The article is right. The S thing is not awesome. Every time an "S" version comes out there are stories on the evening news about "the 'real' version X+1 will be coming out later." That affects some people's buying decisions. Just like more people would by "New Software 5!" than "New Software 4.1!"
Having said that, naming/branding is hard, and since it takes a name to beat a name, and he doesn't offer an alternative, who cares?
And who here would be shocked if the next iPhone ISN'T the 5S? It probably will be, but it could be the 6; it could be the "iPhone;" it could be "iPhone zeta." We'll find out soon enough. Most people will buy it based on the specs alone, but some will be influenced (directly or indirectly) by the name.
Every time an "S" version comes out there are stories on the evening news about "the 'real' version X+1 will be coming out later."
Every time a new number is released, people whine "Wait for the next number!" That's not valid.
That affects some people's buying decisions.
Yeah, morons who decide to go without a new phone for an entire year when they need one. No one intelligent enough to make his own buying decisions, at least.
Most people will buy it based on the specs alone…
The average consumer has come pretty far in that regard. They should be lauded.
There is, of course, the possibility that Apple goes with the 'S' naming in their 'off years' to deliberately lower expectations of a speed-bump device. This also allows them to improve the internals without having to re-tool the whole assembly process every 9 months. If the iPhone 4S had been called the iPhone 5, guess what everyone would have said .... "Looks just the same as the previous model, I was expecting something totally different, how is this a version 5?".
Please explain how the 4S was a "minor upgrade" to the 4?
The keyword is "relatively". To me the iPhone 3G to iPhone 4 difference was much greater than the iPhone 3GS. To me the iPhone 4 to iPhone 5 difference was much greater than iPhone 4S. Just my opinion about the overall experience. I have owned every model of iPhone. People screamed and complained with disappointment in this forum the day the iPhone 4S was released. It was a cry fest. Not the same reaction with the iPhone 5.
Porsche started the 911 in 1964. They still sell it under same name and never increased to 912.
Is this a weak naming ?
Too bad TS wasn't on Porsche Insider back then, because the six-cylinder 911 was released along with the four-cylinder 912.
German car companies frequently stuck to "weak branding," in Segall's terms: nothing but numbers and letters. They assumed the buyer would be intelligent enough to discriminate and not be swayed by stupid brand names.
Same with Apple. No Inspirons, no Envys, no Galaxys. Does Segall want his job back?
The last paragraph pretty much sums up this guys whole argument. Pointless. The S versions are generally a more refined version of the year before, with better software and maybe a few better hardware features. If you look back on it, the 3Gs, first to take on the S moniker, is probably apples longest selling iphone to date. Apple gets more experimental with software on the S versions. I'd take an iPhone 4S over an iPhone 4 any day and the same will go for the 5S when it's released.
It was the same enclosure with the same dimensions. Slightly better camera, better processor, and they did away with the 8GB version. That's a minor upgrade. The iPhone 5 was the major upgrade as we all know. The software on the other hand brought Siri to the 4S which I consider a major upgrade. I use it everyday and with each new iOS release it gets better and better.
I expect the 5S to have the same enclosure, new processor, camera hardware improvements, and a major update to iOS. The iPhone following next year (i.e. the iPhone 6) will have a new enclosure. The engineering to fit all the components into an enclosure the way Apple does is difficult. Once they figure it out and do it then to swap out components such as a camera and processor is simple. I'm sure the battery improvement of the 4S over the 4 was all software related.
It was the same enclosure with the same dimensions. Slightly better camera, better processor, and they did away with the 8GB version. That's a minor upgrade. The iPhone 5 was the major upgrade as we all know. The software on the other hand brought Siri to the 4S which I consider a major upgrade. I use it everyday and with each new iOS release it gets better and better.
I expect the 5S to have the same enclosure, new processor, camera hardware improvements, and a major update to iOS. The iPhone following next year (i.e. the iPhone 6) will have a new enclosure. The engineering to fit all the components into an enclosure the way Apple does is difficult. Once they figure it out and do it then to swap out components such as a camera and processor is simple. I'm sure the battery improvement of the 4S over the 4 was all software related.
