
What it is: Apple’s latest naming conventions for the iPhone curiously resembles their Macintosh II naming convention.
At one time, Apple sold a variety of different Macintosh computers with confusing, but similar names such as Macintosh IIcx, Macintosh IIci, and Macintosh IIfx. With similar-sounding names, it made it hard fo consumers to know what was the difference.
That’s why when Steve Jobs returned to Apple, he abolished this confusing naming convention and simplified it to just Power Macintosh and later to iMac. Notice Apple has returned to this confusing naming convention with the iPhone XR, iPhone XS, and iPhone XS Max. What does this mean to the average consumer? Absolutely nothing.
Instead of offering clearly defined and simple names, Apple has reverted back to the techno-chaos that other companies embrace with confusing numbers and designations that mean nothing like the Dell Inspiron 15 7000. What do these numbers mean? Nothing, yet technology companies love them despite not clarifying their products for consumers.
Apple needs to go back to simpler names like the iPhone 10 (or iPhone X) and maybe an iPhone X Plus to indicate a larger screen size. All this nonsense with XS and XR means nothing and serves to simply confuse rather than clarify.
If the confusing Macintosh II naming convention didn’t work back in the 90’s, why is Apple going back to similar confusing naming conventions for the iPhone today? The answer is no reason other than it looks impressive. The moment Apple focuses more on naming conventions to impress rather than clarify is the moment the company is starting to lose their original vision and start following other technology companies down the drain.
Steve Jobs admired Hewlett-Packard because that company once was an innovation leader. Not any more. If Apple’s not careful, they could follow in the footsteps of Hewlett-Packard, and then they’ll be just cruising along worried more about profits and losses instead of making great products that are easy to use.
Just ask Hewlett-Packard what happened to their innovative culture.
To learn more about how Steve Jobs simplified Apple’s product line, click here.