Other Steve Jobs' product grid, works for 2019 iPhone lineup?

[ra4oasis]

Anyone who has read about when Steve came back to Apple, he wanted to simplify the Mac line, and drew a grid. Two options for for desktop, and two for laptop. One model of each was focused towards standard customers, and the other was the pro model.

Just speculating, but what if this product grid was used for the 2019 iPhone lineup? Attached is a little mock up I made. But basically, you have a smaller iPhone XR, a follow up to the XR (forgive the name, I called it XR 2, which I know they won't do, but you get the idea). And a follow up to the XS and XS Max. What do you think?

 

[CrazyForCashews]

Makes too much sense.

I was genuinely surprised when Apple announced the XR and not a smaller version of it.

Two premium/pro models, and two budget/standard models.

 

[anthonymoody]

One thing I'll say about the idea of a smaller-than-XS sized version of the XR is that it would put to rest the question of whether people still want/would buy small phones, as many on this site believe.

I don't believe we can use SE sales data to draw any meaningful conclusion about this question. Its internals were left behind very quickly, and compared to the then-current top of the line phones the SE wasn't nearly as close as the XR is to the XS.

Certainly our family would trade 2 SE's and a 7 for a smaller-than-XS version of the XR.

 

[cornerexit]

Works for me. Ready to buy Xr mini right now. Where do I send my money?

 

[Jimmy James]

I think it’s coming next year. Just like they held off on the Max until this year I think they’re holding off on the smaller phone until next year. They trying to leverage the market with staged segmentation.

 

[CrimsonKnight]

iPhone XR Nano. 4 inch display.

 

[-M4-]

I doubt a XR mini would come with 1080p. Most likely would be something like this year’s XR resolution, one that would give 326ppi.

 

[ra4oasis]

I doubt a XR mini would come with 1080p. Most likely would be something like this year’s XR resolution, one that would give 326ppi.

I tend to agree, I think if this sort of thing happens, with a smaller phone, and a follow up to the XR, they'd keep the resolution/ppi similar to the XR this year. When I listed 1080 for the "cheaper" phones, it was more of a dream, not an expectation of reality.

 

[CrazyForCashews]

I think it’s coming next year. Just like they held off on the Max until this year I think they’re holding off on the smaller phone until next year. They trying to leverage the market with staged segmentation.

Good point. Apple is now doing things in reverse this time. Release the small phone first (X) then the big one later (Max). Now release the big one first (XR) and the small one later (XR Mini).

 

[-M4-]

I tend to agree, I think if this sort of thing happens, with a smaller phone, and a follow up to the XR, they'd keep the resolution/ppi similar to the XR this year. When I listed 1080 for the "cheaper" phones, it was more of a dream, not an expectation of reality.

Yeah, would be pretty good to actually have them both at 401ppi! I think my next phone would be one of those (but in their 2022 version, since I want my current phone to last until then) if they did it. Let’s hope they actually do it

 

[redheeler]

I doubt a XR mini would come with 1080p. Most likely would be something like this year’s XR resolution, one that would give 326ppi.

I doubt the iPhone Xs Max will go 4K next year. More likely it will have the same resolution it has now.

Not sure about the 6.1" iPhone XR. At $749 it should have a 401 PPI LCD at a minimum, but Apple may opt to lower the price next year instead.

 

[now i see it]

The original product foursome was thought up by Steve when he came back to cull the clutter of the dying Macintosh line. It made sense back then for a company on the verge of bankruptcy.

Today that rigid mindset is long gone and Apple makes whatever will stick.

 

[pika2000]

The original product foursome was thought up by Steve when he came back to cull the clutter of the dying Macintosh line. It made sense back then for a company on the verge of bankruptcy.

Today that rigid mindset is long gone and Apple makes whatever will stick.

Yeah. Even Jobs himself broke that grid (the G4 Cube, the Macbook Air).

Still, it is a simple guideline that makes sense if a company is desperate in figuring out its product lineup. But Apple has passed that line way way back.

 

[Small White Car]

Anyone who has read about when Steve came back to Apple, he wanted to simplify the Mac line, and drew a grid. Two options for for desktop, and two for laptop. One model of each was focused towards standard customers, and the other was the pro model.

