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Apple's Lineup Is A Disaster (Opinion)

T

TrenttonY

macrumors 65816
Original poster
Nov 14, 2012
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Apple, one of the most influential and powerful companies in the world has reached it climax. And its their own fought.

*You need to read the whole post for the whole idea*

iPhone Rant:
You can not expect to have a new iPhone every year to sell 100 million units each quarter. They started the whole smartphone revolution, and them releasing a new iPhone every year has put them in a corner. The competition knew they needed to compete, so as Apple released a knew iPhone every year, so did they. This wasn't a problem for a while because the competitors smartphones were garbage. As they slowly became more of a serious option to consumers, now Apple has to release a new iPhone every year to compete. This caused an over saturation of iPhones in the market. Them releasing a new iPhone every year is going to kill the iPhone name.

Product Names Rant:
Why must every new iPhone and iPad get a knew name? Were soon all ready on our 7th number iPhone? This is getting ridiculous. This is causing people to stop caring, in their minds 7 means not "cool" anymore. They need to get rid of the numbers. How is the iPhone SE, anything 'Special'? It was just their own arrogance thinking everyone wanted a phone bigger than a 4.0 inch size.

Software Rant:
If they had a "serious" software bug in the early days it wasn't such a big deal. Now it will be on the front page of every news site for weeks, which can cause people to not trust Apple anymore, and the competitors become a viable option to consumers (so they think). Why is this? Because back then their software wasn't running on a billion devices. No software is perfect but one can't argue that them releasing a new software update every other year would allow them to properly test and fix bugs.

How can all these issues be fixed? Simple.:
They need to releases new hardware, iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, Macs, Apple TV, every other year. They than need to release new software for all those products in the years in between those new hardware releases. So one year they release all hardware, the next year they release all software, then the next year they release all hardware, etc. This would allow them to release truly revolutionary products again, with software that has little bugs and amazing new features. Think about it, the original iPhone was in development for many many years before it was released, why can't they do this for every new iteration of a product? Being able to have 2 years would defiantly allow this.

As for the names of the hardware and software, they need to simplify it:

*Screen Sizes may be different but you get the idea*

Hardware:
  • iPhone: 3 iPhones, 3 Sizes
  1. iPhone - (minus) = 4 Inch Screen
  2. iPhone (the default middle version) = 4.7 Inch Screen
  3. iPhone + (plus) = 5.4 Inch Screen
  • iPad: 3 iPads, 3 Sizes
  1. iPad - (minus) = 7.9 Inch Screen
  2. iPad (the default middle version) = 9.7 Inch Screen
  3. iPad + (plus) = 12.9 Inch Screen
  • iPod: 3 iPod, 3 Sizes
  1. iPod - (minus) = 4 Inch Screen
  2. iPod (the default middle version) = 4.7 Inch Screen
  3. iPod + (plus) = 5.4 Inch Screen
  • Apple Watch: 3 Apple Watches, 3 Sizes
  1. Apple Watch - (minus) = 38 mm screen
  2. Apple Watch (the default middle version) = 42 mm screen
  3. Apple Watch + (plus) = 45 mm screen
  • iMac (don't have an idea for a new name but needs to be changed): 3 iMacs, 3 Sizes
  1. iMac - (minus) = 21.5 Inch Screen
  2. iMac (the default middle version) = 27 Inch Screen
  3. iMac + (plus) = 32 Inch Screen
  • macBook: 3 macBooks, 3 sizes
  1. macBook - (minus) = 13.3 Inch Screen
  2. macBook (the default middle version) = 15.4 Inch Screen
  3. macBook + (plus) = 17.3 Inch
  • Mac Pro (don't have an idea for a new name but needs to be changed)
and every release, they simply code name it "The New ______ " (remember they did that with the iPad 3), people don't need new number to differentiate.

Get rid of all iPods, as once we get wireless headphones the Apple Watch would basically take the concept of iPods away.

