Ken Segall:
Did I mention how much I loathe this naming scheme?
From a marketing standpoint, Apple has simply been shooting itself in the foot every other year, muting expectations by putting an S on the box.
Even when an S model introduces a breakthrough feature, it comes in the context of “this is an off-year.” I’m trying to think of any marketer who has ever chosen such a course before, but I’m coming up blank.
Segall thinks more about this stuff than I do (and knows a hell of a lot more about it) so it doesn’t bother me nearly as much but he makes a good point. The S models always have had the perception of being “not as good”.
I see it as the total opposite. The S model includes stuff the original one lacked.
It’s such a strange perception, as the non-S models are really more like “the buggy ones” and the S models are the refined ones where they’ve worked out the problems.
Examples:
Any antenna problems of the 4 were fixed on the 4S.
The easily scratched edges of the 5 were fixed on the 5S.
Any bending problems of the 6 were fixed on the 6S.
Apple Watch Edition, kind of bad too.
That said, I doubt this impacts sales or confuses consumers in the slightest.
Exactly my thoughts. I nicknamed the non-S versions as the “early-adopter versions.”
That’s a bit of an odd take: for the last 3 generations the s has been the model with the initial promises fulfilled. I’m on an S cycle; one of my family members is on a non-S cycle and i’m always feeling a bit sorry for them after the first 6 months.
You’re being too logical and reasonable in your thoughts. Unfortunately I believe a lot of these sentiments and buying decisions are also driven by a lot of illogical and at times unreasonable thoughts.
For a lot of people – the iPhone is beyond ‘just a phone’ – its a fashion item and with most fashion accessories the earliest you get them the cooler you get to be.
I don’t think its the S or the naming convention that’s the problem, but rather the form factor. It’s not different enough from the previous generation – and people don’t feel they can show it off to their peers as easily with S-generation releases. But on the non-S releases everyone can quite visibly tell that it’s a new iPhone and that my friends… they are willing to spend on.
Treat the iPhone a bit like a vanity item and dar I say – jewelry and you might be able to explain some of the trends.
Lol! Logical people see the S as better but not everyone is logical.
I think Apple’s sort of addressing this by introducing new colors into the -s releases.
Reading this: If tech people (like me) like the -s releases, and non-tech people like the incremental releases… Apple probably shouldn’t change anything.
i always thought of the s-model as the one where they ironed out the kinks of the “original” version, like with “antennagate” or “bendgate”. i know lots of people who are happy to be on the s-cycle, and i also always recommend the s-model…
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The S models may be “not as good” as far as updates, being tweaks to the base model and not a new design, but they’re the better phones overall compared to the base model for the same reason. I’m on a base model cycle and I know I’m using the lesser phone. Of course, with an iPhone even the lesser phone is a better phone, so…
On the other hand, you have, for example, the Mercedes “S-Klasse” – clearly a synonym for superior quality. And with cars, “S” is always associated with more power.
I mentioned that some time ago to Ken Segall, and he apparently wasn’t aware of it.
Agreed. This is how I see it too.
there was no actual antenna issue on the 4 — during Apple’s press event Jobs showed the carrier data proved no significant increase in dropped calls, that signal attenuation happens with death grips on many phones. the real proof? they continued selling the 4 as-is for years to come and people kept buying it, but the story evaporated.
did the 4S refine the design? yes, of course, the annual updates continually refine the phone. but these are built over a year in advance — there would be no time to redo the 4S after the 4 was in the wild.
watch and learn:
https://youtu.be/i8tXyfjfnB0
that’s a bit dramatic. I’ve derived immense value from my non-s models.
antenna gate was a made up thing and disproven. watch the Apple press event…carrire data shows no significant increase in dropped calls, and Apple continued selling the original 4 for many years. story vanished into the sunset.
https://youtu.be/i8tXyfjfnB0
I’d much rather have gotten a 6S than a 6, but that’s just the way the timing worked out. Tick, tock.
Nope. The S model is where new tech is tested, and it’s finalized properly in the next years’ model. See: Siri, TouchID, and soon 3D Touch.
I dunno, I look forward to the S models more. The improvements in the non-S years are usually cosmetic and or boring.
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