I expect them to bump the thickness a bit, add more battery capacity and add more GPGPU cores on the new SoC chipset now that the process is dropping in size by TSMC and GF. And they can make the phone a bit wider. Moving the width back to the 3GS size and the thickness back to around .42in allows for better venting and makes the phone feel like it isn't such a pissant little utlrathin product.
So, this guy launched a more popular product that the iPhone? Please tell us more about it.
Ken Segall is one of the most respected people in advertising and has helped Apple in the past (including its legendary Think Different campaign). His opinion is legitimate, even if you disagree with it.
The "S" designation was fine early on - but mainstream folks are privy to Apple rumors and upgrade cycles now. An "S" label pretty much means "There's a bigger upgrade coming next year; wait for that one". I'm curious what this year will bring though. Processors and cameras have reached a very high, satisfactory level.
Biometric scanner? NFC? I doubt there will be a redesign.
His points are valid. The naming system has been messy. The S moniker has always seemed to denote a minor upgrade. Has it hurt sales? We'll never know, but creating confusion or doubt certainly won't help sales.
Do I take it that putting this title in quotes you have no respect for the work that these people do? Or have you just never heard of the title before?
Actually, Apple's naming of the iPhone does make some sense, given that people are signing up to 18/24 month contracts -- you buy either the iPhone(n) or iPhone(n)S, skip the next gen and go for the one after when your contract is up for renewal. Heck, I have a rolling contract (no fixed terms for me) and went iPhone 1, 3GS, 4S, skipped the plain-vanilla 3 and 4.
The "Brand Consultant" brought up the naming of the "New iPad" -- well, Apple should go with
NiP = New iPhone
NNiP = New New iPhone
VNiP = Very New iPhone
VVNiP = Very Very New iPhone
There -- that covers the next four releases and sounds much better.
His points are valid. The naming system has been messy. The S moniker has always seemed to denote a minor upgrade. Has it hurt sales? We'll never know, but creating confusion or doubt certainly won't help sales.
I don't think the iPhone naming system is confusing at all. There's always one current iPhone for sale... and 2 more (last year's and the year before)
Sometimes the current model has an "S" and other times it doesn't. But that shouldn't matter. All you need to be aware of is which one is the newest... and that the older ones follow behind it.
When the iPhone 4 came out... it was the newest iPhone. When the iPhone 4S came out... it was the newest iPhone. When the iPhone 5 came out... it was the newest iPhone... and so on. And considering the hoopla that surrounds every iPhone launch... people should be aware of the newest model.
You either buy the latest and greatest current iPhone... or you can pick up an older model for cheaper price. Simple... no confusion, no doubt.
A better way to describe it is "Good, Better, Best"
Right now the lineup goes: iPhone 4, iPhone 4S, and iPhone 5
And soon the lineup will be: iPhone 4S, iPhone 5, and iPhone 5S
I don't see what's so confusing about that. You'll see all 3 models on display at your carrier store... or on the Apple website.
You're right... the "S" denotes a minor update. The iPhone 3GS was an updated iPhone 3G... the 4S was an updated iPhone 4... and the 5S will be an updated iPhone 5
The naming seems simple and to the point. I agree with zoffdino, they should have kept the iPad naming. This guy Segall sounds like he just wants some attention. It seems like these guys just keep crawling out of the woodwork these days.
I expect them to bump the thickness a bit, add more battery capacity and add more GPGPU cores on the new SoC chipset now that the process is dropping in size by TSMC and GF. And they can make the phone a bit wider. Moving the width back to the 3GS size and the thickness back to around .42in allows for better venting and makes the phone feel like it isn't such a pissant little utlrathin product.
What leads you to believe the next iPhone will be thicker? Especially when Apple is all about how thin things are? Yeah I know the 3rd gen iPad was a bit thicker and heavier than iPad 2, but I doubt that was by choice. And and are working to get retina into an iPad mini-thin casing.
