I don’t suggest these names are good (in fact they aren’t)
Well, that's the problem - it's easy to criticise, not so easy to come up with better names. That said: having a "Mx Pro" processor which
isn't used in the Mac Pro, iPad Pro or 2 out of 3 MacBook Pro models does seem like carelessness. As does releasing a M1 Max when you know there's a bigger-than-max processor in the pipeline... (Bit like using Mac OS "Lion" unless you're really, really sure that there isn't going to be another "big cat"-themed Mac OS).
but what is Apple’s logic with naming?
There's no logic - the names are probably picked by marketing folk, not engineers and consistency (especially across unrelated product lines) isn't really on the agenda. I guess its a mixture of what sounds "right" to your focus group, historical issues, avoiding other brand names and making sure that the name doesn't sound like a profanity in Chinese. So:
AirPods Max but Apple Watch Ultra. Why not AirPods Ultra or Apple Watch Max?
Airpods Max: December 2020 (M1 Ultra not yet launched, probably unnamed).
M1 Ultra: March 2022 (Oops, we've made a processor that's bigger than Max, better call it "Ultra").
Why not MacBook Pro (14) and MacBook Ultra (16)?
Because there's also a processor called the Mx Ultra which
isn't available in the MacBook Pro - OK, so there's a similar issue with the Mx Pro processor, but there's no need to compound that mistake.
why not iPhone Pro 6,1 and iPhone Pro 6,7 or iPad Pro and iPad Pro Max?
Anything with "Pad" and "Max" together probably not a good name - there were plenty of "jokes" circulating when the iPad was first released. This is a polite site so I'll leave it at that.
Why not MacBook Air Plus for 15 inch?
Logically that would make the MacBook Pro 16 inch the MacBook Pro Plus, which sounds like a brand of caffeine tablet.
...OK, so I'm having fun, but those are the sort of worms you might find in the can...
