Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

What do you think about this potential 2017 product line up for Apple?

S

spac3duck

macrumors regular
Original poster
Mar 31, 2017
229
142
Hey guys,

Long time lurker first time poster.
I’ve been thinking about the potential future line up for Apple and was wondering what you thought about this arrangement (Refer the attached albeit really rough picture).

Red = To be released this year
Green = Current products
S = Small
R = Regular
L = Large

Considerations:
  • Apple moves to split product line up into Professional and Consumer
  • iPhone 10th Edition released with new design and marketed as the Pro Phone option while the iPhone 7s + 7s Plus released with minor spec bumps and different colours
  • iPad Mini Pro launched to compliment the Pro Tablet range. iPad Mini 4 kept as the low entry model for consumers with a 10.5” launched and targeted towards the Education market (i.e. big screen like iPad Pro 12.9” but easier to handle in the hands of students)
  • iMac adopts the Pro name for it’s top end models with a slight spec bump to warrant the difference
  • The ‘Air’ line is dropped and the Mac Mini turns into ‘Mac’ with the Mac Pro as the better spec model
Overall this would mean:
iPhone —> iPhone Pro
iPad —> iPad Pro
MacBook —> MacBook Pro
iMac —> iMac Pro
Mac —> Mac Pro


I guess my thoughts/hopes were that Apple would release:
- iPad Mini Pro and 10.5" iPad at Campus Launch in April
- Updated Desktops at WWDC, and
- iPhones at September/October event

Cheers



Screen Shot 2017-04-03 at 10.12.06.png
 
  • Like
Reactions: EedyBeedyBeeps
I like where you're going/thinking, and appreciate the layout in the table you've created as well, but I feel like it's too many products. I also don't think Apple will ever advertise one line as consumer and one as professional (we can see with iPad Pro marketing that they're treating it like laptop replacement for anyone, not just for professional use compared to the regular iPad). And that 10.5" iPad will definitely be the Pro model replacement of the current 9.7.

First off, I think it's safe to say the Mac and Mac Pro you have may not stick around for much longer (sadly in my opinion, and I do like the simplicity in that naming).

I'd guess for this year we'll end up seeing:

iPhone SE
iPhone 7s
iPhone 7s Plus
iPhone Edition/Pro

iPad (7.9" and 9.7") - I'm not convinced that they care enough about the mini form factor to even give it this treatment.
iPad Pro (10.5" and 12.9")

MacBook (12")
MacBook Pro (13" and 15")

iMac (21" and 27")
iMac Pro (27")

I do like the simplicity with iPad and iPad Pro, MacBook and MacBook Pro when it comes to naming. I think we'll eventually get a cleaner iPhone lineup as well (iPhone SE, iPhone, iPhone Plus, iPhone Pro) as opposed to just keeping older models around.
 
For the most part Apple has done a fair job with their line up. It's diverse enough to draw in entry buyers while still retaining adequate/great quality across the lines.

I wish they really distinguish there "Pro" tablet market more with OS X or something more robust. I don't like that my iPad Pro is almost essentially an iPad or iPhone.

The pro branding is being thrown very loosely with Apple.
 
  • Like
Reactions: gobikerider
kingkoopakoopa said:
For the most part Apple has done a fair job with their line up. It's diverse enough to draw in entry buyers while still retaining adequate/great quality across the lines.

I wish they really distinguish there "Pro" tablet market more with OS X or something more robust. I don't like that my iPad Pro is almost essentially an iPad or iPhone.

The pro branding is being thrown very loosely with Apple.
Click to expand...

I think we need to accept at this point that the pro moniker is being used a marketing term at this point to distinguish higher end models.

I gotta be honest, while I hope they keep improving iOS and bringing more powerful features, what I love most about it is that it runs iOS and not MacOS.
 
gobikerider said:
Yah but you have space of a iPad to do real work and create things, you can't do that same stuff on a phone, I mean what defines a Pro iPhone?
Click to expand...

I guess in a way any iPhone could be considered 'pro' if it's a tool used by professionals. I don't think they're going to call it Pro though. I feel like iPhone Edition is more likely,
 
  • Like
Reactions: gobikerider
profets said:
I guess in a way any iPhone could be considered 'pro' if it's a tool used by professionals. I don't think they're going to call it Pro though. I feel like iPhone Edition is more likely,
Click to expand...
Yah I don't see Apple just skipping 7s and having the iPhone 8 as they have never done that in the past.
 
  • Like
Reactions: profets
gobikerider said:
Yah I don't see Apple just skipping 7s and having the iPhone 8 as they have never done that in the past.
Click to expand...

I think the most likely option is that after 7s/7s Plus the iPhone names will no longer have numbers. Eventually they would start to sound a bit silly "The new iPhone 14" for example.

Sounds like pretty strong hints towards a higher end phone that'll sit above the 7s and 7s Plus. And a continuously updated iPhone SE below them.
 
  • Like
Reactions: gobikerider
I don't think they will have a 7.9" iPad Pro. And it's too early to bring the 10.5" display to the consumer iPad.

The 9.7" display was already deemed small for Pro users which is why they are bringing in 10.5". Apple could have a done a 9.7" thin bezel if that's what pro users wanted. A 7.9" tablet leaves no room for a Smart Keyboard or real productivity.
 
This is looking more likely than I thought it would with Federighi saying they'll release an updated iMac which includes pro configurations - an 'iMac Pro', if you will.

The only part I'd still doubt is the iPad line - I think the 10.5" will replace the 9.7", and there won't be a pro 7.9" device. That leaves two sizes for both consumer and prosumer (7.9" and 9.7"; 10.5" and 12.9" respectively), which I think makes sense.
 
