As "VP of iPad Marketing," your job would have you seeing the lineup
differently than we consumers see it. I suspect the catalyst for this poll is probably grounded in a popular consumer viewpoint concept of "the good old days" when there was as little as a single model or two for sale. Thus, all these (many) choices seem to be undesirable through our consumer lens.
Some of us even connect the concept to the late Apple Inc situation just before Jobs became CEO again... in which he consolidated the many to the few and focused on the few. What we seem to ignore about that was that Apple was TINY then... even having to go to Bill Gates for a relatively small loan just to keep the doors open. Was it Jobs genius to consolidate down to the few or was business reality such that Apple could only afford to make relatively few products during that "nearly bankrupt" period? Who really knows? Our lenses can see history a thousand different ways too, depending on how one wants to see it.
Apple Inc in 2024 is typically either "richest company in the world" or running a close second or so at any given time. There's no path back towards a tiny few products that then maintains all that revenue to maintain or grow that standing. It's a very different Apple than it was in 1996-1997 and it
needs broader product lines (and "next big things" new lines to roll out) to maintain "another record quarter" growth.
They don't make all these different iPads but then sell only the good ones. They must be selling enough of each line to justify its existence as a line. As VP of iPad Marketing, we would see this in company dollars & sense (alt spelling intentional) and continue doing whatever was likely to yield the most revenue from our division... even if that means adding MORE iPad variety in the future. 🤪 That's the JOB!
Through our
consumer lens, we may wish that they would simplify down to only the best of each line of Apple products... which is probably judged best by the one we personally choose to own. However, ask the next consumer what are best offerings from each line and their answer may differ from yours. And ask the next consumer and their opinion will probably differ from the other two. Etc.
My personal favorite iPad- and the only one I choose to own- is iPad Mini. So based upon my judgement, I might think the rest of the lineup is dumb but keep making that one "best" iPad (as I see it). However, yesterday or so, I saw a thread asking how long until Apple finally kills the Mini, filled with select posts poking at it as seemingly weakest link (in that opinion). Apparently that guy feels differently than I do??? Consumers have opinions that differ from our own??? Who would think it?
This VP who arbitrarily kills a line because they like it least personally may be killing a big stream of revenue important to the department. Sales for that line might not automatically shift to what is left... but may bail to Fire or other tablet options. Department sales go down and this VP is soon fired for not doing the job, which is less about picking favorites and more about maximizing revenue & profit.
Now, if we want to reframe the poll and ask what is the least desirable iPad in the lineup, this consumer would offer any of them other than Mini. However, I'm sharp enough to know the next guy(s) may feel very differently... even- as odd as it could seem- rank Mini last and thus the first one deserving to be ejected. And the next guy will likely identify another one that should be first on the block. Thus, 5 lines of iPads in 2024 apparently is the
right number of lines through the
business lens at Apple Inc. I'm certain they don't make any iPad models at all knowing that nobody will want them... as measured by revenue instead of any one person's opinion.
