Former Apple advertising lead Ken Segall has revealed that the Cupertino company took a while to decide on the iPhone name for its smartphone device, suggesting the original handset was almost called the TelePod, Mobi and TriPod.
Revealing the trio of disastrous potential names that could have seen off the eventual iPhone branding, Segall, speaking at an event at the University of Arizona’s Department of Marketing, suggested that Apple was concerned the iPhone naming would limit the scope of the all-encompassing smart device.
Although the iPhone name caused issues at launch due to the IPHONE trademark held by networking firm Cisco for one of its internet phone service, the branding has since become synonymous with smartphones in general and one of Apple’s leading product lines.
One of the earliest ideas for what to call the now dubbed iPhone, Segall revealed that the handset almost landed under the moniker of the Apple TriPod, a name which reportedly featured on a selection of the company’s original marketing materials for the device.
An amalgamation of the handset’s phone, internet and iPod capabilities, the TriPod name was eventually dropped alongside the possibility of the Apple Mobi, an abbreviated version of mobile, and the Apple TelePod, a name which would have seen the company attempt to build on the blossoming iPod brand.
As well as a selection of questionable options, Segall revealed that the iPhone almost landed under the header of the Apple iPad, a name later saved for the company’s now dominant tablet lines.
With Steve Jobs having previously revealed that Apple started work on the iPad tablet idea prior to the iPhone’s creation, the former Apple advertising manager has suggested that the smartphone line almost fell under the iPad name, a possibility based on the handset’s ability to support many of the same functions as the tablet line.
Which of the possible alternative iPhone names would you class as the best and the worst options? Let us know via the TrustedReviews Twitter and Facebook feeds or through the comment boxes below.
Via: 9to5Mac
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Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
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We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
