
Vigilantes Have Renamed "The new iPad" - omarish
http://priceonomics.com/tablets/#ipad-3-naming
======
jaxn
"we’ve come to expect precise and sequential product naming from Apple - the
iPhone, followed by the iPhone 3G, 3GS, 4, and 4S."

I think Apple is correcting a mistake that they made. Most Apple laptop owners
have no idea what generation product they have. I own a MacBook Air. Before
that I owned some Macbooks, MacBook Pros, and Powerbooks. The same with iPods,
though there was differentiation based on features (remember the iPod Photo?).

I suspect that the next iPhone will just be "the new iPhone" as well. There
will be another "new iPad" released and then another "new iPhone". When you
want an iPad or an iPhone, go buy one. It will be new unless it is used.

"Because of this precise naming, it’s easy to identify and buy them used on
secondary markets like eBay and Craigslist. However, if you’re looking to buy
the latest iPad, are you really just supposed to type “the new iPad” into a
search box and reliably get results for the 3rd generation model?"

Yes, if buying a new iPad you should just be able to go to Apple.com or
BestBuy.com and type in iPad to buy the newest one. As for buying them used or
from unauthorized dealers, I can imagine Apple caring about that problem
anytime soon.

~~~
georgemcbay
While I appreciate the reasons Apple wants to step away from version-marking
their devices, it causes massive confusion in a few important areas, at least
assuming they aren't ready to lock down form-factors and connector cable
formats forevermore.

eg:

"Does this case fit my new iPhone, or does it fit the old new iPhone or the
old old new iPhone?"

I guess one way to deal with this would be for the aftermarket industry to
start working with model years as is done with cars. If you're going to buy
aftermarket add-ons for your Apple devices, know the year model, and then have
the case/cable/etc people publish year model compatibility.

~~~
nuclear_eclipse
I think Apple would love to solve that "confusion" by just having you step
into an Apple store with your device and ask the helpful employees for
whatever accessory you want, and let them deal with figuring it out for you.
Apple doesn't want the consumer to have to care about that at all.

~~~
pbhjpbhj
> _Apple doesn't want the consumer to have to care about that at all._ //

Don't you mean "control". Apple doesn't want to allow the customer control
over that at all. Like you say it makes it for more difficult to access after-
market products that fit your device.

I've been really frustrated by a similar thing with an old laptop recently.
The company reuses the exact same model name for vastly different devices -
it's really hard to get good information, to access support, to purchase parts
&c. simply because the idiots can't use a unique model name.

It's like a family choosing to name every male David Davidson ...

~~~
forensic
Control slices two ways. Control can be a burden.

~~~
creamyhorror
Give me a break. Is knowing what version your iPhone is a burden when you want
to purchase an aftermarket accessory? How is knowing a name a burden to the
customer? Under a named system, even if the customer forgets the model number,
he's still no worse off than if he were under Apple's lack-of-naming scheme.

Intentionally making naming confusing is not a benefit to the consumer AFAICT;
it only potentially benefits Apple.

~~~
forensic
Some tech nerds are unable to empathize with normal people.

From the perspective of the majority, their naming is less confusing not more
confusing. This is why people love MacBook and loathe the Dell InspironXE
E1795fpw-A

~~~
pbhjpbhj
So you're saying that people loved their polycarbonate bubbling base Macbooks
because Apple refused to print a model id on the bottom? I'm pretty sure
that's factually incorrect.

You think InspironXE users hate it because when they want more an fru or to
access model specifid support they just look on the back and type in the code
rather than having to have in depth knowledge of a companies development
cycle??

Do you think car drivers hate that tyre makers print the id on the tyre
enabling buying a replacement or that auction/sale sites can refer to specifc
model numbers that act as a primary key on all the cars features?

In your world presumably all coffee drinks in Starbucks would just be called
'coffee' because having names like latté and cappuccino is too confusing?

~~~
forensic
I'd like a late-2011 venti skinny mocha chai latte please.

I really don't give a shit what you prefer. Consumers want simplicity because
technology is scary. Apple provides that by anthropomorphizing their products
and Apple wins because of it. Apple does it on every front: naming, hardware
design, software features, voice recognition, etc.

~~~
pbhjpbhj
Consumers want what Apple tell them to want.

Consumers need for those things to be resaleable and repairable if they want
the human race to efficienlty use the resources available on the planet.

Apple don't care about all that they want to remove the ability to even refer
to anything other than the latest bit of worker-exploiting high-fashion shiny-
shiny that they insist you must have to be fulfilled.

~~~
forensic
So you agree with my original point then.

Consumers feel choice to be a burden and want to be told what to do, think,
like, and buy. Control is felt as a burden.