Get rid of the MacBook Air as the 'Air' concept to now pointless.

Software:
  • iOS
  1. iPhone
  2. iPad
  3. iPod
  • macOS
  1. iMac (don't have an idea for a new name but needs to be changed)
  2. macBook
  3. Mac Pro (don't have an idea for a new name but needs to be changed)
  • watchOS
  1. Apple Watch
  • tvOS
  1. Apple TV
as for sub software renames:
  • 4 Apps Instead of iTunes
  1. Music
    • My Music and Music Videos, Apple Music, Radio, and Apple Music Store
  2. Video
    • My Movies and TV Shows, and Apple Video Store
  3. Books:
    • My Books and PDFS, and Apple Book Store
  4. Podcasts:
    • My Podcasts, and Apple Podcast Store
and when they refer to all the digital stores, they could just say "Apple Media Store", or "Apple Digital Store".
 
Last edited:
AZhappyjack

AZhappyjack

Suspended
Jul 3, 2011
10,184
23,659
Happy Jack, AZ
Interesting.

The biggest flaw in your "solution" of alternating releases of hardware and software by years is obvious. Apple would release a new iPhone in the even years (for example), but the updated version of iOS to support that new hardware would not be released for another whole year.

Also, I have a bunch of grandkids who don't have iPhones because of their age... so their parents get iPods for them to use. Are you suggesting that we abandon the iPod approach and get them either an iPhone or an Watch? That is beyond laughable. There are valid reasons for the iPod to exist.

I agree that iTunes is a mess, and splitting it up into separate apps for specific functions would be a good idea...
 
T

TrenttonY

macrumors 65816
Original poster
Nov 14, 2012
1,218
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dwfaust said:
Interesting.

The biggest flaw in your "solution" of alternating releases of hardware and software by years is obvious. Apple would release a new iPhone in the even years (for example), but the updated version of iOS to support that new hardware would not be released for another whole year.

Also, I have a bunch of grandkids who don't have iPhones because of their age... so their parents get iPods for them to use. Are you suggesting that we abandon the iPod approach and get them either an iPhone or an Watch? That is beyond laughable. There are valid reasons for the iPod to exist.

I agree that iTunes is a mess, and splitting it up into separate apps for specific functions would be a good idea...
Click to expand...
I changed my mind. Yes we need to keep iPod's. But just one model iPod with a screen, so basically an iPod touch, without the 'Touch' name. But you do have to agree that soon all of our devices will be an iPhone in the sense that they will all have cellular data via carriers, and calling and texting would obviously be through that plus WIFI.
 
T

TrenttonY

macrumors 65816
Original poster
Nov 14, 2012
1,218
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maflynn said:
So while their competitors are releasing new models annually, Apple is going to sit on the side lines? That would spell doom.
Click to expand...
With that logic, why don't they just release a new iPhone every 6 months? They would then have an edge over the competitors. Thats why I said in the OP that them releasing the iPhone 3G a year after the iPhone, started the trend for the all major smartphone makers to do the same. This has caused an over saturation of iPhones in use. You also need to realize every new iPhone means it will be in the market some way or another for at least 4 or 5 years, and with the iPhones released in the last 3 years, they're powerful enough to do that respectfully.
 
throAU

throAU

macrumors G3
Feb 13, 2012
9,139
7,300
Perth, Western Australia
I'm sure they're crying all the way to the bank.

Post was TLDR, but i have/have used most of the current Apple kit. I do not have any desire to replace with other stuff, and the phone i could replace for free as it is a work handset...
 
T

Tech198

Cancelled
Mar 21, 2011
15,915
2,151
tobefirst said:
This is the only part of your post that I'm behind. A 40" iPod? Yes, please! Not sure what I'd do with it, but I'd find some reason to buy it!

The rest...I think you're off track.
Click to expand...

