Is Apple trying to get away from using the "i" for their devices?

[Blackcash]

Is Apple trying to get away from using the "i" for their devices?

All I have heard for the last year is about the iWatch. Now we see they are calling it the Apple Watch.
Also with the NFC, they are calling it Apple Pay and not iPay.

I guess we would've been surprised to hear, if instead of calling the new phones iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 plus, they would just call it Apple phone and Apple phone plus.

 

[HankAZ]

re: Is Apple trying to get away from using the "i" for their devices?

Is Apple trying to get away from using the "i" for their devices?

All I have heard for the last year is about the iWatch. Now we see they are calling it the Apple Watch.
Also with the NFC, they are calling it Apple Pay and not iPay.

I guess we would've been surprised to hear, if instead of calling the new phones iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 plus, they would just call it Apple phone and Apple phone plus.

They may well be moving away from the "iXXXX" designation. Or it was simply a matter of not being able to secure the iWatch trademark world wide. The long rumored name may have worked against them, in the sense that squatters may have registered the obvious names before Apple.

 

[sting7k]

re: Is Apple trying to get away from using the "i" for their devices?

Is Apple trying to get away from using the "i" for their devices?

All I have heard for the last year is about the iWatch. Now we see they are calling it the Apple Watch.
Also with the NFC, they are calling it Apple Pay and not iPay.

I guess we would've been surprised to hear, if instead of calling the new phones iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 plus, they would just call it Apple phone and Apple phone plus.

The name "iWatch" was likely already taken and Apple didn't want to buy it from the owner.

 

[qbnkelt]

re: Is Apple trying to get away from using the "i" for their devices?

The name "iWatch" was likely already taken and Apple didn't want to buy it from the owner.

But that would allow someone else to use it. Apple wouldn't want that.
I think this was a conscious decision. If you notice, Find my iPhone hasn't got the "i" in front.

 

[anon(4698833)]

re: Is Apple trying to get away from using the "i" for their devices?

Shortly after the release of the iMac in the late 90's, and especially after the release of the iPod in the early 00's, people started registering names starting with "i", and my guess would be that it has more to do with that than a dispatching of the nomenclature. And honestly, if you look back throughout Apple's history, they left the "i" off of a lot of stuff, even in the early days of their monumental success.

Macbook/Pro/Air
Airport
Time Machine/Capsule
Mac Mini
Mac Pro
Logic Studio/Suite/Express
Final Cut
Aperture
Thunderbolt

...and I'm sure there are several I missed. None of those had the "i", but all of them were 100% Apple products ranging back to the 90's up until today.

I honestly think it boils down to how easily they can obtain the name if they want to use it at all.

 

[YorkieRay]

re: Is Apple trying to get away from using the "i" for their devices?

I also noticed the shift to PAY and WATCH during the parts of the keynote than I managed to view.
Apple were actually not the first to use the names iPhone and iPad. LG displayed a tablet called the IPad at around 2000. Yes, it was rubbish and was never produced, but they had used the name first.
The rumours of an Apple television seem to have cooled now and I think that is good, because I don't think that it will have been a good move. If they wanted to call it the iTV, then they will have encountered major problems in the UK. The second largest tv network here is called ITV and is a stronger brand than Apple and has been around a lot longer than Apple.
I think that we have seen a clear naming shift from Apple.

 

[Ledsteplin]

re: Is Apple trying to get away from using the "i" for their devices?

Did that watch company that had the iSwatch have anything to do with it?


Sent from my ancient but trustworthy iPhone 5

 

[BBFunGuy]

re: Is Apple trying to get away from using the "i" for their devices?

Well, when they named the iMac, it was to help consumers understand that they could connect to the internet with the device. That is no longer relevant, as most people expect they can connect to the internet with so many devices now, being 'internet ready' is not the marketing tool it once was.

Edit: I did not realise it had no internet connectivity. Guess that is why.

 

[anon(4698833)]

re: Is Apple trying to get away from using the "i" for their devices?

Here's some pretty solid evidence that it goes with the trademarking situations and not much deeper than that...

Why didn't Apple call it iWatch? | iSource

 

[Evilguppy]

re: Is Apple trying to get away from using the "i" for their devices?

