Major sites now picking up on IPads confusing line up

[gadget123]

See here

http://www.engadget.com/2016/03/22/apples-messy-ipad-lineup/

http://www.pcworld.com/article/3046...7-inch-ipad-pro-cant-be-a-pc-replacement.html

http://www.computerworld.com/articl...the-ipad-pro-may-or-may-not-work-at-work.html

And http://9to5mac.com/2016/03/23/9-7-inch-ipad-pro-sales-estimate/

Pedicts the iPad Air 2 will be the biggest seller. So all but confirms Apples higher pricing is hardly ideal. Surely they want people on the newest iPad but what is is the larger pro better with more RAM or is the smaller one better with improved screen tones.

 

[Newtons Apple]

I am not confused in the least.

First time buyers will never know the difference.

 

[urkel]

I am not confused in the least.

First time buyers will never know the difference.

First time buyers not knowing the difference is the entire problem.

iPad mini, iPad Air 2, iPad Pro and iPad Pro

Two of them have pencil support (Pro and Pro)
Two of them have the exact same name (Pro and Pro)
Two of them have same $399 pricetag (Air and Mini)
Two of them have the exact same look (Air and Pro)


Regardless of whether we understand it, That there is as confusing an iPad lineup as Apple has ever done.


And for the confusion bonus round....
-Pro 12.9 has USB3, Pro 9.7 has USB2
-Air2 9.7" Smart Cover won't work on 9.7" Pro
-Pro 9.7 is only one that has Live Photos
-Pro 12.9 has 4GB RAM, Pro 9.7 is 2GB
-Pro 12.9 has WORSE camera than Pro 9.7
-Mini and Air2 have A8X but Mini is only 2core
-Pro and Pro have A9X but 9.7 is underclocked


...just imagine how much simpler it would've been if they simply called the new Pro the Air3.

 

[Newtons Apple]

First time buyers not knowing the difference is the entire problem.

iPad mini, iPad Air 2, iPad Pro and iPad Pro

Two of them have pencil support
Two of them have the exact same name
Two of them have the exact same $399 pricetag
Two of them have the exact same look

Regardless of whether we understand it, That there is as confusing a lineup as Apple has ever done.

Most new buyer will not be breaking it down like you have. You got to remember that we are not normal if you spend time here. The average new buyer will look at it entirely differently than you or I and it will not seem confusing to them.

 

[gadget123]

First time buyers not knowing the difference is the entire problem.

iPad mini, iPad Air 2, iPad Pro and iPad Pro

Two of them have pencil support (Pro and Pro)
Two of them have the exact same name (Pro and Pro)
Two of them have the exact same $399 pricetag (Air and Mini)
Two of them have the exact same look (Air and Pro)


Regardless of whether we understand it, That there is as confusing a lineup as Apple has ever done.


And for the confusion bonus round....
Pro 12.9 has USB3, Pro 9.7 has USB2
Air2 9.7" Smart Cover won't work on 9.7" Pro
Pro 9.7 is only one that has Live Photos
Pro 12.9 has 4GB RAM, Pro 9.7 is 2GB
Pro 12.9 has WORSE camera than Pro 9.7
Mini and Air2 have A8X but Mini is only 2core
Pro and Pro have A9X but 9.7 is underclocked

I've no doubt Apple will fix it however either it happens in October meaning the 9.7" has a shorter life span or it happens next year meaning the larger Pro would be out over a year. Surely the big mistake was not refreshing the larger pro to the same features as the smaller one?

 

[ApfelKuchen]

You mean people have an easy time deciding whether the MacBook, MacBook Air, or MacBook Pro has the right price and most appealing/useful feature mix?

And here's a major news flash... Lowest-priced models nearly always sell the most units.
The reason higher-priced models exist is to entice people who have the money to spend to spend more money. Since most of the population does not have a lot of money to spend...

 

[urkel]

Most new buyer will not be breaking it down like you have. You got to remember that we are not normal if you spend time here. The average new buyer will look at it entirely differently than you or I and it will not seem confusing to them.

If you claim consumers to be so clueless as to be oblivious to the first 4 items then not a single one would buy a $599 iPad Pro over a $399 Air2.

The Pro 9.7 selling point is Pencil support. Not that it comes with a pencil, but for $200 more than the Air 2 then you have the "opportunity" to spend $100 more to get a pencil.

You don't need a pencil now? Then get the Air. You decide later you want a pencil? Well you can't because bought the one that doesn't have pencil support. But they look exactly the same. No, only the Pro supports a pencil. But I don't want a big iPad. It's not the big one its the same size as the one you got. But mine didn't come with a pencil. It's not supposed to, a pencil doesn't work there Because you need this one. But that looks exactly like mine. Yes but it's different. Why? (Throws pencil into ceiling)

If you think conversations like this won't happen then you don't know "normal" people.

