The iPhone 14 range will top the successor to the iPhone 13 Mini, but doubts about the phone’s name at launch continue to grow.
For more than six months, distributors large and small have been united over the branding of Apple’s new and more affordable 6.7-inch smartphone: the “iPhone 14 Max.” But that was called into question last week when the name “iPhone 14 Plus” surfaced, and now an image of alleged iPhone 14 cases has doubled down on that branding.
The Apple iPhone 14 range based on multiple leaks and with the alleged name iPhone 14 Max.
EverythingApplePro
Originally posted on Weibo [post now removed], the image was shared by trusted Apple insider DuanRui. It shows cases labeled for four models: iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Pro, iPhone 14 Plus, and iPhone 14 Pro Max.
And the big factor here is DuanRui. The leaker has some serious experience in this area, having previously shared the packaging of the iPhone 12 range of cases that revealed the “iPhone 12 Mini” branding, which Apple subsequently confirmed at the launch event.
If correct, the cases also confirm two other key details about the launch. First, the new iPhone 14 Plus and iPhone 14 Pro Max will be the same size (widely reported as 6.7-inches). Second, the iPhone 14 Pro models will not only continue to have three cameras compared to two on the standard models, but also larger camera modules. This is due to a leak of higher resolution sensors in the new flagships.
And while branding may not be the biggest concern for consumers, it’s a critical decision for Apple if it wants to avoid confusion at launch. Additionally, the company has already shown its hand with the naming of its M1 chips, with the Max branding reserved for a chip with higher performance than the M1 Pro.
Given that the iPhone 14 Plus will also carry last year’s processor, a strategy now assumed to continue with the standard models for the foreseeable future, throwing the Max in there doesn’t make much sense. Apple also has precedent with the Plus brand, where the iPhone 8 Plus sat below the iPhone X, associating it more with size than elite status in the range.
Yes, you may be more interested in the iPhone 14’s battery capacity and updates on rumored price increases, but Apple’s decision here will be visible for years to come. And it might just save you hours on the phone trying to demystify the range in front of friends and family.
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