I don't think the iPhone naming system is confusing at all. There's always one current iPhone for sale... and 2 more (last year's and the year before)
Sometimes the current model has an "S" and other times it doesn't. But that shouldn't matter. All you need to be aware of is which one is the newest... and that the older ones follow behind it.
When the iPhone 4 came out... it was the newest iPhone. When the iPhone 4S came out... it was the newest iPhone. When the iPhone 5 came out... it was the newest iPhone... and so on. And considering the hoopla that surrounds every iPhone launch... people should be aware of the newest model.
You either buy the latest and greatest current iPhone... or you can pick up an older model for cheaper price. Simple... no confusion, no doubt.
A better way to describe it is "Good, Better, Best"
Right now the lineup goes: iPhone 4, iPhone 4S, and iPhone 5
And soon the lineup will be: iPhone 4S, iPhone 5, and iPhone 5S
I don't see what's so confusing about that. You'll see all 3 models on display at your carrier store... or on the Apple website.
You're right... the "S" denotes a minor update. The iPhone 3GS was an updated iPhone 3G... the 4S was an updated iPhone 4... and the 5S will be an updated iPhone 5
That actually makes perfect sense.
I'm not saying the system is truly dreadful (there's a lot worse out there) but it could be better.
If I was ready for a new phone soon, what would sound more appealing to me? An iPhone 5S or an iPhone 6? The latter... marginally.
For 99.9% of potential customers the nuances of a name won't affect their buying decision. But even 0.1% of a market this size is worth having.
Steve Jobs recognised the power of simplicity, and the naming system on all Apple's products is delightfully straight-forward so why not make it even simpler - just numbers....
I expect them to bump the thickness a bit, add more battery capacity and add more GPGPU cores on the new SoC chipset now that the process is dropping in size by TSMC and GF. And they can make the phone a bit wider. Moving the width back to the 3GS size and the thickness back to around .42in allows for better venting and makes the phone feel like it isn't such a pissant little utlrathin product.
If they are using a smaller process and making it wider why wouldn't you assume those two things are enough? Why also assume the phone will get thicker?
It's always nice when the battery life increases but let's keep in mind the iPhone already exceeds all other smartphones in performance per watt and duration with 8 hours of LTE or '3G' use on a standard battery.
I'm not saying the system is truly dreadful (there's a lot worse out there) but it could be better.
If I was ready for a new phone soon, what would sound more appealing to me? An iPhone 5S or an iPhone 6? The latter... marginally.
For 99.9% of potential customers the nuances of a name won't affect their buying decision. But even 0.1% of a market this size is worth having.
Steve Jobs recognised the power of simplicity, and the naming system on all Apple's products is delightfully straight-forward so why not make it even simpler - just numbers....
True... but considering the iPhone is on a two-year "tick-tock" design schedule.... the "S" makes more sense. Plain number for the first year of the model... "S" for the second year.
But I don't think the name really matters in the end. If someone wants an iPhone... they still choose between the newest iPhone or one of the older iPhones.
Comments
The article is right. The S thing is not awesome. Every time an "S" version comes out there are stories on the evening news about "the 'real' version X+1 will be coming out later." That affects some people's buying decisions. Just like more people would by "New Software 5!" than "New Software 4.1!"
Having said that, naming/branding is hard, and since it takes a name to beat a name, and he doesn't offer an alternative, who cares?
And who here would be shocked if the next iPhone ISN'T the 5S? It probably will be, but it could be the 6; it could be the "iPhone;" it could be "iPhone zeta." We'll find out soon enough. Most people will buy it based on the specs alone, but some will be influenced (directly or indirectly) by the name.
Originally Posted by malax
Every time an "S" version comes out there are stories on the evening news about "the 'real' version X+1 will be coming out later."
Every time a new number is released, people whine "Wait for the next number!" That's not valid.
That affects some people's buying decisions.
Yeah, morons who decide to go without a new phone for an entire year when they need one. No one intelligent enough to make his own buying decisions, at least.
Most people will buy it based on the specs alone…
The average consumer has come pretty far in that regard. They should be lauded.
