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Answer: Mk is short for "mark." Therefore Mk2 is pronounced "Mark Two," and Mk3 is pronounced "Mark Three." Mark 2, also written Mark II, refers to the second version of a product. Mark 3, also written Mark III, is the third version of a product. Likewise, Mark 4, Mark 5, etc. can be used to identify additional versions.
The "Mark" naming scheme is typically used by hardware products and is similar to the version numbers used by software programs. By adding "Mk2" or "Mk3" after a product name, manufacturers can keep the same name when a product is upgraded. This is useful for brand recognition and helps companies continue successful product lines through incremental upgrades.
The "Mark" labels were traditionally used to identify different versions of military equipment. However, they have become more commonly used for consumer products as well. Examples of products that use "Mk" or "Mark" in their names include digital cameras (such as the professional line of Canon cameras) and audio equipment (such as MOTU digital audio hardware).
So if you ever see a product name followed by "mk2," you'll know it's the second version of the product. Then you can compare it to the first version and see all the amazing improvements that have been made.
