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If you think about it, the new iPhone will be 3rd generation, not 4th.

iPhone - 1st Generation
iPhone 3G and 3GS - 2nd Generation
iPhone (New) 3rd Generation

There was only a hardware boost in the 3G to 3GS.

Actually it was quite the opposite if you go by the names in the firmware.

2G - iPhone 1,1
3G - iPhone 1,2
3GS - iPhone 2,1
new iPhone - iPhone 3,1

So you see, the 2G and 3G were actually the same "generation". But this is most likely related to the processor, not any sort of "generation".
 
I'm just hoping they don't do the Nintendo clusterf*** that is the Nintendo DS. DS>DSlite>DSi>DSiXL>3DS? It's like the creative minds over there just gave up after revision #2. I know the first 4 are all similar, but 3DS just sounds stupid, and very Apple-esqe. I just hope it's the equivalent of Dolfin or Revolution and is just a temporary title.

My vote is for "iPhone" and in the ads, introduce it as "The new iPhone" Simple, secure.
 
+1 was just about to say the same thing. i think it would be more apple like to drop the silly names and keep it simple.

Doesn't make much sense. There has to be some sort of differentiation for marketing purposes and just for everyday life. So you want them now, till the end of time, name EVERY SINGLE iPhone the iPhone? And you can honestly say that's a great idea and not silly? That's the silliest thing I can think of. Despite what you guys think about how simple it is to say "the new iphone" in commercials or paper ads, believe me, differentiation is necessary.

It's like google naming their next 10 phones the Nexus One. This type of naming is only possible if the new phone replaces the old ones completely when it comes out. Because then when the next one comes out, and it's also called the iPhone, you'll have 2 phones called the iPhone on sale yet they'll be totally different. Those "silly" names prevent unnecessary complexity.
 
I'm just hoping they don't do the Nintendo clusterf*** that is the Nintendo DS. DS>DSlite>DSi>DSiXL>3DS? It's like the creative minds over there just gave up after revision #2. I know the first 4 are all similar, but 3DS just sounds stupid, and very Apple-esqe. I just hope it's the equivalent of Dolfin or Revolution and is just a temporary title.

My vote is for "iPhone" and in the ads, introduce it as "The new iPhone" Simple, secure.

True...but at least they're not like Android's OS names...what's next...Cherry Cobbler?
 
Doesn't make much sense. There has to be some sort of differentiation for marketing purposes and just for everyday life. So you want them now, till the end of time, name EVERY SINGLE iPhone the iPhone? And you can honestly say that's a great idea and not silly? That's the silliest thing I can think of. Despite what you guys think about how simple it is to say "the new iphone" in commercials or paper ads, believe me, differentiation is necessary.

It's like google naming their next 10 phones the Nexus One. This type of naming is only possible if the new phone replaces the old ones completely when it comes out. Because then when the next one comes out, and it's also called the iPhone, you'll have 2 phones called the iPhone on sale yet they'll be totally different. Those "silly" names prevent unnecessary complexity.

What about other Apple products? iPod, iMac, Macbook. For the iPad we refer to it as 3rd gen, 4th gen, etc, but its still called just "iPod". What do you think they'll call the next generation of the iPad next year?

I think the sillyness started when they used the name iPhone 3G and brought term for 3rd gen cellular network into it when we're used to using 2nd, 3rd, gen as a way to differentiate each model.

Google, HTC, whoever are much different as we've seen. a lot of those companies pump out many products and go all over the place with the naming.
 
What about other Apple products? iPod, iMac, Macbook. For the iPad we refer to it as 3rd gen, 4th gen, etc, but its still called just "iPod". What do you think they'll call the next generation of the iPad next year?

I think the sillyness started when they used the name iPhone 3G and brought term for 3rd gen cellular network into it when we're used to using 2nd, 3rd, gen as a way to differentiate each model.

Google, HTC, whoever are much different as we've seen. a lot of those companies pump out many products and go all over the place with the naming.

New iPod models replace old ones, same with iMacs and Macbooks, that's why they can stay the same. You can't have 2 phones called the iPhone being sold at the same time.
 
New iPod models replace old ones, same with iMacs and Macbooks, that's why they can stay the same. You can't have 2 phones called the iPhone being sold at the same time.

they could be differentiated by the storage amount

also, what about when the unibody macbook first came out, and was sold side by side with the older plastic model?

anyway, if the only reason to keep putting stupid names on the iphone is because they want to sell the old one along side the new one, then that is a pretty poor excuse
 
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