The keyword is "relatively". To me the iPhone 3G to iPhone 4 difference was much greater than the iPhone 3GS. To me the iPhone 4 to iPhone 5 difference was much greater than iPhone 4S. Just my opinion about the overall experience. I have owned every model of iPhone. People screamed and complained with disappointment in this forum the day the iPhone 4S was released. It was a cry fest. Not the same reaction with the iPhone 5.
Too bad TS wasn't on Porsche Insider back then, because the six-cylinder 911 was released along with the four-cylinder 912.
German car companies frequently stuck to "weak branding," in Segall's terms: nothing but numbers and letters. They assumed the buyer would be intelligent enough to discriminate and not be swayed by stupid brand names.
Same with Apple. No Inspirons, no Envys, no Galaxys. Does Segall want his job back?
Quote:
Originally Posted by AppleInsider
Since the iPhone 3GS, Apple has introduced an "S" model every other year.
"Every other year"?
Since the iPhone 3GS, it has happened once (the 4S).
Not really.
http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-19512_7-20114949-233/iphone-4-vs-iphone-4s-comparison-chart/
It was the same enclosure with the same dimensions. Slightly better camera, better processor, and they did away with the 8GB version. That's a minor upgrade. The iPhone 5 was the major upgrade as we all know. The software on the other hand brought Siri to the 4S which I consider a major upgrade. I use it everyday and with each new iOS release it gets better and better.
I expect the 5S to have the same enclosure, new processor, camera hardware improvements, and a major update to iOS. The iPhone following next year (i.e. the iPhone 6) will have a new enclosure. The engineering to fit all the components into an enclosure the way Apple does is difficult. Once they figure it out and do it then to swap out components such as a camera and processor is simple. I'm sure the battery improvement of the 4S over the 4 was all software related.
Not really.
http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-19512_7-20114949-233/iphone-4-vs-iphone-4s-comparison-chart/
It was the same enclosure with the same dimensions. Slightly better camera, better processor, and they did away with the 8GB version. That's a minor upgrade. The iPhone 5 was the major upgrade as we all know. The software on the other hand brought Siri to the 4S which I consider a major upgrade. I use it everyday and with each new iOS release it gets better and better.
I expect the 5S to have the same enclosure, new processor, camera hardware improvements, and a major update to iOS. The iPhone following next year (i.e. the iPhone 6) will have a new enclosure. The engineering to fit all the components into an enclosure the way Apple does is difficult. Once they figure it out and do it then to swap out components such as a camera and processor is simple. I'm sure the battery improvement of the 4S over the 4 was all software related.
I expect them to bump the thickness a bit, add more battery capacity and add more GPGPU cores on the new SoC chipset now that the process is dropping in size by TSMC and GF. And they can make the phone a bit wider. Moving the width back to the 3GS size and the thickness back to around .42in allows for better venting and makes the phone feel like it isn't such a pissant little utlrathin product.Quote:
Originally Posted by bwik
So, this guy launched a more popular product that the iPhone? Please tell us more about it.
Ken Segall is one of the most respected people in advertising and has helped Apple in the past (including its legendary Think Different campaign). His opinion is legitimate, even if you disagree with it.
The "S" designation was fine early on - but mainstream folks are privy to Apple rumors and upgrade cycles now. An "S" label pretty much means "There's a bigger upgrade coming next year; wait for that one". I'm curious what this year will bring though. Processors and cameras have reached a very high, satisfactory level.
Biometric scanner? NFC? I doubt there will be a redesign.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Suddenly Newton
"Brand consultant."
Do I take it that putting this title in quotes you have no respect for the work that these people do? Or have you just never heard of the title before?
Actually, Apple's naming of the iPhone does make some sense, given that people are signing up to 18/24 month contracts -- you buy either the iPhone(n) or iPhone(n)S, skip the next gen and go for the one after when your contract is up for renewal. Heck, I have a rolling contract (no fixed terms for me) and went iPhone 1, 3GS, 4S, skipped the plain-vanilla 3 and 4.