You know TV's are that big now too... only not as good resolution.. I dunno what's i'd do with that either,,, u can't carry it, and definatly no longer be portable which is what a tablet is all about.

Mount it in your living room as a replacement for your 4K TV ? *shrugs*

u'd need a keyboard, otherwise u'd get bad eyesight sitting that close :)

The while "minus" and "plus" thing... I guess if it were a battery business.

I won't agree on any other except the last point...... Apple should do seperate apps, and iCloud would be better..

People talk all the time about .PST files under windows how if all one bloated file.. well what do u think iTunes is ....? It's no pic-nik either. and while it all be in one place is all good, it'll will just get bigger and loaded with more features the more u add.. with that will will come more and more updates needed to fix things, less so with separate apps. Convenience, but u have iBooks, and if u need to sync PDF's u must first now add them to "a separate app" anyway for iTunes to see them. A change Apple did.
 
Last edited:
Beachguy

Beachguy

macrumors 65816
Nov 23, 2011
1,008
407
Florida, USA
iPhone Minus? Ummm... you have no background in retail, marketing, product research, or corporate management, do you?

Really? MINUS???????????????
 
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C

CmdrABaldwin

macrumors newbie
Apr 8, 2016
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…and get rid of all this "mini" and "air" branding?

assortment-01.jpg

[doublepost=1460150214][/doublepost]
CmdrABaldwin said:
…and get rid of all this "mini" and "air" branding?

assortment-01.jpg
Click to expand...
or even further..?
assortment-02.jpg
 
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M

mbar9607

macrumors member
Apr 8, 2016
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i think the iPad Pro should run OS X not iOS to make it a "pro" version of the iPad
 
Howard2k

Howard2k

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Mar 10, 2016
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My guess is that they will. The next Macbook will signify the end of the MBA, IMHO.
 
HoiPiet

HoiPiet

macrumors member
Aug 11, 2015
83
20
Samuelsan2001 said:
OP its this sort of unwillingness to move on that has forced apple to keep old lines and tech going.
Click to expand...

Are larger screens old technology? They could make an absolutely awesome portable workstation.

Are serviceable and/or upgradeable old technology?

I think they should add products that people want. Laptops, the mini, the pro are just a few that would sell like crazy if they can get the processors and get them out the door.
 
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duervo

duervo

macrumors 68020
Feb 5, 2011
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1,248
Three product tiers for each product type. That's what they've done historically, and things have gone a bit astray from that for the last few years. I suspect we will see more of a return to it this year, starting at WWDC.

The move to retina displays for the OS X products has been the biggest single disruption to the synergy in their lineup.

The reactionary response to the Surface lineup from Microsoft is the largest cause of the shakeup being displayed in the iPad products. However, things aren't nearly as disjointed in that area as they seem to be for their OS X portables, and to a lesser degree their OS X desktop products.
 
navaira

navaira

macrumors 68040
May 28, 2015
3,934
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Amsterdam, Netherlands
The fact that iPhone SE is called SE and not 6 Mini or something else more understandable makes me expect Mac Pro 6s+ and Macbook Pro Mini 4 in the near future. I thought that they would begin simplifying their lineup with the new iPhone but obviously they're not concerned about that at all.
 
Chupa Chupa

Chupa Chupa

macrumors G5
Jul 16, 2002
14,835
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mbar9607 said:
i think the iPad Pro should run OS X not iOS to make it a "pro" version of the iPad
Click to expand...

But then it wouldn't be an iPad. It would be a Mac tablet. An iPad branded device running OS X would really confuse consumers. I think the iPad Pro serves graphics people well. Not sure of the need for a Mac tablet now that that exists. There is nothing intrinsically "pro" about Mac OS X by itself.
 
smacrumon

smacrumon

macrumors 68030
Jan 15, 2016
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I like your style. Keep the line up compact and understandable. When I think of Apple's current line up, I think of the multitude of phone plans and how difficult it is to the casual observe to distinguish the benefits of each product.
 
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