If the iPhone 6 rumors are true, it hints at a new streamlined product uniformity.

It might be a new direction for the principle of simplifying the product line.

The whole BMW 3/5/7 series analogy is gone in favor of a "small and regular" dynamic.

Before, the MBPs were 13/15/17.

Now they are 13/15 (small and regular)

iPad (regular) iPad Mini (small)

iPhone 6 (reugular/jumbo/larger hands) and iPhone 6 Mini (small/soft hands)

iMac is similar.

Its all very efficient. The minimum necessary.

If we think back on it, a lot of people had a lot of anxiety about which sizes to choose to go with in the days of more choices of sizes. It was like an elaborate puzzle and you felt like no matter what, if you didn't go all the way up to above 2K in price you were missing out or selling yourself short somehow. But back then the products were so revolutionary and such a premium that people were going nuts up-selling themselves.

Though me, I personally would love the 17"MPB option back in retina, along with a giant sized iPhone, and a supersize 13inch iPad to use Logic remote with as my midi controller. 1080P HD projector as secondary 130inch screen on my wall via Apple TV Airplay. Thats just me though. I like epic-ly large and elegant tech products.

makris0000 said:

It doesn't seem like something to be concerned with. Many companies do this with their products and it something that is very common.

A few examples:
1. Mercedes Benz models; C class, E class, S class
all sedans ranging from smaller to bigger.

2. BMW, like you stated already

3. Dell
Inspiron 15, 17, etc

Product uniformity is a common thing and I am not surprised that Apple is trying to do this too. It is helpful to organize a business's products for the consumer.

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Well I meant how it went from 3 to 2 (MBP) and from 1 to 2 (iPhone/iPad).

Jobs famously cut all the excess trash products from the lineup when he retook Apple.

And part of the philosophy was having a simple product line. For example one phone.

Its like they decided one is too simple, two are more effective.

Or they decided three choices were too much, two are more effective.

carjakester said:

It would make sense but apple has always thought what hey make is perfect for everyone, but they should make the shift to fit a larger portion of people

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Yeah, one was not enough, three was too much.

I feel like this is a deliberate marketing tactic and is very smart.

bulldoze said:

I now feel ready for a bigger phone; most other iPhone users I speak to feel the same way. Not sure when or why this shift occurred.

The more I think about it the more the regular/mini thing stacks up.

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I don't think this was a shift.

I think the idea of saying you don't want a bigger screen was a lot more a hipster opinion expressed by a vocal minority. It was a swag of trying to be the adult in a room full of kids. Like if they were somehow cooler for not wanting a bigger screen. So that small 10% ish made themselves feel like they were 40-50% of what people want.

But having been a business owner, I really think about marketing like that and how a companies product presentation has so much influence on how they spend and what they buy.

I am analyzing what they want the sales psychology to be.

I feel like with this they are hitting the largest amount of people, (choice is good) but also keeping the product line simple. (people don't really like making too many choices). Think old MBP line, MB, vs Air, vs iMac??

In the end, no matter what you get, its elite quality.

Gone are the days of regular and pro, its all pro now, because its all max high quality.

Thats one of the implied necessities of the product. The price and the reputation tell the customer one thing: once I pay that entry fee, I don't have to worry about the product or do research or wonder if its good, because I am convinced its the best in class.

Now all I have to worry about is do I want regular or extra portable?