07/04 Update below. This post was originally published on July 2
Apple’s iPhone 14 lineup will be available in only two months, and while leaks have disclosed everything from battery capacities to anticipated price rises, one surprise feature has been overlooked: a new name.
Apple’s iPhone 14 lineup will be available in only two months, and while leaks have disclosed everything from battery capacities to anticipated price rises, one surprise feature has been overlooked: a new name.
Apple is likely to announce a less expensive version of the iPhone 14 Pro Max in September, which was widely assumed to be called the ‘iPhone 14 Max.’ A detailed supply chain report from analyst Omdia Media, on the other hand, employs a lot more sensible moniker.
Media senior research director David Hsieh refers to the new gadget (and iPhone 13 Mini replacement) as the ‘iPhone 14 Plus,’ breaking with previous revelations. This makes perfect sense. It pays homage to Apple’s former branding for its largest phones and distinguishes two 6.7-inch variants.
07/04 Update: More supply chain information on Apple’s iPhone 14 release plans has surfaced. In response to an earlier rumor from Digitimes claiming that Apple was forced to reduce the initial wave of iPhone 14 manufacturing from major supplier TSMC by 10%, noted Apple analyst and insider Ming-Chi Kuo has stated that production for the new range is still on pace.
“According to my survey, TSMC’s iPhone 14 orders have been lowered by 10%. I am now maintaining my 2H22 shipment prediction for the iPhone 14, which is around 100 million [million] units for components and 90 million units for EMS, respectively.”
This is crucial for Apple since Kuo expects that demand for the iPhone 14 lineup will be higher in China than for iPhone 13 models:
“According to my most recent poll, several Chinese distributors/retailers/scalpers must pay the largest prepayment deposit ever for iPhone 14 to secure a sufficient supply… In the Chinese market, the iPhone 14 prepaid deposit is currently much higher than the iPhone 13, and in certain locations, it is even twice as high.”
It remains to be seen what is fueling this demand, given the usually small changes coming to the basic iPhone 14. However, leaks will become more common now that mass production has commenced. Meanwhile, any potential iPhone 13 upgraders should now hold off until the iPhone 14 models are released in September.
Aside from that, the name ‘Max’ is troublesome. A max-version of any technology implies that it is the best of something beyond its physical size, which is why terms like “to the max” are used. The connotations associated with ‘plus’ are not as strong; ‘plus size’ is a long-standing association, and the word implies more rather than ‘best.’ Because normal iPhone 14 models would miss out on the most significant iPhone 14 Pro improvements, this would be a better fit.
Apple’s most recent branding also shows a desire to keep Max reserved for premium hardware. In ascending order, the M1 (and soon M2) range is comprised of:
- M1
- M1 Pro
- M1 Max
- M1 Ultra
Max is seated above Pro. Yes, Apple’s branding has long been chastised for confusing (just look at the ‘Apple Watch Edition), but selling an iPhone 14 Max that is less expensive and slower than an iPhone 14 Pro would be strange even by Apple’s standards.
The depth of India’s study, which breaks down iPhone component suppliers, supply distribution, and order volumes for the next two years, adds weight to Hsieh’s language. The sheer number of high-profile leaders who have been talking about an iPhone 14 Max for months goes against this. It would be surprising, although not unprecedented, for them to be wrong so close to launch.
Yes, there are bigger problems surrounding the iPhone 14 series, such as their shocking battery capacity, camera discrepancies, and generational chipset gap, but getting the messaging right around these phones is essential for Apple. And it all begins with a name.