 

[d0minick]

You mean people have an easy time deciding whether the MacBook, MacBook Air, or MacBook Pro has the right price and most appealing/useful feature mix?

i am going to have to say yes here. This is why. All the macbooks have a different form factor (pricing/power wise is where confusion for rMB/Air come in like ipad Mini/Air). Then when it comes to the same macbook type r,pro,air - they all do the same things, just different sizes.

Ipad air and pro look the same. yet there are 2 pros with different sizes, yet those pros have different features available to only the size.

Now for you or I, and many people on this forum, we know what we want. But for a lot of people, go check out a Apple store, they get Confused. Thats with a capital C and its a understatement.

While this is the norm for Google or Microsoft, this isnt Apple for the best decade and its a upsetting deviation from course.

All IMO, because i understand what your are saying.

 

[urkel]

I've no doubt Apple will fix it however either it happens in October meaning the 9.7" has a shorter life span or it happens next year meaning the larger Pro would be out over a year. Surely the big mistake was not refreshing the larger pro to the same features as the smaller one?

My biggest issue is the naming and the fragmentation that we will see due to that.

Take out the Pencil Support and NOTHING about the new 9.7 says that this isn't the evolutionary successor to the Air3. So is "Pencil Support" really going to be an exclusive "PRO" feature? Because there's nothing to the tech that says it can't be on the next Mini or even the next iPhone.

As a Pro 12.9" owner then I will say the Pencil is amazing but it's also very optional. So creating future products that intentionally do not support pencil is unecessarily fragmenting the product line. And that sucks for everyone.

 

[Beavix]

It's not confusing at all. For most customers it's simple:

• Do you like huge screens? Buy that big iPad Pro.
• Want a regular iPad? Pick the iPad Air. Want to write on it with the Pencil? The 9.7" iPad Pro is for you.
• Want a small tablet that fits in your pocket? Pick the iPad Mini. Want to write on it with the Pencil? Sorry you can't do that, but here's a 3rd party stylus.

And I'm pretty sure the geeks who are obsessed with things like RAM and camera specs know exactly what they want.

 

[MacDawg]

Odd, but when I evaluate a product I am considering I usually don't worry about whether others are going to be confused or not

 

[Krevnik]

I'm mixed on it, honestly. I do think it's time they get some of this sorted out into a clear and simple matrix. It's a bit like watching them play with a sliding picture puzzle. You know where it should be going, but they are making moves one at a time. That said, in practice, it's pretty straight forward to find what you should buy.

 

[v0lume4]

In my opinion, what makes things so confusing is the fact that Apple continues selling year-old or two year-old products in addition to their new products, which have new names but are similar to the older products. One great example being the iPad mini 2 and the iPad mini 4. Where is the iPad mini 3? I think Apple should drop the numeric naming altogether and just leave it at iPad Pro, iPad, and iPad mini.

 

[DaniJoy]

I don't agree. I think it's great apple is expanding and making more devices. We all have different needs, a one device that fits all model is outdated. I hope they do this with the aging MacBook lineup also. It would be great to see touch and apple pencil on a MacBook as an option.

 

[Zimmy68]

I am not confused in the least.

First time buyers will never know the difference.

Those articles aren't directed to readers of MacRumors.
And first time buyers not knowing is exactly the point.
They are presented with all these options, hence the confusion.

 

[TrueBlou]

The majority of the public will base their purchasing on two things. The size of screen they want and the price.

The more informed will add the capability of the chipset into the equation.

So it's not really difficult. Pick one of three screen sizes, maybe consider how powerful it is and see what fits into your budget. Decision made.

To suggest it's confusing would be like saying it's too difficult to buy a Windows laptop, or an Android tablet. Lots of manufacturers, screen sizes, different capabilities and price points. Somehow I think people will cope with a few different iPads.

 

[ApfelKuchen]

i am going to have to say yes here. This is why. All the macbooks have a different form factor (pricing/power wise is where confusion for rMB/Air come in like ipad Mini/Air). Then when it comes to the same macbook type r,pro,air - they all do the same things, just different sizes.

Ipad air and pro look the same. yet there are 2 pros with different sizes, yet those pros have different features available to only the size.

Now for you or I, and many people on this forum, we know what we want. But for a lot of people, go check out a Apple store, they get Confused. Thats with a capital C and its a understatement.

While this is the norm for Google or Microsoft, this isnt Apple for the best decade and its a upsetting deviation from course.

