“The press has already dubbed this year’s [Apple smartphone] model ‘iPhone 5S.’ Most experts see a narrative in which Apple only produces a major upgrade every other year, and in between we get the ‘S’ model,” Ken Segall, co-writer of Apple’s “Think Different” ad copy, writes for Observatory. “This is the model that delivers only incremental improvements.”
Segall writes, “Whether that’s Apple’s intended message is unknown. But personally, I wish Apple never created a ‘4S.'”
“First of all, it’s an awkward moniker whether you speak it or read it… More important, tacking an S onto the existing model number sends a rather weak message. It says that this is our ‘off-year’ product, with only modest improvements,” Segall writes. “The simplest path is to give each new iPhone a new number and let the improvements speak for themselves. If anyone wants to say that the 7 isn’t as big a leap as the 6, that’s their business. Attempting to calibrate ‘degree of innovation’ in the product name seems like a needless (and self-diminishing) exercise. I think it’s safe to say that if you’re looking for a new car, you’re looking for a 2013 model — not a 2012S.”
Read more in the full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: BINGO! It’s as if Apple is naming iPhone models solely for their own internal inventory purposes, just so they can keep track of which model is which, with no regard for how the iPhones are perceived by the rest of the world – the media, the customers, etc. – outside One Infinite Loop.
The “S” doesn’t stand for “Speed,” it stands for “Stupid.” Yes, we know it’s the same case design; we know the “S” version is the one you make the big margins on; we get it. Call it the “S” internally if you must, but don’t be so engineer-ish that you insist on calling it that on the box, too!
Before the iPhone 4S, everyone was waiting for the “iPhone 5.” When the 4S debuted, disappointment reigned. All because of the name. Nearly everything else about the phone was an improvement or a new addition (Siri).
You either leak “no iPhone 5” to a credible outlet in order to tamp down anticipation beforehand or you name the damn thing “iPhone 5,” even if you don’t think it worthy, and be done with it. The former is far preferrable to the latter for integrity’s sake, but doing neither signals a worrying degree of tone deafness. Managing the media, not to mention peoples’ expectations, is part of your job now, too, Tim. – MacDailyNews, “New Apple iPhone 4S fails to wow investors, fans,” October 4, 2011
There are plenty of numbers in the universe. Infinite, actually. Don’t worry, Apple, you won’t run out. Wonder what the mood would be right now had Apple simply named “iPhone 4S” the “iPhone 5?” – MacDailyNews, “Apple underwhelms with iPhone 4S,” October 4, 2011
It’s not about sales figures or the model’s success (as long as “iPhone” is in the name, it will be a success), it’s about setting a tone. In this case, with the “S,” Apple sets a tone that they are just making an incremental update (read: losing their innovation edge) which allows the media and competitors to claim, wrongly, that other companies have surpassed Apple. Why gift the naysayers with the opportunity, Apple?
I don’t think the name is even relevant. They sell as many as they can make.
Mac Pro – no S model
iMac – no S
Mac mini – no S
All MacBooks – no S
iPods – no S
iPads – no S
iOS – no S
OS X – no S
Maybe they should drop the S because it’s nowhere else.
I totally agree, it should be iPhone 6. But that is not enough, we need more than just that. Apple needs to do something they have never done before. With the iOS 7 release they should introduces the iPhone 7 with never Technology that will blow people away alongside a reduced pricing or free with a contract iPhone 6 with some limitations using iOS 7. Get rid of all iPhone 4 and 4s and give existing ones Limited iOS 7. With that Apple will go to the TOP.
Innovation distinguishes between a leader and a follower.
Steve Jobs
“iPhone 7 with never Technology”
Never Technology.
Yes! Never Technology should do quite nicely. A marketing gem, bubbling over with vivid associations, ripe with imagery, bursting with irresistible story lines!
Neverland: with the iPhone 7, you can fly, just like Peter Pan! Those nasty pirates can only brandish ineffective swords or marlinspikes as Captain Schmidt shakes a hook at your airborne self.
Nevermore: they won’t be kicking Edgar Allan Poe any longer, as the Raven intones an onomatopoeic message of Doom for Apple backstabbers and benighted bloggers.
The Fifth of Never: the day Microsoft wakes up and realizes they were the models for the reptilian kobolds in Neverwinter, and have no clue what is cool. Check out the preview app!
The NeverEnding Story: the Nothing threatens to devour all intelligent design and replace it with android replicants in a dull landscape of sameness, but is defeated by the imagination of the user, amplified by the power of iOS 7.
…
the iPhone 4 was still being actively sold and marketed while the iPhone 4S was released. It made the product line more cohesive so there was no perception that a consumer was getting last year’s model, just the lower end model, as mentioned above in the car analogy.
That said, this year’s iPhone will be a game changer and even follow the previous naming convention.
Actually I don’t look for the 2013 model car, I look for the best value for money at the time. Model number is not important, usability is.
The S is stupid. They clearly considered 3GS a full model, otherwise they would have called iPhone 4 the “iPhone 3”, having only had the original and 3G proper and S before it. Technically, even after a 4S, following this naming convention the iPhone 5 should have been the “iPhone 6”. But I do understand their decision not to call the 4 a 3, because there were already 3G and 3GS, so another 3 would have just confused the average person.
They should only change numbers when they change designs of the phone. It would be silly to have a 5S if the phone looked/ was different.
When the MDN comments reach into 2 or 3pages, complete with name calling, you know that naming is goddam right important in some broad sense. Quit sayin’ it ain’t. But analogies with other industries ain’t cutting it either. mobile phones are not automobiles any more than they are carving knives.
““First of all, it’s an awkward moniker whether you speak it or read it…”
Samsung Galaxy S4
Motorola RAZR HD XT-925
Windows Phone 8X HTC
Whose dumber? Segail or the people that agree with him?
MDN’s take is gibberish.
MacNews I do not agree.
4s and 5s is correct, as it is no other than that.
Its a iPhone 4 or 5. It just has a upgraded circuit board.
If we talk of iPhone 4 or 4s we everytime know, what it is.
If you change numbers every time and will have your iPhone 20 probably not.
Maybe we can criticize Apple to not have 4.3″ full HD, but we should not for a number which is really correct.
I always thought the “S” stood for sucker, as in, this phone is for the suckers who bought the last generation without the “S”.
Here is the issue. If the phone is the 5S, people will take that negatively, like the author says. If they come out with the iPhone 6 and it is the same body as the 5, you will see all sorts of negative press claiming they are trying to get away from the iPhone 5 as fast as possible because it.. blah, blah, blah.
They would almost be better off just making the modest improvements to the 5, and just calling it the iPhone 5, and then killing it with the 6.
Doesn’t the “S” stand for “Software” update as in the new operating system, while the change in physical number of iPhone relates to aesthetics and design?