“Product naming: The name for the original iPhone made sense — a phone + iPod, from Apple = iPhone. The iPhone 3G was a good extension; while 3G is more of a technical term, it is common enough parlance for consumers to understand the difference from the original iPhone. The addition of 3G described the main feature and benefit of the new model — speed. However, if the difference between the original iPhone and the iPhone 3G was speed, then the difference between the iPhone 3G and the iPhone 3G S is… more speed? Apple is unfortunately slipping away from their traditionally consumer-friendly naming scheme (e.g. MacBook vs. MacBook Pro) into the all-too-common tech-centric model numbers (e.g. TPS-8675309X). The lack of a clear differentiated name also will make it more confusing when the next version of the iPhone is released, and consumers have to differentiate between the different models when comparing versions, buying accessories, or seeking support. Apple unfortunately ran into this problem as well with the iPod, with new versions being unofficially being referred to as “generations” (e.g. “third-generation” iPod). This is not unlike the automobile industry, where a model name stays the same from year-to-year; however, unlike a car, Apple has been rather sly about naming each subsequent version and the differences between each “model year” are much less significant than the differences in an automobile from year to year. Since subsequent iPod models look physically similar, and since the software differences are not obvious at first glance, it takes some sleuthing to identify the type of iPod and whether a desired accessory is compatible. This has less of an impact on other Apple products like the iPod Mini, iPod Nano, and the various versions of the iPod Shuffle, since the visual differences between models is more obvious.”
http://www.goodproductmanager.com/2009/06/22/learn-from-the-mistakes-of-the-iphone-3g-s/
Senator Gronk 2:11 pm on October 5, 2011 123 days ago Reply
So they should name it the Galaxy II? What’s unclear about 4S? “Same phone you love, just much improved…” The S is utterly meaningless. It’s a subtle differentiation for the consumer that wants a clutterless answer. I trust the guys that gave us the mouse, the windows, the tablet, the Unix GUI, and the smartphone to know how to name a new product.
Go to eBay and search for Macintosh Performa. Read through the list of names and tell me how each model is different. They’ve done differentiated naming and it turned into a shit show.
Birra 2:37 pm on October 5, 2011 123 days ago Reply
No they did not give us these things. I was a software engineer at PARC and my Altos had it all. Why am I an Apple fan boy? Apple made all of it viable!
JPWatkins 7:14 pm on October 5, 2011 123 days ago Reply
PARC had ideas. They even had working prototypes. But they didn’t give us anything.
Apple took those ideas, improved greatly on them, and then actually made products.
I have total respect for the people and research done as Xerox PARC, but they weren’t exactly entrepreneurial.
JPWatkins 10:43 pm on October 5, 2011 123 days ago Reply
“but they weren’t exactly entrepreneurial.” At least, not while they stayed at PARC.
conshmillo 6:46 pm on October 5, 2011 123 days ago Reply
I like that. S for ‘subtle’.
rastard 7:08 pm on October 5, 2011 123 days ago Reply
http://www.bonkersworld.net/theatrical/
rastard 6:59 pm on October 5, 2011 123 days ago Reply
@gronk
“I trust the guys that gave us the mouse, the windows, the tablet, the Unix GUI, and the smartphone to know how to name a new product.”
Perhaps I’m missing something, but wasn’t it those same guys who named the Macintosh Performa, whose product naming you describe as “a shit show”?
[note: I actually don't have a position on the 4S vs 5 naming -- just having a hard time understanding your argument...]
Senator Gronk 8:57 pm on October 5, 2011 123 days ago Reply
My point is that Apple has followed this path and before and it didn’t quite work.
I may have gone over the top with praise for them, but I’m trying to say that they have a better understanding of what they’re up to than I do.
My other point is that people love to criticize Apple’s actions when they aren’t looking at the distant horizon. The iPhone didn’t need a new case (leaving aside arguments about the suitability of glass), so they didn’t change it. For Apple, this is an engineering improvement that says, “we took another whack at it, and look at what we have…”.
It fits their pattern perfectly. Release a new device or OS revision, deliver a strong improvement on it. Move on to next ground-breaking device/OS revision. Look at this from an investor’s perspective, they have exceeded their competition in quality, speed, and capabilities and are doing it with parts that are already in production. Higher margins, continuity of manufacturing is maintained, profits continue to flow. All the while, they’re dumping human effort, that was saved from the 4S revision, into the 5 release. Look at how much money RIMM, HP, and Samsung are burning through playing catch up while Apple is the pacesetter. It’s smart utilization of human and manufacturing opportunities.
Other brands talk a big game, but in reality they play each release cycle as a race, Apple sees each of these cycles as a stage in a much larger race.
Birra 2:20 pm on October 5, 2011 123 days ago Reply
Consumers will assume the S means speed, so that after a year and a half Apple has only released a speed bump. Their reaction will be “I’ll just wait for the iPhone 5!”
People on this board don’t seem to realize how ignorant the normal consumer really is. That’s why advertising works, and boy is Apple going to have to up their ad budget big time to overcome all of the bad press.