------
majormajor
I just glanced at an iPad 2 and the box it came in, and interestingly I don't
see "2" anywhere except for in the small print on the label on the back, by
the model number. The back of the iPad just says "iPad" as does the side of
the box. So once you actually bought the thing, the branding on the iPod 2
wasn't very 2-centric at all either.

------
Cushman
I have an iPhone 3G and an iPhone 4 here-- they both say "iPhone" on the back.
I have an iPad 2 and an iPad 3-- they both say "iPad". I have a MacBook
labeled "MacBook", a MacBook Pro labeled "MacBook Pro", and a MacBook Air
labeled "MacBook Air".

I don't think I've ever owned an Apple product that had a number in the name,
not that you'd know from looking at it. Some people just need something to
complain about, I guess.

It should also be pointed out that Apple consistently does not use the
definite article with product names in order to personalize the branding,
going back to the first Macintosh. It's not the iPad, just... _iPad_.

~~~
ken
The Mac Pro takes this a step further: it doesn't even say "Mac Pro" on itself
anywhere, even in fine print on the back.

Most people probably couldn't tell you if they were looking at a PowerMac G5
or a Mac Pro, unless they'd used one long enough to remember which drive bays
and I/O ports they have (or took the side off to see if it has the giant "G5"
CPU covers).

The new (Retina) Macbook Pro does the same: the label is gone, at least from
the front.

I assume this is to make it less 'technical' and more 'appliance'-like: apart
from some (old / non-mainstream) hi-fi equipment, no electronic item in my
kitchen or living room has a model number visible during normal use, only a
brand name or logo.

------
SoftwareMaven
Apple is trying to move the iPad in the same direction as the Macbook and
iMac. You don't buy a _MacBook Air 14e_. You buy a MacBook Air. When you sell
it, you sell a _2011 MacBook Air_. When you say you bought a new Ford Mustang,
people know what you are (generally) talking about (with the occasional "new
to me" confusion for good measure).

And, yes, it is confusing, especially since Apple is the one who started it
with the iPad 2. Ford also differentiates its models with "2012".

------
qntm
They should just give them year numbers. This is the 2012 iPad. Older models
are the 2011 iPad and the 2010 iPad. The system is perfectly simple to
understand and has planned obsolescence.

~~~
Sayter
iPad 1 = iPad 2010. iPad 2 = iPad 2011. iPad 3 = iPad 2012.

iPhone = iPhone 2007. iPhone 3G = iPhone 2008. iPhone 3GS = iPhone 2009.
iPhone 4 = iPhone 2010. iPhone 4S = iPhone 2011. "iPhone 5" = iPhone 2012.

Even if Apple were to never refer to them by those names, it's such an obvious
naming convention (so far) that it's surprising that so many people are
missing it.

~~~
pbhjpbhj
Then they release two models at the same time and your key is not looking so
primary any more.

------
sneak
You are supposed to call it "iPad". Done.

If you need to be more specific, the model numbers are as follows:

MC705ZP/A – iPad 3 Wi-Fi only 16GB – Black

MC706ZP/A – iPad 3 Wi-Fi only 32GB – Black

MC707ZP/A – iPad 3 Wi-Fi only 64GB – Black

MD366ZP/A – iPad 3 Wi-Fi + 4G 16GB – Black

MD367ZP/A – iPad 3 Wi-Fi + 4G 32GB – Black

MD368ZP/A – iPad 3 Wi-Fi + 4G 64GB – Black

MD328ZP/A – iPad 3 Wi-Fi only 16GB – White

MD329ZP/A – iPad 3 Wi-Fi only 32GB – White

MD330ZP/A – iPad 3 Wi-Fi only 64GB – White

MD369ZP/A – iPad 3 Wi-Fi + 4G 16GB – White

MD370ZP/A – iPad 3 Wi-Fi + 4G 32GB – White

MD371ZP/A – iPad 3 Wi-Fi + 4G 64GB – White

They have unique identifiers. The product you walk in to the store and buy is
"iPad".

What is the question?

~~~
sopooneo
The question is, "which used iPad are you offering to sell?"

------
davidmp
The article misses the obvious comparison to the Mac line. Over time people
will naturally refer to them by the year they were released.

~~~
jameshsi
Interesting point. I think that's also due to some influence on Apple's part,
because Macs were never released with sequential numbers like the iPhone.

I'd suspect Apple is purposefully trying to disassociate the iPad with the
iPhone and realigning it with the Mac line by changing naming conventions. If
that's the case, this post is pretty good evidence that it hasn't really
worked out so far.

~~~
mbrubeck
> _because Macs were never released with sequential numbers like the iPhone._

Except, you know, the Macintosh II...

Or the Mac LC (followed by the Mac LC II and then the Mac LC III)...

Or the original Power Macintosh models (like the 6100, followed by the 6200,
6300, 6400)...

And then the PowerMac G3 (followed by the G4 and the G5)...