Yeah, but the Powerbook and the iBook were very different computers, they weren't just different screen sizes. Likewise, Powermac vs. iMac.

When they came out with a 17" Powerbook it didn't get it's own 3rd row on the matrix.

For the record I do really wish there was a smaller XR. I'd probably buy it myself. But I don't think the old Jobs product Matrix really fits here.

 

[rudyrov]

similar grid could be applied to laptops, when the updated Air/13-inch MacBook comes out

 

[linkgx1]

The issue with the product grid is that it works if you're dealing with a relatively stable market. But China is why the XR exists. When you have a billion people wanting a cheaper phone with a large screen, it's different than the states where we kind of take what comes.

 

[44267547]

I think it’s coming next year. Just like they held off on the Max until this year I think they’re holding off on the smaller phone until next year. They trying to leverage the market with staged segmentation.

Not exactly. The Max was likely ‘Held off’ because of OLED supply constraints that Apple faced last year with Samsung. If you recall, LG has been added as a second supplier, to help meet the demand for the 6.5 display, so it’s not just about the fact that they held off when there was a constraint involved for that specific iPhone.

 

[Alaxlmartin]

2019 Max is uninspiring for a lot of reasons:
Samsung has 6.66 phone coming
Notch

Until those things are gone, it isn’t a perfect phone.

It needs to be a 6.8 inch phone with the notch gone or reduced

 

[Zune55]

Anyone who has read about when Steve came back to Apple, he wanted to simplify the Mac line, and drew a grid. Two options for for desktop, and two for laptop. One model of each was focused towards standard customers, and the other was the pro model.

Just speculating, but what if this product grid was used for the 2019 iPhone lineup? Attached is a little mock up I made. But basically, you have a smaller iPhone XR, a follow up to the XR (forgive the name, I called it XR 2, which I know they won't do, but you get the idea). And a follow up to the XS and XS Max. What do you think?

i like the xr mini but want in 4.5 inch without notch and bezels.
[doublepost=1540532548][/doublepost]

I tend to agree, I think if this sort of thing happens, with a smaller phone, and a follow up to the XR, they'd keep the resolution/ppi similar to the XR this year. When I listed 1080 for the "cheaper" phones, it was more of a dream, not an expectation of reality.

even if xr mini 5 or the one i want 4.5 with 720p i would like it but other than that i guess i am done with all phones not just apple. Used Max, X, 8, pluses etc etc....

 

[profets]

I like your thinking but Steve’s 2x2 grid was drawn for portable & desktop and consumer & pro.

I’d almost apply it to iOS devices:

“Consumer” “Pro”
“Mobile” iPhone XR iPhone XS
“Desktop” iPad iPad Pro

 

[44267547]

2019 Max is uninspiring for a lot of reasons:
Samsung has 6.66 phone coming
Notch

Until those things are gone, it isn’t a perfect phone.

It needs to be a 6.8 inch phone with the notch gone or reduced

So you’re saying the iPhone Max is uninspiring because Samsung has a larger phone that will be offered the future Thats _barely_ larger than the Max at 6.66”?

The fact that Apple offered the larger version over the 5.8 X is exactly what the consumer was wanting to have two options. The 6.5 iPhone X doesn’t need to be any bigger than it is, as the 6.5 X will be the staple for the largest phone in their lineup likely for years to come.

 

[DNichter]

I do think it'll look something like this at some point, options for every budget/user.

 

[Alaxlmartin]

So you’re saying the iPhone Max is uninspiring because Samsung has a larger phone that will be offered the future Thats _barely_ larger than the Max at 6.66”?

The fact that Apple offered the larger version over the 5.8 X is exactly what the consumer was wanting to have two options. The 6.5 iPhone X doesn’t need to be any bigger than it is, as the 6.5 X will be the staple for the largest phone in their lineup likely for years to come.

Apple needs to win, not to compete.

If it was me I would go notchless, 7 inch
[doublepost=1540679165][/doublepost]

Apple needs to win, not to compete.

If it was me I would go notchless, 7 inch

This is the best 2019 concept I can find

Also I forgot in my concept, Headphone Jack