6 ms·

Does it strike anyone else that Apple's product line is starting to sound complicated?

by lambdasquirrel 12y ago

sushpop 12y ago
My feelings/words exactly. Too many screen sizes, too many products. Probably they need 2/2 matrix again :-)
- masklinn 12y ago
  > Too many screen sizes Meh. They've got 2 display sizes for each product (with displays), basically: 6/6+, iPad Mini/Air, iMac 21/27, MBA 11/13 and rMBP 13/15. The iMac and MBP used to have 3 display sizes each, and at one point there were 5 different iPod models sold at the same time (Shuffle 2G, Shuffle 3G, Nano 4G, Classic 6G and Touch 2G) Leftover products (non-retina iPad mini, non-air retina iPad, MBP13, 5C and 5S) are a bigger annoyance I'd say.
  - arrrg 12y ago
    The problem for Apple is that they sometimes want to move fast and change things, but that necessitates leaving people behind. Their preferred solution during the last decade or so is to mostly keep the old products around for a while, but deemphasise them in their marketing. I do think that’s the right approach, actually.
cnp 12y ago
Starting to get sloppy.
kmfrk 12y ago
It's been a long time coming. I mean, do we even know whether 5S or 5C refer to anything in particular? What's really weird that they don't have an iPad Pro in that lineup, because that was what we assumed to be the reason they went with the name "iPad Air".
- burnte 12y ago
  Yes, the S model is a faster (_S_peedier) version of the previous model. 3GS, 4S, 5S. The C means it's the _C_olored variant.
  - mcav 12y ago
    (and/or "cheap")
burnte 12y ago
Not to me. Just to list the current models: Tablets: iPad Mini 3, iPad Air 2. Phones: iPhone 6, iPhone 6+. Desktops: Mac Mini, iMac, Mac Pro. Portables: Macbook Air, Macbook Pro. You can even make that list ordered by size from memory like I did, and I'm not an Apple guy although I have a Mini that runs windows, and an iPad Air).
- masklinn 12y ago
  Your listing is simplified compared to the actual lineup * The non-air iPad Retina and non-retina Mini are still part of the lineup * the 5S and 5C are still part of the lineup * the iMac exists in 21 and 27" * the rMBP exists in 13 and 15" * the MBA exists in 11 and 13" * the 13" MBP still exists
  - Fastidious 12y ago
    He said "current" models, not all existing models. I understood current as "latest."
    - masklinn 12y ago
      1. these are all current models, they're currently produced and sold on the store. In fact the list is still incomplete since it's missing 3 different iPods (Touch, Nano and Shuffle) 2. Even if you understand "current" as "latest" (which is most definitely a non-standard definition) that removes the old MBP, the 5's and the leftover ipads, the ipods and various screen sizes of macs remain.
    - snikch 12y ago
      Current is most definitely != latest. Current means any model that is still in production and being sold, although admittedly for some manufacturers those two things don't usually align, Apple has a tendency to remove models immediately from the line up when they cease production.
      - burnte 12y ago
bdcravens 12y ago
Yes, and recall that this was one of the key problems that Jobs fixed when he came back. Bigger iPad=Air, but smaller Macbook=Air. Bigger Macbook=Pro, but bigger iPhone=Plus. When the iWatch comes out, it'll get worse.
- SomeCollegeBro 12y ago
  Actually, it's just called the Watch. (Case and point)
  - bonif 12y ago
    Sure, what about the second version (coming , I guess, in about 7 months? ) Watch 2 ?
    - TeMPOraL 12y ago
      Watch Air.
  - tricolon 12y ago
    To be even more pedantic: ᴡᴀᴛᴄʜ
    - yebyen 12y ago
      He's right, in all the branding in all the promotional materials that I've seen, they use 0xF8FF. I looked it up, 0xF8FF () is the Apple symbol. If it renders as a square/rectangular box on your computer, it's because it's trademarked and a logo, which means you need an Apple font to render it. (Which I/you don't have, because Apple fonts only come with Apple computers.) Just responding because I saw this comment was downvoted.
      - Someone 12y ago
        actually, 0xF8FF is in a unicode private use area. Font designers can put whatever they want there, and some do (http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Private_Use_Areas#U.2BF8FF http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Private_Use_Areas#U.2BF8FF) Apple has standardized some characters in that range in its products, but there is no guarantee that you get an Apple logo there.
Steko 12y ago
You mean like the iPod Classic, Mini, Nano, Shuffle, Touch?

