a clue why the name is a problem.
Originally Posted by bmason1270
I wish I could see the time stamp that shows you posting 3 seconds after the article headline went live.
I don't understand… It's right there. And you're wrong.
Originally Posted by jakeb
They wisely called the the second version of the A5 processor the A5X.
If they had called it the A5S, they would have opened themselves to endless jokes about the ASS-powered phone.
That wasn't a "second version". It was the same processor with a better GPU. The same is true of the A6X.
On the iPad topic, dropping the version number was about the most confusing thing Apple ever did. Instead of calling it a simple "iPad 4" they call it "iPad, fourth generation". In daily usage, people will call it the iPad 4 anyway, but then the "new iPad" is only the iPad 3. If only Apple had sticked the same simple principle for the GUI.
Comments
Quote:
Originally Posted by jragosta
OK, Mr. Segall: how many products have you developed and produced that sold >100,000,000 units?
iMac's advertisement. Next question?
I personally think 5S is a bad marketing choice, but not for the reasons he's stated, although I'm sure he'll take credit for the change if they go a different route. Look at the number '5' and the letter 'S'; they are too similar looking, IMO.
The major revision such as 4 brought Retina Display and 5 brought a complete new form-factor design with a longer display and another major processor jump. 5 also brough Lightning interface connector to the iPhone.
Likely the 5s, if it is indeed called that, will bring a processor revision and maybe some camera updates, possible battery revision, etc. My guess is the 5s will look identical to the 5 as the 4s looked identical to the 4...only internal upgrades.
I wish I could see the time stamp that shows you posting 3 seconds after the article headline went live.
"iPhone Naming Convention?".....BAM! Tallest is slways there, like death and taxes, to remind all that the naming convention is flawed.
The largest pool of potential customers for this next iPhone will be 4S owners by far since it will be upgrade time. Sure you will have some 3, 3GS, 4, 5, and new customers as well but the 4S base will be the largest due to upgrade cycles every 2 years. You could make the case that since they bought the S moniker once before and will do so again. Ultimately the success in sales of the next iPhone will have a lot more to do with what it brings the table in terms of "gotta have" type features than the name. Internal features can be just as sexy as a new case or form factor. Double the CPU and GPU speed or more along with a far better camera and maybe throw in something new like a fingerprint reader or similar should be enough to continue past trends of beating prior version sales records. Apple is fun to follow because they can at times appear very conservative and make very incremental updates then all of a sudden reverse course 180 degrees and introduce something completely unexpected like the iPad then iPad mini.
Personally I think the real excitement this year might be with iOS 7 and not hardware. The iPhones's success after all has a lot more to do with iOS than the hardware. That wasn't always the case as the hardware used to blow away all competition. But other companies have caught up in hardware and you could argue surpassed it in terms of several key areas. But iPhone buyers tend to stick with the platform now due to iOS more than the phone itself.
If they ever decide to release a larger iPhone for example 4.8" and keep selling the smaller 4" model then they will have to really rethink a naming scheme. Perhaps it might be something as simple as adding a + symbol to the name or maybe Pro.
Quote:
Originally Posted by zoffdino
On the iPad topic, dropping the version number was about the most confusing thing Apple ever did. Instead of calling it a simple "iPad 4" they call it "iPad, fourth generation". In daily usage, people will call it the iPad 4 anyway, but then the "new iPad" is only the iPad 3. If only Apple had sticked the same simple principle for the GUI.
actually they market the 4th gen ipad as "Ipad with Retina Display"
Its reference as 4th gen in support documents though.
Who cares!
Now, iPad names...
There's something I'd like to see fixed.
Really? He sold 100,000,000 iMac advertisements? I wonder how I missed them.
While simply keeping to the same name and just adding a number, you maintain something of a certain iconic nature to the device. So long as only one version remained on sale, no problems emerged; every generation of iMac has just been "iMac" with perhaps the exception of the early "iMac DV." Confusion arises when several generations of a device remain on sale, as is the case with both the current and two previous generations of iPhone in stores.
Fortunately, we have the history of the iPod to examine similar circumstances. The flagship iPod was just the "iPod" until it received some major new feature, such as the "iPod video," and ultimately became the "iPod classic." Now, we have the Shuffle, iPod nano, and iPod touch.
The iPhone has avoided this problem for the past four years with its convenient S additions. The S in 3GS supposedly stood for speed, while the S in the 4S stood for Siri. There is much speculation that the next iPhone will incorporate many new security features (though I really hope that will not be the sole basis for calling it the iPhone 5S). The reputed less expensive iPhone in the works may adopt the same naming scheme as with the current iPods and iPad mini and garner its own surname ("iPhone mini?").
Thanks.
I also took it to mean - based on the name - that accessories meant for the 4 would work with the 4S as well.
So it's as much an ecosystem designator to me as anything else.
Primary=iPhone, Secondary=4/4S
That said, I hope that there is no 5S this year. Having the S as a trend isn't very original. Or at least use it this year for the last time. 6S would feel wrong.
If they had called it the A5S, they would have opened themselves to endless jokes about the ASS-powered phone.
For me, thanks to my carrier in Canada where we're only eligible for hardware upgrades on smartphones every 3 years and our contract terms are 3 years as well. I shall be looking at the iPhone 7S as my next smartphone. Hopefully, my iPhone will last one year longer and be able to survive after my extended warranty runs out. Smartphones don't usually last longer than 2 years. Canadian carriers don't care about that though.
Originally Posted by monstrosity
It makes perfect sense to pretty much everyone other than you.
No one on Earth would tell you that it makes sense to call the 6th model of a product running the 6th version of its software on the 6th iteration of its processor "5".
Were it an Apple competitor, it would be still be mocked "six months out".
Originally Posted by Slurpy
Tallest Ski, the phone has been out for 6 months, has been a massive success, and clearly you're the only person on the planet that has an issue with the name, so with all due respect it's high time you got the hell over it. It's just embarassing for you at this point. Don't you see how ridiculous you look?
Yes, it's quite embarrassing for me that everyone else seems to want to perpetuate stupidity. Maybe I should say, "2+2=5". That probably makes more sense, given the sheer lack of questioning the name.
I don't give a flying frick how successful the device is. That doesn't matter. People clearly don't have a clue why the name is a problem.
Originally Posted by bmason1270
I wish I could see the time stamp that shows you posting 3 seconds after the article headline went live.
I don't understand… It's right there. And you're wrong.
Originally Posted by jakeb
They wisely called the the second version of the A5 processor the A5X.
If they had called it the A5S, they would have opened themselves to endless jokes about the ASS-powered phone.
That wasn't a "second version". It was the same processor with a better GPU. The same is true of the A6X.
Quick question. Did you type this on your iMac 7?