All IMO, because i understand what your are saying.

The fact that the MBA, MBP, and MB look different does not explain the differences. The differences simply trigger questions as to what those differences may be. Price tag and name are other differences that are immediately apparent to people. "Why is this one a Pro and that one an Air?" "Why does this one cost more than that one?" To the uninitiated, there's no difference between a Wi-Fi-only Air 2 and a cellular Air 2 (you think people immediately notice the SIM drawer or the "window" on the back for the cellular antenna, or know what they mean?).

The sad truth is, products are made to be sold. When people are in a store, the manufacturer and retailer want the consumer to approach a salesperson with questions. That gives the salesperson a chance to sell (and up-sell).

Everyone recalls the past differently. There have always been multiple models for sale, and most, if not all, came with differences that were not visibly apparent (different storage capacity, RAM, CPUs, etc.). What's different about Apple now is its size and the number of product lines. With size comes the ability to profitably offer greater choice to the public. While the public may claim to like simplicity of choice, when those choices are too simple, they complain that they can't get what they want. Look at all the people on these forums who proclaim that, if Apple doesn't give them exactly the features they want (in the next model), they're jumping ship.

What do the critics want? If Apple adds a new product line like Watch, should Apple kill one of its Mac models, to keep the total number of products the same?

 

[sjleworthy]

i'm in 2 minds.

pretty soon i'd like to see all ipads as pros. 3 sized pros. then take it from there. and stick with it, whatever it might be.
personally, im in the know and it doesnt bother me, but there is a bewildering product line up for the uninitiated first timer.

 

[joeblow7777]

The lineup is a bit messy but the average buyer will really just have to answer 2 questions:

What size device do they want?
How much do they want to spend?

Those two questions alone will narrow it down to a specific model, and then they can work out the specifics like colour and capacity.

 

[upritbass]

Apple sales staff are taught not to ask, "What model do you want?" but rather, "What do you want to do?"

 

[joeblow7777]

Apple sales staff are taught not to ask, "What model do you want?" but rather, "What do you want to do?"

Apple Staff: "So what do you want to do?"

Customer: "Just surf the web. Maybe browse my emails"

Apple Staff: "Well, you'll definitely need the 12.9" iPad Pro for the best web browsing experience. Here, let's add in the Pencil. And responding to those emails will be a pain without the keyboard... And oh, better get the 256 GB version. You want to have room for all your pictures and videos, right?"

 

[upritbass]

The lineup is a bit messy

So you agree that the lineup isn't messy.

 

[Newtons Apple]

If you claim consumers to be so clueless as to be oblivious to the first 4 items then not a single one would buy a $599 iPad Pro over a $399 Air2.

The Pro 9.7 selling point is Pencil support. Not that it comes with a pencil, but for $200 more than the Air 2 then you have the "opportunity" to spend $100 more to get a pencil. You don't need a pencil now? Then get the Air. You decide later you want a pencil? Well you can't because bought the one that doesn't have pencil support. But they look exactly the same. No, only the Pro supports a pencil. But I don't want a big iPad. It's not the big one its the same size as the one you got. But mine didn't come with a pencil. It's not supposed to, a pencil doesn't work there Because you need this one. But that looks exactly like mine. Yes but it's different. Why? (Throws pencil into ceiling)

If you think conversations like this won't happen then you don't know "normal" people.

I like the way you drive it home with bold print!

But you seem confused.

 

[joeblow7777]

So you agree that the lineup isn't messy.

Well, compared to what people were accustomed to. A year ago, it was you get an iPad or an iPad Mini. Now there's two different sized Pros, an Air, and the Mini.

Some people (not me) even think that there will be a 9.7" Air 3 by the end of the year.

 

[Speechless]

I just looked at the comparison chart and damn. What's really ridiculous is the Pro lineup - like focus pixels, true tone, camera, exc. The top of the line not getting those features or even rose gold is just unnecessary and confusing in itself. Why not just put it in two sizes instead of trying to sell it as two different devices? Also, how the hell would you even try to sell people the Air? Confusing again. Why not just make the next Air that 9" pro or something? All these sizes are just..much.

To me, it would make sense if this happened:
iPad Mini 4 is now the new iPad Mini line. Period. Call it: iPad Mini.
iPad Pro (9") is now the iPad Air. Call it: iPad Air.
iPad Pro (12") is the iPad Pro. Call it: iPad Pro. Also, add the freaking features you put on the 9" Pro to the top of the line one because damn.

I LOVE Apple, I even have an iPad Pro myself, but..do they even know what they are doing with the now 5 iPad lines?