The Reason Apple Named It “The New iPad”

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Screen Shot 2012-03-07 at 10.12.53 PM

Thousands of Apple fans let their jaws hit the floor earlier today when Apple announced “the new iPad.” There was no “iPad 3,” no “iPad HD,” no “iPad Epic Pro Super X 4G LTE Touch.” Just iPad. Apple broke the numbering scheme and went back to the basics.

Why? Apple VP of Worldwide Product Marketing Phil Schiller revealed the answer after today’s keynote.

When asked by The Wall Street Journal, Schiller said Apple called it “iPad” because “we don’t want to be predictable.” That’s it. No other explanation. No long-winded rant about how the iPad is leading a revolution that’s changing the world and ushering in a new age of incredibleness. No marketing strategy about how Apple wants to consolidate its product line in the mind of the consumer. Just predictability.

That answer shouldn’t really come as a surprise to any tech enthusiast that’s been following Apple for a decent amount of time. Apple has been shattering the status quo and throwing curveballs at the press for years. Despite the constant churning of the rumor mill, the company somehow manages to keep surprising the industry in one way or another with every announcement.

For the most part, there were two camps before today’s keynote: the people that thought we’d see the iPad 3 and those that thought it would be called iPad HD (myself included). There were plausible arguments for both sides, and several big publications even weighed in at the last minute saying Apple would definitely call it iPad HD. Leave it to Apple to screw with both camps and just call it iPad.

Good job, Apple. You won again. Now I’ll take a new iPad please.

[image via flickr]

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