Apple's iPhone Could've Been Called Mobi, TriPod, Telepod Or iPad, Says Former Ad Guru
March 5, 2013
Did you know that before it decided on the name "iPhone," Apple considered calling its now hugely popular handset "Mobi," "TriPod," "Telepod," and even "iPad"?
Those were the names thrown around the brainstorming table before the smartphone we have come to know and love was finally branded as iPhone. And this revelation came straight from the horse's mouth. That is, it was revealed by none other than Ken Segall, aka "the Man who put the 'i' in Apple."
An advertising executive who worked closely with Steve Jobs at NeXT and Apple, Segall gave a presentation earlier today at an event at the University of Arizona's Department of Marketing.
As reported by 9to5Mac, Segall shared that before Apple settled on the iPhone name, at least four other names were considered for various reasons.
There's "Mobi," which was supposed to point to the smartphone's being mobile. Now, "mobi" is widely associated with a type of e-book format.
There's "TriPod", which would've suggested the device's much-vaunted quality of being essentially a combination of a phone, an iPod, and an Internet communications device. Of course, even before the iPhone made history, a tripod has been known to be any three-legged stand for supporting a camera or other apparatus.
And then there's "Telepod," which, according to Segall, was considered for its futuristic connotation on the word "telephone." It could also denote an iPod that's also a telephone.
Finally, there's "iPad," which, of course, ended up being the name of Apple's bestselling tablet.
Check out 9to5Mac's report for more details on the iPhone's nomenclature.
What do you think? Would you rather the iPhone be called Mobi, TriPod, Telepod, or iPad?
