Apple almost called the iPhone the ‘TelePod’
Would the iPhone have sold as well if it was called the “TelePod”?
Apple Inc.’s former advertising lead Ken Segall told a college marketing class that the Cupertino company considered naming its phone the TelePod because it sounded like a futuristic twist on the word “telephone” and had similarities to Apple’s iPod, which was very popular at the time.
Speaking to students at the University of Arizona, Segall also said Apple considered some other names, including iPad, which the company eventually used for its tablet instead. The Apple news website 9to5Mac reported on the talk.
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Among the other names was Mobi, which was a shortened version of the word “mobile.” Segall said the name was creative and had a personality.
Perhaps the oddest was the TriPod. That name was considered because the device could make calls, function as an iPod and surf the Web. Apple decided against the name, but it did advertise it with those selling points.
Segall’s presentation can be seen on YouTube.
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