Apple has changed from numbered to unnumbered model names (and back) before.

~~~
jameshsi
ah yes, oops-- I meant the MacBook line rather than Mac line

------
midas
I'm guessing apple just doesn't care that much about the secondary market for
their products since they make all their money off selling new products. It'd
be nice if they did though!

------
crazygringo
To people saying it makes sense, because Macbooks don't have numbers:

It's different, because Macbooks have specs instead. A certain amount of GHz,
memory, disk space, HD or SSD, particular ports... the relevant information is
in the specifications, which are generally included in advertisements. The
model itself doesn't matter so much -- especially because people can upgrade
specific aspects of individual models.

But iPads/iPhones don't "have" specs, which is a conscious decision on Apple's
part. Who knows how much RAM it has, or what its processor speed is? And
they're not upgradeable. You can't choose more RAM. So you need some kind of
identifier to figure out what the performance is like. Hence, iPhone 3GS or 4
or 4S.

"New iPad" is just stupid, as proven by the point that everyone has wound up
calling it the iPad 3 anyways. It's as stupid as if Microsoft called Windows 8
"new Windows" or Toyota stopped giving year names to their cars. Just ask:
what comes after "new iPad"? I can't even guess.

------
Jabbles
In the keynote Apple referred to it as "iPad", as a proper noun.

~~~
richbradshaw
And in all their marketing. It's always "with iPad you can", or "on iPad...".
An interesting strategy that doesn't seem to have rubbed off on consumers.

------
drucken
Interestingly, Amazon bypasses the problem by just using the serial number as
part of the name: "Apple iPad MD328LL/A (16GB, Wi-Fi, White) NEWEST MODEL by
Apple"

So, regardless of intent, people will find a way to use precise labels,
especially on secondary markets.

------
saurik
The term "iPad (3rd generation)" is not "vigilante", it is simply dis-
preferred. That name actually came from Apple: it is how they describe the
product on their support website (where it is, of course, necessary to be
exact).

<http://support.apple.com/kb/HT5176>

(Although I might even argue that it is dis-preferred: when you go to a dealer
to get a new car, you get the "2012 Chevy Cruze LT", but when you advertise it
as Chevrolet you might simply say "the new Cruze is the most powerful yet". I
do not know if Apple actually provides specific guidance to not use the "3rd
generation" terminology.)

------
rdl
I call mine iPad (Early 2012), which is also how you refer to MacBooks (e.g.
MacBook Pro 17 (Mid 2010)). There's also the model identifier like "Model
Identifier: MacBookAir4,2" but other than developers, no one uses that.

------
joe_the_user
It makes me curious, what will the next iPad after "The New iPad" will be
called?

And how will Apple refer to "The New iPad" after it is, uh, old.

It reminds me of the eighties. "Star Trek, the Next Generation" is now many
generations behind...

~~~
achompas
They'll do what they do with their Macs. Today's iPad will become "iPad (early
2012)."

------
johntyree
Is it me, or are the stories making it to the top of this list getting worse
and worse? "Some people have invented an informal name for Apple's latest
toy." Great. Which part of this "hacker news" ?

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oakwhiz
If you can't name your product, your consumers will name it for you.

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joshstrange
> Long live the iPad 3, The new iPad is dead!

Uh, shouldn't that be: "The new iPad is dead. Long live the iPad3!"? If they
were not attempting to riff off of: "The King is dead. Long live the King."
then the sentence really makes no sense.

[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_King_is_dead._Long_live_the...](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_King_is_dead._Long_live_the_King).

------
nilsbunger
I'm surprised "retina iPad" isn't in the poll... That's what I've been calling
it, matching the "retina MacBook pro" convention.

------
s00pcan
It's listed as "iPad 3rd generation" under the compatibility section for
accessories on the apple store.

------
adventureful
I find it fascinating how little attention this huge branding mistake has
gotten. It was extraordinarily amateurish on the part of Apple, the kind of
mistake I would have expected from Microsoft a few years ago. Except had
Microsoft made that mistake, they would have been properly ridiculed for it.

~~~
wmf
As jaxn said, Apple has been making this "mistake" with Macs for years and it
hasn't hurt them.

~~~
CamperBob2
The problem is, they're still selling the previous-generation models. Assuming
they do the same thing with the iPhone 5, calling it only the "new iPhone",
the confusion will be even more widespread.

Nobody cares with regard to the various Mac refreshes, but it was a customer-
unfriendly move in this case.

~~~
achompas
Really? I mean, the new iPhone will probably have a 4" screen. The current
iPhone 4S is 0.5" smaller. Consumer shouldn't have a problem distinguishing
them.

------
moron
I was just marveling this morning at how much mental energy is expended on
this very thing. Let's just call it the iPad 3 and not worry too much about
how closely we match Apple's marketing copy.

