“When you add up the different models of iPads — broken down by screen size, storage options, cellular data connectivity or Wi-Fi only — there are essentially 14 tablets to choose from in Apple’s store,” Brian X. Chen blogs for The New York Times.
“What’s more, Apple is still selling the older iPad 2, which could confuse people, because the fourth-generation iPad is simply called ‘iPad,’ making it unclear which one is the newest,” Chen writes. “‘It’s really three models — iPad, iPad Mini and iPad 2 with different wireless options and storage capacities,’analyst Shaw Wu of of Sterne Agee said.”
However, Chen writes, “the iPad 2 stuck out to Mr. Wu as potentially confusing, because the name could lead the average consumer to believe it was the newest one. ‘We’ll have to see how long Apple decides to continue to sell it,’ he said.”
Read more in the full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: It certainly would have been easier if Apple planned this out beforehand and chosen to either do the iPad (generation) or iPad (year) designation or the numbering scheme. To go from “iPad” to “iPad 2” to “iPad with Retina display” (3rd gen./early 2012) to “iPad with Retina display” (4th gen./late 2012) is confusing to everyone, not just your average consumer. You’d have thought they’d have planned out something as important as the naming convention back during iPad development, but evidently you’d have thought wrong.
Once the now incongruous “iPad 2” finally goes away things will be better in iPad naming land.