Maybe they just want a more serious name? I'm saying this because of an anecdote I will share here:
I'm an avid backpacker. I mean seriously, backpacking is my crack. I have enough backpacking gear to fill an entire room.
One essential piece of gear for any serious backpacker is... A trowel.
Because when you're out in the backcountry and nature calls, um... You get my meaning.
A good trowel must be light and strong and must fit easily in your pack.

So I have tried a zillion different kinds (for the record, the standard one sold at REI is perfect) but one day I came across a really funny one: it was made of metal, which is great when digging through hard rocky soil, it folded in half to save space in your pack and it even had a hollow handle that contained toilet paper and a sanitary wipe.

And it was called... Wait for it... I kid you not. It was called "iPood". (This was right around the time the first iPad was released)
Seriously I laughed so hard I would have gotten it just for the name but the thing was just too heavy so I didn't.
But yes. iPood.
I haven't seen it in stores or online lately, but with products like that popping up, maybe Apple just wants to be known as Apple?

 

[HankAZ]

re: Is Apple trying to get away from using the "i" for their devices?

Maybe they just want a more serious name? I'm saying this because of an anecdote I will share here:
I'm an avid backpacker. I mean seriously, backpacking is my crack. I have enough backpacking gear to fill an entire room.
One essential piece of gear for any serious backpacker is... A trowel.
Because when you're out in the backcountry and nature calls, um... You get my meaning.
A good trowel must be light and strong and must fit easily in your pack.

So I have tried a zillion different kinds (for the record, the standard one sold at REI is perfect) but one day I came across a really funny one: it was made of metal, which is great when digging through hard rocky soil, it folded in half to save space in your pack and it even had a hollow handle that contained toilet paper and a sanitary wipe.

And it was called... Wait for it... I kid you not. It was called "iPood". (This was right around the time the first iPad was released)
Seriously I laughed so hard I would have gotten it just for the name but the thing was just too heavy so I didn't.
But yes. iPood.
I haven't seen it in stores or online lately, but with products like that popping up, maybe Apple just wants to be known as Apple?

I’m not even going to dignify this crap with a response. (See what I did there?)

 

[Evilguppy]

re: Is Apple trying to get away from using the "i" for their devices?

Dude I was serious: It's possible that Apple wants to do away with stuff like that by implementing Apple + name of product instead of just i... And yes, I see what you did. Haha.

 

[Ledsteplin]

What happened to the "i"

For one thing, iPay just does not sound right. It's too much like "I pay". The Watch may be a result of the iSwatch issue. I figure we're not done with "i" stuff.


Sent from my ancient but trustworthy iPhone 5

 

[Highrisedrifter]

re: Is Apple trying to get away from using the "i" for their devices?

If they wanted to call it the iTV, then they will have encountered major problems in the UK. The second largest tv network here is called ITV and is a stronger brand than Apple and has been around a lot longer than Apple.

YorkieRay is completely correct on the Apple TV front. Here in the UK, ITV has been around since 1955 and is a huge national TV network that is available to view across Europe. Apple would definitely lose any trademark fight in this territory.

On the "i" name, I think we'll see more products bearing that prefix but it does seem to me that on quite a few trademarks, Apple would face a vexatious court case to wrest control from an opportunistic company registering the name to make a quick buck.

 

[Coachbulldog]

re: Is Apple trying to get away from using the "i" for their devices?

Maybe they just want a more serious name? I'm saying this because of an anecdote I will share here:
I'm an avid backpacker. I mean seriously, backpacking is my crack. I have enough backpacking gear to fill an entire room.
One essential piece of gear for any serious backpacker is... A trowel.
Because when you're out in the backcountry and nature calls, um... You get my meaning.
A good trowel must be light and strong and must fit easily in your pack.

So I have tried a zillion different kinds (for the record, the standard one sold at REI is perfect) but one day I came across a really funny one: it was made of metal, which is great when digging through hard rocky soil, it folded in half to save space in your pack and it even had a hollow handle that contained toilet paper and a sanitary wipe.

And it was called... Wait for it... I kid you not. It was called "iPood". (This was right around the time the first iPad was released)
Seriously I laughed so hard I would have gotten it just for the name but the thing was just too heavy so I didn't.
But yes. iPood.
I haven't seen it in stores or online lately, but with products like that popping up, maybe Apple just wants to be known as Apple?

I’m not even going to dignify this crap with a response. (See what I did there?)

This might be the most hilarious exchange of posts I've ever seen on iMore!