iPad Pro name - it seems more confusing now

[maflynn]

Am I the only one who is now more confused when people are talking about the iPad pro, is it the 9.7" or the 12.9"?

I think Apple erred in naming it only the iPad Pro. I think they should have made it a bit more unique somehow while still calling it the iPad Pro.

I know the MacBook comes in two flavors, 13" and 15" and maybe I need to give it some time, but it seems more confusing with the iPad to have two products using the same name

 

[AFEPPL]

Yep, i think everyone is in the same boat.
I dont think theres anything pro about either of them, they should have gone just with +

 

[maflynn]

I dont think theres anything pro about either of them, they should have gone just with +

I think you can make a case (or at least a better case) that the larger IPP can be used as a Pro, but not so much for the smaller one. Still the name pro is a marketing term, but having both called the pro just seems a bit confusing.

 

[Newtons Apple]

I think that ultimately the IPad Air models will be discontinued and agree that a better name differentiating the two Pro models would be best. Maybe they will drop the "Pro" name in the future as the Pro model features become standard.

 

[sjleworthy]

I just refer to it as my 12 incher

 

[Ghost31]

Just like when Apple renamed the iPad "air", it's just a branding situation here. They could've just gone with numbers like the iPhone, but they want a name that projects an idea. "Pro" is a new name that has a certain meaning behind it. People hear it and think "oh. That sounds like an upgrade from my existing tablet!" And run out and buy it

The name is meaningless at this point
[doublepost=1458991709][/doublepost]

I just refer to it as my 12 incher

Certain people might get the wrong idea

 

[AFEPPL]

To me the only "+" (i just cant bring myself to use the word pro for these iPads) element for both devices is the pencil which is just not for me. The CPU and performance no doubt will be 99.9% the same for both, maybe with the smaller device even edging it due to less pixels. But from a spec point of view the smaller one is in front and it logically makes more sense for it to have those feature as the bigger one is simply too large to carry around but yet the large one is too small still to be a serious pro device...

No doubt the debate will rage forever just like with the mini and iPad...

 

[TrueBlou]

To me the only "+" (i just cant bring myself to use the word pro for these iPads) element for both devices is the pencil which is just not for me. The CPU and performance no doubt will be 99.9% the same for both, maybe with the smaller device even edging it due to less pixels. But from a spec point of view the smaller one is in front and it logically makes more sense for it to have those feature as the bigger one is simply too large to carry around but yet the large one is too small still to be a serious pro device...

No doubt the debate will rage forever just like with the mini and iPad...

Do you also not like to reference a MacBook Pro as compared to a MacBook then?

Better screens, processors, graphics, the major differentiators between them also apply to the iPad Air and iPad Pro(s). Not to mention the main factor of course, which is, it's just a bloody name.

 

[Aluminum213]

Yes it's a stupid name, all the "pro" features should have been just regular updates to the iPad. Pencil and smart connector, those are pretty damn standard in tablets

Now with the iPad Air 2 and 9.7" Pro, the naming and models are even more stupid

 

[Chupa Chupa]

I know the MacBook comes in two flavors, 13" and 15" and maybe I need to give it some time, but it seems more confusing with the iPad to have two products using the same name

You mean MBP, not MB. Yes, I think you need more time for it to sink it b/c we've all been conditioned that each iPad line is just one size only. This conditioning is like when Apple changed the pro laptop from Powerbook to Macbook Pro. Everyone thought the name sounded awkward because we were all use to, and liked, the name Powerbook. No one cares now and it sounds normal.

Using a product name as an umbrella though is as common as Baskin Robbins ice cream. You don't go in and say give me a scoop of ice cream, you say give me a scoop of xyz flavor. Same for the iPad Pro -- I have a 13 or I have a 10.

Just something to get use to for sure.

 

[ZBoater]

Yep, i think everyone is in the same boat.

No, not everyone.

 

[TrueBlou]

And the “Air” wasn’t a stupid name?

Or is it because that particular iPad was lighter that air? No, wait, it isn’t so that cant be it. It’s gaseous? No that’s ridiculous, maybe it’s not quite so literal, maybe it airs an opinion? Perhaps upon the ridiculousness of first world problems? No, that would just be silly. Oh, I know, if you drop it, it creates a slight waft of Air. that must be the one.

Or maybe, just maybe, it was just a marketing idea conjured up to differentiate it from it predecessors. Ah, now were whistling dixie, I think that could be the one.

 

[sracer]

Am I the only one who is now more confused when people are talking about the iPad pro, is it the 9.7" or the 12.9"?

I think Apple erred in naming it only the iPad Pro. I think they should have made it a bit more unique somehow while still calling it the iPad Pro.

I know the MacBook comes in two flavors, 13" and 15" and maybe I need to give it some time, but it seems more confusing with the iPad to have two products using the same name

I've mentioned it before, Apple named these devices "Pro" primarily to stop the rumors of a Surface-like iPad. Microsoft was gaining some traction and attention for their Surface line and there was a growing rumbling among the Apple community looking for a similar device.

