Dell on Monday announced an overhaul of its PC branding strategy with a simplified naming scheme that bears a striking resemblance to Apple's iPhone nomenclature.
The computer manufacturer is retiring its long-standing product names like XPS and Inspiron in favor of three straightforward tiers: Dell, Dell Pro, and Dell Pro Max – a clear copy of Apple's iPhone naming convention, which has used "Pro" and "Pro Max" to distinguish its higher-end models since the iPhone 11 was introduced in 2019.
The announcement reportedly raised eyebrows at Dell's press briefing ahead of CES. "Your branding sounds a lot like Apple. Aren't you just following them?" one audience member asked Dell executives, according to Bloomberg.
"Customers really prefer names that are easy to remember and easy to pronounce," Chief Operating Officer Jeff Clarke responded to reporters. Buyers shouldn't have to spend time "figuring out our nomenclature, which at times has been a bit confusing," he said.
Clarke went on to claim that the new naming strategy was supported by research involving "tens of thousands of customers," and argued that no company owns common words like "pro" or "max." The new naming system will "make it easier for our customers to do business with us," added Dell founder and CEO, Michael Dell.
Kevin Terwilliger, a vice president of Dell's PC business, explained that the rebrand aims to simplify product recognition for customers, similar to Apple's approach of anchoring products to a single brand name. The gaming-focused Alienware brand, which Dell acquired in 2006, will retain its existing branding.
The Dell CEO framed the rebranding as part of a broader strategy to capitalize on the aging PC market, particularly as AI capabilities become more important in computing. Many of the new Dell-branded devices will include neural processing units optimized for AI tasks.
PC manufacturers are seeking to reinvigorate sales following a post-pandemic slump, with Dell, HP, and Lenovo all exploring various strategies to encourage upgrades. For what it's worth, Apple isn't the only consumer electronics company to use "pro" in its product names. Microsoft has its Surface Pro tablets, for example, but it's hard to imagine the latter attempting to justify the introduction of a "Surface Pro Max" while maintaining a straight face.