JPWatkins 7:20 pm on October 5, 2011 123 days ago Reply
Don’t forget about the terrible naming of the iPad (is it a sanitary napkin!?)
We all know how badly that naming travesty turned out!
I predict that before January, before the Christmas sales numbers come to light, when we see there are still no iPhone killers, nobody will remember this horrible “iPhone 4S” naming travesty.
rastard 12:44 am on October 6, 2011 123 days ago Reply
@birra:
Been giving some thought to your assertion that “iPhone 4S” is a name-fail.
You’re right — the “normal consumer” is extremely ignorant in their buying decisions. Based on nothing other than name alone, I would expect fewer people to buy an iPhone4S than would if the exact same device were called the iPhone5 (this seems somewhat indisputable, as the polls you cited already show). I think this is particularly true of current iPhone owners, many of whom will now hold off on upgrading until the IPhone5 comes out.
That said, I also suspect that if this new phone had been named the iPhone5, there would be complaints — likely generated from the blogosphere — that Apple inflated the name and that the advances in this model weren’t really worthy of a full-generation change in the product name. So in some manner, Apple would take a hit regardless of what they did in naming.
I actually think the key problem isn’t the name, but that the new phone is visibly no different than the iPhone4. True, there have been substantial improvements in the guts, but those aren’t outwardly apparent. Let’s face it — while product quality and overall experience are key considerations for many people who decide to buy Apple products, there are just as many people (if not more) who buy for no other reason than Apple’s status and “cool factor”. The last line of this article sums up well where this 4S will come up a but short compared to what a 5 could have been: http://www.cnn.com/2011/10/05/tech/mobile/iphone-4s-dud/
GotWake 12:37 am on October 6, 2011 123 days ago Reply
This has all gotten ridiculous! Same form factor as the 4, thus iPhone 4s. It’s not like it would have been any different with a different case and iPhone 5 stamped on it. It’s a major improvement over the iP4. Camera, major improvement, A5 – 7x graphics, 2x chip speed, more memory available, world phone. I do think it was time to add another size to the lineup. But, remember antennagate? If that didn’t hurt IP4 sales, I think not stamping “iPhone 5″ on the case isn’t going to do much.
nolavabo 12:47 am on October 6, 2011 123 days ago Reply
Everybody with an iPhone do this. Remove the case (if any) and read the name on the back. I don’t care which one you own, it’ll only say “iPhone”.
Same goes for the iPad; 1 or 2 it only says “iPad” on the back.
Average consumers are more ignorant than any tech geeks would credit. They don’t know, and don’t care, which model phone they buy, which gen it is, how much RAM it has, blah blah blah. They have no idea if they own the 3G or the 3GS, and they won’t have any idea if they own the 4 or the 4S. If you know which iPhone you own, you are a geek. I know plenty of people who use computers all day at work and facebook at night, who own iPhones and use them regularly, yet if you ask which one they own the reply is “the iPhone with the white plastic curvy back” or “the glass one that does video calls”. Soon it’ll be “the one with/out Siri”. Every Android user knows the model name of the phone they own, and can normally recite the tech specs to me as well.
Birra 7:59 pm on October 6, 2011 122 days ago Reply
How true, but these same folks take their buying advice from TV shows like the Today Show which panned the iPhone 4S as just a faster version of iPhone 4. They added that the brand new iPhone 5 would arrive next year.
JPWatkins 4:32 pm on October 6, 2011 122 days ago Reply
Exactly, Nolavabo!
Is it really surprising? It turns out that, as has always been the case, and contrary to all reports . . .
amazingly, the sky is *not* falling.
caruso2323 2:24 am on October 7, 2011 122 days ago Reply
I agree with this mix of opinions , BUT … What everyone forgets is the “LEADER” aspect ! … People will follow a LEADER !… The “Leader” will know the added value of the 4S and if he adopts it, the other will …
That was the case with computers, and it is the same with SmartPhones ! … Especially nowadays as there is a greater variety of choices , and they do get more complex…
The iOS bodes well with non-Geeks as as well as the more Techie type , because it simply WORKS ! … and Clod will make ALL iPhones 3gs, 4, and 4 gs SIMPLE to synch, to airplay, to etc…
The 4S will prove to be an even a BIGGER success than the 4 ! …
It remains to be seen if the 1st week-end sales will be in the 3M range …
The good thing is that there is now ONE MORE CHOICE : The 4S … the 4, the 3gs … with the latter two bearing a lower price … as low as $0 ! (with a 2 year contract)
GotWake 3:01 am on October 7, 2011 122 days ago Reply
And more carriers. If sales top the iPhone 4, is it really a naming mistake? When reviews start to come out next week, I think the focus will change from worrying about whether the damn thing is called “iPhone 5″ or “iPhone 4s” to the best phone just got better.
Billybob101 9:49 am on October 12, 2011 117 days ago Reply
As long as they sound like the robots of StarWars(rolling of the toungue) and everyone knows the new model(hype/anticipation will ensure this), I think Apple knows exactly what they are doing.