  • Like
Reactions: profets
cambookpro said:
This is looking more likely than I thought it would with Federighi saying they'll release an updated iMac which includes pro configurations - an 'iMac Pro', if you will.

The only part I'd still doubt is the iPad line - I think the 10.5" will replace the 9.7", and there won't be a pro 7.9" device. That leaves two sizes for both consumer and prosumer (7.9" and 9.7"; 10.5" and 12.9" respectively), which I think makes sense.
Click to expand...
I agree now all we need is the event to be announced:confused::(
 
  • Like
Reactions: Keenanryan14
gobikerider said:
I agree now all we need is the event to be announced:confused::(
Click to expand...

As much as I'd love a 10.5" iPad to be announced tomorrow to replace my Air 1, I just can't see any more hardware refreshes until Autumn.

You have to think that if an event were on the horizon, the red iPhone, watch bands, iPad 2017, and now the Mac Pro and iMac roadmap statement would've been presented at the same time. Along with not wanting to steal thunder away from a bezel-less iPhone, and the complete lack of part leaks, it just seems very unlikely.
 
cambookpro said:
As much as I'd love a 10.5" iPad to be announced tomorrow to replace my Air 1, I just can't see any more hardware refreshes until Autumn.

You had to think that if an event were on the horizon, the red iPhone, watch bands, iPad 2017, and now the Mac Pro and iMac roadmap statement would've been presented at the same time. Along with not wanting to steal thunder away from a bezel-less iPhone, and the complete lack of part leaks, it just seems very unlikely.
Click to expand...
I guess that's fine but if it's a Fall launch then they need to impress with performance A11X not a 10X
 
gobikerider said:
I guess that's fine but if it's a Fall launch then they need to impress with performance A11X not a 10X
Click to expand...

Now there's an interesting thought. They usually reserve the newest A series SoC for the iPhone launch since it requires significant quantities. The few times the iPad has gotten it the same year (A7 Air/mini2, A8X for Air2 and A9X for the 12.9) it's only happened when the iPad shipped 1-2 months after the iPhone.
 
profets said:
Now there's an interesting thought. They usually reserve the newest A series SoC for the iPhone launch since it requires significant quantities. The few times the iPad has gotten it the same year (A7 Air/mini2, A8X for Air2 and A9X for the 12.9) it's only happened when the iPad shipped 1-2 months after the iPhone.
Click to expand...
I mean it would if they do a Fall event they'd probably do a October event. Although I find it odd to believe it's that far off as production already has started.
 
gobikerider said:
I mean it would if they do a Fall event they'd probably do a October event. Although I find it odd to believe it's that far off as production already has started.
Click to expand...

Is there any evidence to suggest that production has already started?

I really think they're coming at a fall event. But I'd happily stand corrected if its sooner. I definitely think it won't be this month. The only other possibility I see (not that I think there's a great chance of it), is iPad Pro announcements at WWDC along with significant iPad features in iOS 11.
 
spac3duck said:
Hey guys,

Long time lurker first time poster.
I’ve been thinking about the potential future line up for Apple and was wondering what you thought about this arrangement (Refer the attached albeit really rough picture).

Red = To be released this year
Green = Current products
S = Small
R = Regular
L = Large

Considerations:
  • Apple moves to split product line up into Professional and Consumer
  • iPhone 10th Edition released with new design and marketed as the Pro Phone option while the iPhone 7s + 7s Plus released with minor spec bumps and different colours
  • iPad Mini Pro launched to compliment the Pro Tablet range. iPad Mini 4 kept as the low entry model for consumers with a 10.5” launched and targeted towards the Education market (i.e. big screen like iPad Pro 12.9” but easier to handle in the hands of students)
  • iMac adopts the Pro name for it’s top end models with a slight spec bump to warrant the difference
  • The ‘Air’ line is dropped and the Mac Mini turns into ‘Mac’ with the Mac Pro as the better spec model
Overall this would mean:
iPhone —> iPhone Pro
iPad —> iPad Pro
MacBook —> MacBook Pro
iMac —> iMac Pro
Mac —> Mac Pro


I guess my thoughts/hopes were that Apple would release:
- iPad Mini Pro and 10.5" iPad at Campus Launch in April
- Updated Desktops at WWDC, and
- iPhones at September/October event

Cheers



View attachment 694698
Click to expand...

I have been saying all this for the Last 2 Years you must have read my Previous Posts. Apple Has Had a 2 Tier Product Line for ages. It's now that they are expanding it to other categories.

IPhone Pro, and iPad Pro stuff that never existed til last year.


This 2 Tier approach happens in almost every industry.

Tooyta Camry and Toyota Corolla would be the equivalent of Mac and Mac Pro
McDonalds Cheeseburger or BigMac

There's always a slightly upgraded product for a little more money.
 
  • Like
Reactions: spac3duck
j2ee said:
How about big screen SE?
Click to expand...

What size display did you have in mind for the big screen SE?
Currently:
4" - iPhone SE
4.7" - iPhone 7
5.5" - iPhone 7 Plus
5.8" - (My assumption of a borderless iPhone Pro)

Would a larger SE take away the relevance of the 4.7"?
 
spac3duck said:
What size display did you have in mind for the big screen SE?
Currently:
4" - iPhone SE
4.7" - iPhone 7
5.5" - iPhone 7 Plus
5.8" - (My assumption of a borderless iPhone Pro)

Would a larger SE take away the relevance of the 4.7"?
Click to expand...

5.5" or bigger is big enough for me
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back