Phone？ Jobs' heart "i" Apple took away the product step by step
[CNMO Technology] Since the first iMac was launched in the 1990s, the prefix "i" has always been Apple's symbol. However, since the first iPad was launched in 2010, Apple seems to dislike using this prefix.
Admittedly, there is still "i" in the names of iPhone and iPad, but we haven't seen the expression of iWatch or iTV, let alone iVision Pro. Since the great success of iMac in 1998, Apple has given names with "i" to about 30 products, covering hardware, software and services.
Although this is just a letter, it is closely linked with the Apple brand, so that until today, some people still habitually call the Apple Watch iWatch.
Although the last time Apple used the "i" prefix to launch a new product was iCloud and iAd in 2011, the impact of this name has continued. The last new hardware product starting with "i" dates back to the iPad in 2010.
When Apple started giving up“ i ”
This may just be a coincidence, but the iPad also happens to be the last new hardware product launched by Jobs himself. There is no doubt that Jobs liked the prefix "i". After all, the creator of this idea himself said so.
Ken Siegel, a marketing master, once quipped in an interview: "I made this' i 'popular for a long time as much as possible. It was I who put forward the concept of' i 'on the original iMac, which made people interested in my stories."
He also mentioned: "It's time to let 'i' go... It has lost its original meaning." Siegel explained that Jobs had rebuilt the Apple brand around the letter "i" and the name iMac, but now, too many enterprises are using this prefix.
Siegel also said that it is impossible to register a trademark for the prefix "i" or protect it in other ways. This is probably one of the reasons why Apple has gradually abandoned it.
In 2006, Apple gave a rare advance notice of the future of its TV box product, which was temporarily named "iTV". However, the name was not retained for a long time because ITV, an old British TV network, protested against this, and finally this product was launched under the name of Apple TV. Given that ITV has been operating in the UK for more than half a century, it is naturally easy to prove the priority of its name in law, so it is difficult for Apple to say anything.
Of course, when choosing product names, Apple often doesn't mind whether there are name conflicts with others. For example, for the iPad, although Apple later spent several years defending the name in legal proceedings, it initially only purchased the right to use the name directly from Fujitsu.
Recently, a similar situation occurred on Apple Vision Pro, which seems to have not been settled yet. Before the product is launched in China, Apple must resolve the trademark dispute related to the name. At present, the solution is not clear.
So the "i" will disappear, right?
Apple does have products such as iPhone, iPad, iMac, iCloud and iMessage, but iPod and iSight have been phased out. The name iBook was first used for Apple's consumer laptop, and later became an application for buying books and reading books on the iPad. Finally, it was changed twice to Apple Books, and accordingly, the iBooks Store was renamed.
Like iTools, iDisk, iWeb, iChat, iSync, iCal, and iMix functions hidden in iTunes, which you may not have noticed, have faded out of the historical arena. Although iTunes is occasionally mentioned, it has actually been replaced by a new application called "Music". Apple is vigorously promoting Apple Music streaming media service instead of single song sales.
IOS and iPadOS still use the old names, and iMovie still exists, but iPhoto has evolved into a "photo". As for iDVD, it now sounds almost a synonym for nostalgia.
The above three applications are still nominally part of the "iLife" package, while Numbers, Pages and Keynote are ostensibly part of the "iWork" series. However, the "iLife" series has not been updated since 2010. Although the "iWork" has performed slightly better, it has also stopped the physical packaging sales since 2011.
When Seagal created the name "iMac", he probably did not expect that it would have such a profound impact. Now, although he proposed that Apple should gradually abandon the "i" prefix, in fact, Apple has quietly implemented this strategy for many years.
Of course, products are not only about naming, but more importantly, Jobs' innovative spirit is still deeply rooted in Apple.
Change for the sake of change?
Siegel said: "Maybe some marketing experts think that Apple's decision to give up the 'i' prefix is too radical. After all, it was once a part of one of the greatest brand logos in history. However, this prefix is difficult to obtain legal protection, and for a long time, many companies have touted their Internet connectivity features around 'i', which is undoubtedly a problem for Apple, which is famous for innovation. "
He also realized that Apple might be more reluctant to change the product name now, just as it did when it changed the name of "PowerBook" to "MacBook" in 2006. As a large-scale enterprise, Apple will be more cautious when making any changes, because once the decision is wrong, more jobs may be affected.
Also, the iPhone has become the most successful product in history. If Apple wants to change its name, it must have sufficient reasons. Just because the letter "i" is less popular, it is not enough to constitute enough motivation to change such a popular brand identity.
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(This article is from Mobile China)
