Steve Jobs Considered Five Alternatives Names for iPhone
The Apple co-founder thought of a name similar to Macintosh Steve Jobs considered different names for the iPhone.
The history of technology is full of anecdotes and curiosities that often remain hidden from the general public. One such story focuses on the creative process behind one of the most revolutionary devices of recent decades: the iPhone. Before settling on the iconic name we know today, Steve Jobs, the co-founder of Apple, considered several alternatives for naming his mobile phone.
Ken Segall, an advertiser who worked closely with Steve Jobs during the preparation to launch the original model of the phone, recounted the anecdote of the alternative names that were considered for the iPhone.
Some of these options maintained a close relationship with the company’s legacy, proposing a continuity with the iconic Macintosh. Here are the five proposed names that were close to changing the identity of the iPhone as we know it today.
Here are the five proposed names that were close to changing the identity of the iPhone as we know it today.
This was proposed as a name that directly alluded to the Macintosh, reflecting the idea that an iPhone sought to become a miniaturized version of a computer, accessible from the user’s pocket.
Was one of the proposed names for the phone, inspired by the word “mobile”. Its simplicity and ease of being remembered and pronounced made it stand out from other existing brands. According to Segall, this name gave the device “personality”, highlighting its portability and the ability to offer a constant internet connection in the user’s pocket.
Was another option considered, suggesting an evolution and sophistication in relation to the iPod. The name was based on the conception of the iPhone as the fusion of three devices in one: an iPod, a phone, and a device for internet communication, symbolizing a “TriPod”. However, there was a possibility that it might cause confusion with tripods.
All these names were part of a “just in case” list of alternatives that was prepared in the event that the name “iPhone” could not be used.
This name originated from a simpler idea: the combination of a telephone with an iPod resulted in a “TelePod”.
Emerges as one of the most unexpected names, under the premise that, in essence, the iPhone is nothing more than a scaled-down version of the iPad. It continues to be a ‘Pad’, that is, a panel or slate, but of a size that allows carrying it in the pocket. It’s interesting to imagine an iPad product line that ranged in size from 4 to 13 inches.
All these names were part of a “just in case” list of alternatives that was prepared in the event that the name “iPhone” could not be used. This concern was not unfounded, given that the “iPhone” brand was already being used for a Cisco phone.
With the desire to adopt this name, Apple found itself in a trademark dispute, which was eventually resolved through an agreement between the two companies.
Steve Jobs surveyed the smartphones that were on the market at that time before presenting the iPhone.
Steve Jobs surveyed the smartphones that were on the market at that time before presenting the iPhone.
In the agreement reached, Apple and Cisco consented to share the use of the “iPhone” brand on their respective devices simultaneously and committed to collaborating on future projects related to security and consumer technology.
Since one of the devices was a landline phone and the other, a smart mobile phone that opened a new category in the market, it was determined that there would not be direct competition between the two.
The launch of the first iPhone took place on January 9, 2007, when Steve Jobs, co-founder and then CEO of Apple, presented it during the keynote of the Macworld Conference & Expo in San Francisco, USA. Jobs described the iPhone as “an iPod with touch controls,” “a revolutionary mobile phone,” and “an internet communications device.”
Video uploaded by Marques Brownlee on October 11, 2021.
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