Other Thoughts on Apple’s current strategy in differentiating iPhones—is it time for a new approach?

[benjaminww]

After today's iPhone event I feel the line that divides Pro and non-Pro models is pretty blurry. It's made me wonder if there's a better way for Apple to organize the iPhone lineup.

(I am doing this just for fun. Clearly, like many of you all, I'm a fanboy.)

What if the iPhone lineup was as follows:
Step 1) Choose your size: mini, regular, or max
Step 2) Choose your finish: regular or pro

I think this would streamline the lineup and also eliminate the unfortunate situation where folks who want a smaller phone (e.g. iPhone 12 mini) can't experience it in the most premium materials.

What are your thoughts on this? Do you find any flaws with the current iPhone lineup? Any thoughts on how to organize it better?

 

[tunastink]

I'll play.

Differentiate on form vs function.

"Regular" lineup is sleek, beautiful and simple. Supports all Apple's ecosystem core use-cases (AR-enhanced item location, Apple pay, etc) for light use. It'll probably make it through a day on a single charge.

"Pro" lineup is powerful, capable, and feature-rich. This is what you choose if you "make" things with your phone. Make aesthetic compromises in favor of greater capabilities. Thicker and heavier, but 50% more battery. Phobia-triggering camera array with larger sensors that dominates the rear of the phone. Lightning + USB-C + headphone connectors.

Step 1: choose your size: mini, regular, max
Step 2: choose "Regular" if you want a cheaper phone that looks better, or "Pro" if you want a phone that will enable your hobby or profession.

There are some problems with this approach, but fun to kick ideas around. Anyone else?

 

[canyonblue737]

Apple's put itself in a tough spot the last 3 years with the split in the line. The regular line sells best, costs least, and has to both get better each year and keep up with the competition. Some years they can do all of that AND find enough new tech that is ready to ship in reasonable volume to put into the "Pro" line to make it worth charging considerably more for. Other years, like this year, they made the regular line what it needed to be but fell short on getting enough new tech to make the Pro lineup really compelling. I'm certain based on rumors 120 hz screens were supposed to be in this years Pro models but due to yield issues they could get them in enough volume so was pushed back to 2021 rather late in the game (and close as 3 or 4 months ago per the rumors). I also believe that the camera enhancements in the Pro Max model likely were meant for the 12 Pro and either didn't make size constraints unexpectedly OR also had yield issues so to limit supply needs they put it in the Max only. Either way it left Apple with little to set the 12 Pro apart so they relied far more heavily this year on software locked features that use the A14 and NOT the hardware, but locked them away from the regular 12 models just so they could point to something different.

Dicey game each year and Apple rolls the dice on what they think will be ready... anything can happen and COVID certainly messed up all kinds of things. Bottom line is the overall upgrades this year are significant (square body, better glass, 5G!!, MagSafe etc.) but the Pro side fell down (better cameras, kinda... oh and lidar, we promise it will be cool someday... maybe?)

 

[Taco1933]

Fine by me. I also wouldn’t mind if they upped the price on the pros a bit and added some more features.