The "Brand Consultant" brought up the naming of the "New iPad" -- well, Apple should go with
NiP = New iPhone
NNiP = New New iPhone
VNiP = Very New iPhone
VVNiP = Very Very New iPhone
There -- that covers the next four releases and sounds much better.
I don't think the iPhone naming system is confusing at all. There's always one current iPhone for sale... and 2 more (last year's and the year before)
Sometimes the current model has an "S" and other times it doesn't. But that shouldn't matter. All you need to be aware of is which one is the newest... and that the older ones follow behind it.
When the iPhone 4 came out... it was the newest iPhone. When the iPhone 4S came out... it was the newest iPhone. When the iPhone 5 came out... it was the newest iPhone... and so on. And considering the hoopla that surrounds every iPhone launch... people should be aware of the newest model.
You either buy the latest and greatest current iPhone... or you can pick up an older model for cheaper price. Simple... no confusion, no doubt.
A better way to describe it is "Good, Better, Best"
Right now the lineup goes: iPhone 4, iPhone 4S, and iPhone 5
And soon the lineup will be: iPhone 4S, iPhone 5, and iPhone 5S
I don't see what's so confusing about that. You'll see all 3 models on display at your carrier store... or on the Apple website.
You're right... the "S" denotes a minor update. The iPhone 3GS was an updated iPhone 3G... the 4S was an updated iPhone 4... and the 5S will be an updated iPhone 5
That actually makes perfect sense.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Michael Scrip
I don't think the iPhone naming system is confusing at all. There's always one current iPhone for sale... and 2 more (last year's and the year before)
Sometimes the current model has an "S" and other times it doesn't. But that shouldn't matter. All you need to be aware of is which one is the newest... and that the older ones follow behind it.
When the iPhone 4 came out... it was the newest iPhone. When the iPhone 4S came out... it was the newest iPhone. When the iPhone 5 came out... it was the newest iPhone... and so on. And considering the hoopla that surrounds every iPhone launch... people should be aware of the newest model.
You either buy the latest and greatest current iPhone... or you can pick up an older model for cheaper price. Simple... no confusion, no doubt.
A better way to describe it is "Good, Better, Best"
Right now the lineup goes: iPhone 4, iPhone 4S, and iPhone 5
And soon the lineup will be: iPhone 4S, iPhone 5, and iPhone 5S
I don't see what's so confusing about that. You'll see all 3 models on display at your carrier store... or on the Apple website.
You're right... the "S" denotes a minor update. The iPhone 3GS was an updated iPhone 3G... the 4S was an updated iPhone 4... and the 5S will be an updated iPhone 5
That actually makes perfect sense.
I'm not saying the system is truly dreadful (there's a lot worse out there) but it could be better.
If I was ready for a new phone soon, what would sound more appealing to me? An iPhone 5S or an iPhone 6? The latter... marginally.
For 99.9% of potential customers the nuances of a name won't affect their buying decision. But even 0.1% of a market this size is worth having.
Steve Jobs recognised the power of simplicity, and the naming system on all Apple's products is delightfully straight-forward so why not make it even simpler - just numbers....
If they are using a smaller process and making it wider why wouldn't you assume those two things are enough? Why also assume the phone will get thicker?
It's always nice when the battery life increases but let's keep in mind the iPhone already exceeds all other smartphones in performance per watt and duration with 8 hours of LTE or '3G' use on a standard battery.
iMacs are iMacs, you don't have an iMac 9s.
If Apple was to truly follow its simplicity, then there would just be an iPhone and there would be three models of it, good, better, best.
Since this guy worked on the iMac branding it is a complete mystery why he didn't say this.
True... but considering the iPhone is on a two-year "tick-tock" design schedule.... the "S" makes more sense. Plain number for the first year of the model... "S" for the second year.
But I don't think the name really matters in the end. If someone wants an iPhone... they still choose between the newest iPhone or one of the older iPhones.
Whether you're faced with this:
iPhone 4S
iPhone 5
iPhone 5S
Or this:
iPhone 5
iPhone 6
iPhone 7
You can easily make a decision.