Apple’s iPhone 14 range is only two months away from us, and while leaks have revealed everything from their phones’ battery capabilities to potential price increases, one surprising detail has been overlooked: a new name.
In September, Apple is expected to announce a less expensive version of the iPhone 14 Pro Max, which was widely assumed to be called the “iPhone 14 Max”. But a detailed Supply Chain Report from an Omdia Analyst, uses a much more sensible name.
The Apple iPhone 14 lineup is based on several leaks and with the supposed iPhone 14 Max name.
Breaking with the leaks so far, David Hsieh, senior director of research at Omdia, refers to the new device (and replacement for the iPhone 13 Mini) as the “iPhone 14 Plus”. This makes a lot of sense. It harkens back to Apple’s previous brand of its largest phone and creates a larger demarcation between the two 6.7-inch models.
Moreover, the name “Max” is also problematic. Maximum version of any device indicates that it best precedes its physical size, hence statements like “to the maximum”. The connotations about “plus” are not very extreme, “plus” is a long-standing association and the word refers to “more” rather than better. This would be a better fit, since the standard iPhone 14 models will lose most of the major iPhone 14 Pro upgrades.
Apple’s latest brand also shows a desire to keep the Max reserved for premium hardware. In ascending order, the M1 (and soon M2) range consists of:
- m 1
- Go M1
- M1 Max
- M1 Ultra
Max sits above the Pro. Yes, Apple’s branding has always been criticized for causing confusion (look no further than the ‘Apple Watch version’), but the iPhone 14 Max version is cheaper and slower than the iPhone 14 Pro would be weird even by Apple standards.
Adding more weight to Hsieh’s language are the details of the Omdia report, which breaks down iPhone component suppliers, supply distribution and order volumes over the next two years. Contrasted with this is the huge number of high-profile leakers who have been talking about the iPhone 14 Max for months. It would surprise them to be mistaken this close to a launch, but certainly not unprecedented.
Yes, there are bigger questions surrounding the iPhone 14 lineup – including eye-opening battery capabilities, camera differences, and the generational chipset gap – but for Apple, getting messages about these phones is crucial. And it all starts with a name.
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