The last "P" in the iPP should've been "Plus" not "Pro". But if Apple did that, there would still be rumors about another device that be "Pro" like the Surface.

I think that Apple is beginning to get a bit into the weeds with the iPad line. Or it could be that "Pro" really is "Pro" and they have a medium range strategy to build-out the Pro line to become a more converged device like the Surface.

 

[AFEPPL]

Do you also not like to reference a MacBook Pro as compared to a MacBook then?

Better screens, processors, graphics, the major differentiators between them also apply to the iPad Air and iPad Pro(s). Not to mention the main factor of course, which is, it's just a bloody name.

But it isn't a better screen, it's the same retina screen with 264PPI... but more resolution because of the Realestate, it's the same processor and until a real world test has been run i'd wager even if its a slower clock speed it has every chance of running faster due to less pixel... Which is 180deg opposite of the laptop range.

By your logic, it should be the 13" MBA pro....! and the 15" rMBP Pro?

No, not everyone.

Yes, some are special and able to extract meaning from apples headlines that others can't

Yes it's a stupid name, all the "pro" features should have been just regular updates to the iPad. Pencil and smart connector, those are pretty damn standard in tablets

Now with the iPad Air 2 and 9.7" Pro, the naming and models are even more stupid

Totally with you.. crazy names/marketing

 

[asleep]

Agree, they could have done a better job differentiating by name.

Named like pizza: small, medium, large?

Fashion: mini, midi, maxi?

Pro 97? Pro SE?

I dunno.

 

[ZBoater]

But it isn't a better screen, it's the same retina screen with 264PPI...

So PPI is the only factor that matters in screen quality?

Ok.

 

[TrueBlou]

But it isn't a better screen, it's the same retina screen with 264PPI... but more resolution because of the Realestate, it's the same processor and until a real world test has been run i'd wager even if its a slower clock speed it has every chance of running faster due to less pixel... Which is 180deg opposite of the laptop range.

Well that depends own your definition of better screen, which naturally could vary wildly from mine. As far as I'm concerned the 12.9" iPad Pro has a better screen simply because of it's size. The 9.7" iPad Pro has a better screen because of it's true-tone display. So both of them to me offer an improvement one way or another over the iPad Air 2.

The processor is most definitely not the same, not by a long shot. One has a triple core A8X, the other two have dual core A9X. The iPad Air 2 gets close to the 9.7" iPad Pro in multi-core performance, thanks to that brilliant 3 core A8X.

But it doesn't come close to the A9X in single core performance, which is the more important one for general use. Only processor intensive things like video editing, certain photo editing, (some) games and so on are going to benefit from multi-core performance.

 

[ZBoater]

And brightness. And reflectivity. And color gamut.

You know, screen stuff.

 

[urkel]

I think you can make a case (or at least a better case) that the larger IPP can be used as a Pro, but not so much for the smaller one. Still the name pro is a marketing term, but having both called the pro just seems a bit confusing.

The new 9.7' is clearly the evolutionary successor to the Air yet they name it Pro just like the big one. So how do they differentiate the Pro naming? With decimal points.

Sure, we all memorized 7.9 and 9.7 and 12.9 and what it refers. But what about regular people. Because if the iPad is supposed to be "Computing Simplified" then why make naming so complicated to discuss or search for.

This is what an Apple lineup should look like. Obvious, Distinct and Simple.

 

[OllyW]

I think the Pro name is part of a marketing tactic used to help notch up the price to a higher level. Loads of companies use similar naming conventions.

 

[Newtons Apple]

It is all about marketing.

 

[turbineseaplane]

I think it should be:

iPad Mini
iPad
iPad Pro

 

[masotime]

I agree. This is one of the most confusing iPad launches. I'm still not exactly sure what makes the 9.7" Pro a "Pro" device.

I guess iPhone Pro @ 5.5" would be even more confusing....

 

[TrueBlou]

I agree. This is one of the most confusing iPad launches. I'm still not exactly sure what makes the 9.7" Pro a "Pro" device.

I guess iPhone Pro @ 5.5" would be even more confusing....

Nothing, any more than any other iPad, it's just a name.

It's different because they've upgrade, well, everything bar the battery life. Better screen, more power, Pencil compatibility, better sound even.

It's no different to when the iPad Air replaced the iPad 4. The iPad Air was a more powerful device with a new chassis. So they gave it a new name for marketing purposes. This is no different at all, new iPad, new name for marketing.

 

[sracer]

Nothing, any more than any other iPad, it's just a name.

It's different because they've upgrade, well, everything bar the battery life. Better screen, more power, Pencil compatibility, better sound even.

It's no different to when the iPad Air replaced the iPad 4. The iPad Air was a more powerful device with a new chassis. So they gave it a new name for marketing purposes. This is no different at all, new iPad, new name for marketing.

Not exactly. There is a price difference between the Air 2 and 9.7 Pro. That was not the case going from the iPad 4 to the Air. There also wasn't already an existing "Air" device when the "Air" was introduced.

The confusion created by the introduction of the 9.7 Pro has some valid reasons. It isn't simply conjured up by people who are unable to differentiate change.