Does it strike anyone else that Apple's product line is starting to sound complicated?

sushpop 12y ago

My feelings/words exactly. Too many screen sizes, too many products. Probably they need 2/2 matrix again :-)

masklinn 12y ago
> Too many screen sizes Meh. They've got 2 display sizes for each product (with displays), basically: 6/6+, iPad Mini/Air, iMac 21/27, MBA 11/13 and rMBP 13/15. The iMac and MBP used to have 3 display sizes each, and at one point there were 5 different iPod models sold at the same time (Shuffle 2G, Shuffle 3G, Nano 4G, Classic 6G and Touch 2G) Leftover products (non-retina iPad mini, non-air retina iPad, MBP13, 5C and 5S) are a bigger annoyance I'd say.
- arrrg 12y ago
  The problem for Apple is that they sometimes want to move fast and change things, but that necessitates leaving people behind. Their preferred solution during the last decade or so is to mostly keep the old products around for a while, but deemphasise them in their marketing. I do think that’s the right approach, actually.

cnp 12y ago

Starting to get sloppy.

kmfrk 12y ago

It's been a long time coming. I mean, do we even know whether 5S or 5C refer to anything in particular? What's really weird that they don't have an iPad Pro in that lineup, because that was what we assumed to be the reason they went with the name "iPad Air".

burnte 12y ago
Yes, the S model is a faster (_S_peedier) version of the previous model. 3GS, 4S, 5S. The C means it's the _C_olored variant.
- mcav 12y ago
  (and/or "cheap")

burnte 12y ago

Not to me. Just to list the current models: Tablets: iPad Mini 3, iPad Air 2. Phones: iPhone 6, iPhone 6+. Desktops: Mac Mini, iMac, Mac Pro. Portables: Macbook Air, Macbook Pro. You can even make that list ordered by size from memory like I did, and I'm not an Apple guy although I have a Mini that runs windows, and an iPad Air).

masklinn 12y ago
Your listing is simplified compared to the actual lineup * The non-air iPad Retina and non-retina Mini are still part of the lineup * the 5S and 5C are still part of the lineup * the iMac exists in 21 and 27" * the rMBP exists in 13 and 15" * the MBA exists in 11 and 13" * the 13" MBP still exists
- Fastidious 12y ago
  He said "current" models, not all existing models. I understood current as "latest."
  - masklinn 12y ago
    1. these are all current models, they're currently produced and sold on the store. In fact the list is still incomplete since it's missing 3 different iPods (Touch, Nano and Shuffle) 2. Even if you understand "current" as "latest" (which is most definitely a non-standard definition) that removes the old MBP, the 5's and the leftover ipads, the ipods and various screen sizes of macs remain.
  - snikch 12y ago
    Current is most definitely != latest. Current means any model that is still in production and being sold, although admittedly for some manufacturers those two things don't usually align, Apple has a tendency to remove models immediately from the line up when they cease production.
    - burnte 12y ago

bdcravens 12y ago

Yes, and recall that this was one of the key problems that Jobs fixed when he came back. Bigger iPad=Air, but smaller Macbook=Air. Bigger Macbook=Pro, but bigger iPhone=Plus. When the iWatch comes out, it'll get worse.

SomeCollegeBro 12y ago
Actually, it's just called the Watch. (Case and point)
- bonif 12y ago
  Sure, what about the second version (coming , I guess, in about 7 months? ) Watch 2 ?
  - TeMPOraL 12y ago
    Watch Air.
- tricolon 12y ago
  To be even more pedantic: ᴡᴀᴛᴄʜ
  - yebyen 12y ago
    He's right, in all the branding in all the promotional materials that I've seen, they use 0xF8FF. I looked it up, 0xF8FF () is the Apple symbol. If it renders as a square/rectangular box on your computer, it's because it's trademarked and a logo, which means you need an Apple font to render it. (Which I/you don't have, because Apple fonts only come with Apple computers.) Just responding because I saw this comment was downvoted.
    - Someone 12y ago
      actually, 0xF8FF is in a unicode private use area. Font designers can put whatever they want there, and some do (http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Private_Use_Areas#U.2BF8FF http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Private_Use_Areas#U.2BF8FF) Apple has standardized some characters in that range in its products, but there is no guarantee that you get an Apple logo there.

Steko 12y ago

You mean like the iPod Classic, Mini, Nano, Shuffle, Touch?