Skip to Content

Apple Marketing Chief Phil Schiller: 'One Need Never Pluralize Apple Product Names'

Apple executive Phil Schiller gave Apple users a grammar lesson on Twitter yesterday afternoon, explaining that it isn't necessary to pluralize Apple product names.

Schiller's instructions came after a discussion on pluralizing "iPad Pro" between Andreessen Horowitz partner Benedict Evans and iMore analyst Michael Gartenberg. Evans referred to more than one iPad Pro as "iPads Pro," while Gartenberg said "iPad Pros."

ipadprodesign
Schiller clarified that neither approach was correct. The proper way to refer to more than one iPad Pro is to call them "iPad Pro devices."

He went on to further state that it would be correct to say "I have 3 Macintosh," or "I have 4 Macintosh computers" when referring to more than one Mac. "Words can be both singular and plural, such as deer and clothes," he explained. By that logic, more than one iPhone would need to be referred to as iPhone devices or iPhone models rather than "iPhones."

As Business Insider points out, Apple sometimes breaks its own naming rules. In press releases, the company has made mention of "iPhones" in the plural form.

Popular Stories

Apple Event Logo

Apple Released Seven New Products Today

Wednesday March 11, 2026 7:05 am PDT by
Starting today, the seven new Apple products that were announced last week are available at Apple Stores and beginning to arrive to customers. The colorful MacBook Neo and all of the other new products are on display at most Apple Store locations around the world starting today. Apple Stores have inventory of the new products for both walk-in customers and Apple Store pickup, but...
Apple 50 Years of Thinking Different

Apple Announces 50th Anniversary Plans

Thursday March 12, 2026 6:10 am PDT by
Apple today announced that it will celebrate the company's 50th anniversary over the coming weeks, but it has yet to reveal any specific plans. Apple was founded on April 1, 1976, so the company will turn 50 on April 1, 2026. "While Apple is known for looking forward, this milestone offers a special moment to reflect on the journey that has brought the company here, to celebrate the...
iphone fold text

iPhone Fold to Feature iPad-Style Multitasking and Layouts

Wednesday March 11, 2026 1:31 pm PDT by
The upcoming foldable iPhone that Apple plans to debut this September will operate like a cross between an iPhone and an iPad, reports Bloomberg. When the device is opened up, the UI will have an iPad-like layout that supports multitasking with two apps side-by-side. No iPhone to date has supported running multiple apps on the display at the same time, beyond simple picture-in-picture mode...

Top Rated Comments

DaveP Avatar
129 months ago
Well that doesn't sound pretentious...
Score: 93 Votes (Like | Disagree)
surfingarbo Avatar
129 months ago
Phil's recent Tweets mention "iPads".

Edit: Hmmm... as do Tim's Tweets:

Edit 2: Thanks for the up votes guys :). Although, I now feel bad for pointing out these plural tweets. Phil rarely favorites Tweets, and he just favored a Tweet from @JosephRooks saying "He did say 'need not', not that you never can or never should". Therefore I guess Phil is saying it's ok to pluralize their products. (At least that's how I read it - I could be wrong.)

Attachment Image

Attachment Image

Attachment Image

Attachment Image

Attachment Image
Score: 88 Votes (Like | Disagree)
mw360 Avatar
129 months ago
A few more years of these sales figures and we won't need to pluralise iPad.
Score: 58 Votes (Like | Disagree)
longofest Avatar
129 months ago
You're not pluralizing it right
Score: 50 Votes (Like | Disagree)
129 months ago
He's fighting a losing battle. Give it up. If I'm referring to more than one iPhone, I will call them iPhones. What he's suggesting is just stupid.
Score: 49 Votes (Like | Disagree)
129 months ago
I'll call it whatever the **** I want, Phil.
Score: 42 Votes (Like | Disagree)