Other Next year, it might simply be called iPhone or Phone

[sniffies]

As I’ve been saying for the past couple of years, Apple will simplify the nomenclature with Pro and non-Pro designations on most of their products, and today’s announcement is further proof:

Mac - Mac Pro
iMac - iMac Pro
MacBook - MacBook Pro
iPad - iPad Pro
iPhone - iPhone Pro
Powerbeats - Powerbeats Pro

Apple Watch and AirPods may be the next to get Pro variants, probably in the next 2-5 years.

The only products that probably will not get the Pro designation are Apple TV and Apple HomePod.

Now, about iPhone. As you can see, Apple is also gradually dropping the famous “i” from all of their products. And iPhone could be next, either next year or the year after.

Apple will also drop the numbering from iPhone as they’ve done with iPad for the past several years. And since iPhone comes in more than two sizes, they could give us a mini too.

So, the iPhone lineup will probably be something like this:

iPhone
iPhone mini
iPhone Pro

or

Phone
Phone mini
Phone Pro

What’s your opinion?

 

[Dented]

You’re suggesting that there’s some transition underway but actually Apple haven’t dropped the “i” anywhere, the only recent product they’ve launched which might otherwise have used it is the Watch, where there was an existing trademark in place and they simply had to go for alternative branding.

By your own admission going from iPhone to Apple phone simply lengthens the name and confuses matters. There’s no advantage to it. By contrast, what we’ve actually seen this year with the switch to pro branding is a doubling down on the iPhone brand, bringing the iPhone name back to the fore and dropping meaningless terms like XR and XS in favour of a much clearer hierarchy of iPhone. We’re back to the point where you can walk into a store and ask for “the new iPhone”, and everyone knows you’re talking about the iPhone 11 and not the Pro and vice versa, whereas before it was much less clear where the XR sat in the lineup, and whether the “default” iPhone was that or the XS.

So in short no, what we’re seeing is a strengthening of the immensely valuable iPhone brand, not any move to change it.

 

[rafark]

Apple phone pro 11 sounds like a Chinese knock off. Very generic.

iPhone is perhaps one of the strongest if not the strongest brand of the century.

 

[C DM]

At this point it would be like Google deciding to change their search and online branding to Alphabet. “You should Alphabet it” certainly sounds catchy.

 

[Dulcimer]

Yeah, as others mentioned the iPhone name is way too big to be dropped. But yes it does seem like they’re consolidating their product names into regular and Pro versions. And I also believe we’re moving towards a numberless naming scheme as has been done with pretty much every other product. I’ll just be known by its year. This makes sense in a world where smartphones are very mature like computers.

The only other thing I would disagree with is the prediction that there will be a Watch Pro. The Pro moniker only really makes sense for creation devices like computers, tablets, and even smartphones. Even audio devices can be part of that process, hence Pro speakers and headphones. But you don’t create things with a Watch.

 

[sniffies]

Apple is not strengthening the iPhone brand. Just because iPhone is “one of the strongest brands of the century” doesn’t mean Apple won’t have the courage to ditch it. We’ve seen it before with headphone jack, iTunes, etc.

Apple’s mission is to further strengthen and cement the Apple brand, not iPhone.

Like Tim Cook once said about Apple’s future: “Everything can change except values.”

P.S. My Phone prediction could be a little premature. My point though is that it’ll definitely happen. If not next year, then the next.

 

[Dented]

Apple is not strengthening the iPhone brand. Just because iPhone is “one of the strongest brands of the century” doesn’t mean Apple won’t have the courage to ditch it. We’ve seen it before with headphone jack, iTunes, etc.

Apple’s mission is to further strengthen and cement the Apple brand, not iPhone.

Like Tim Cook once said about Apple’s future: “Everything can change except values.”

P.S. My Phone prediction could be a little premature. My point though is that it’ll definitely happen. If not next year, then the next.

Apple have strengthened and re-emphasised the iPhone brand by dropping the X variants and simplifying down to number + Pro - if you can’t see that at least, then frankly I have trouble taking any of your predictions seriously.

 

[sniffies]

Apple have strengthened and re-emphasised the iPhone brand by dropping the X variants and simplifying down to number + Pro - if you can’t see that at least, then frankly I have trouble taking any of your predictions seriously.

What? Them axing the X is not indicative of strengthening of the iPhone brand AT ALL. If anything, it merely means that they didn’t want to make the changes all at once. It’ll happen in stages: first, the Pro designation, then dropping of numbering, then dropping of “i”.

You’re clearly the oblivious one.

Several years ago, on this very forum, I had several members (just like you) laughing at my iPhone Pro prediction and saying that it would never happen. Didn’t take long for them to eat their words.

Watch, you’ll be next.

 

[Dented]

I can see this really means a lot to you, so good for you. I almost wish you were right, it’s just pretty obvious you’ve misread this current move, whatever the long term strategy might be.