iPhone XS Plus and iPhone SE 2: What All the Rumored Names Likely Refer To
What will this year's iPhones be named?
As Apple’s yearly iPhone keynote inches closer, as always the release has been preceded by a torrent of leaks, rumors, and alleged dummies that have hinted at the phones’ designs, features, and prices. But until the actual names of the upcoming iPhones leak as well, fans are stuck using a convoluted array of pseudonyms and shorthands to differentiate between the three expected models.
Some of the most common monikers thrown out so far include the iPhone XS Plus to describe the highest-tier model, as well as the iPhone SE 2, the iPhone 9, and the iPhone X2 to describe the others. Most of these are all likely just nicknames given to the future phones so Apple fans don’t have to refer to them by their dimensions, though a few were backed by some slim evidence.
Apple is known for playing its cards close to the vest when it comes to the names of its future smartphones. The iPhone X’s name wasn’t disclosed until the day of its launch and it’s likely that the same will ring true this year.
This year's rumored iPhones compared to 2017's releases.
While we wait, some of these educated guesses make more sense than other. And while we don’t reliably know what they will be called, we do have a fairly good idea that Apple will release two OLED models with 5.8 and 6.5-inch displays, while the third will be a budget-friendly, 6.1-inch LCD variant. Here are some of the names that make sense.
iPhone 2018 Names: 6.5-inch Model
The largest of Apple’s expected smartphones has garnered a name that has stuck throughout the rumor cycle: the iPhone X Plus. This has a lot to do with the pattern the company has established with its past releases.
Ever since the iPhone 6, each of Apple’s flagship launches has been followed by a “Plus” version of the handset. These phones were retrofitted with a larger screen for users that wanted more display and based on the specs, that seems precisely what this heralded 6.5-inch model is aiming for.
Image leaked by Les Numeriques claiming to reveal the 2018 iPhones' names.
However, there was one recent deviation from this name. The French tech blog Les Numeriques posted an image of all three upcoming iPhones with the 6.5-inch OLED model listed under the name “iPhone XS Plus.” The publication claimed it obtained this image through “a reliable source.”
iPhone 2018 Names: 6.1-inch Model
Much like its OLED counterpart, this variant has been widely dubbed the iPhone 9 by the Apple aficionados of the internet. But its nickname has changed since as rumors unraveled.
Early in the rumor cycle, this budget smartphone was given the name “iPhone SE 2” as an ode to Apple’s prior $399 iPhone SE. Prolific smartphone leaker Evan Blass even posted a screenshot that suggested the phone could be named the “iPhone SE (2018)”
The iPhone 9 is expected to be a budget-friendly take on the iPhone X.
Subsequent reports have since distanced themselves from that title and pivoted to the iPhone 9. This would be a natural progression from the iPhone 8 and 8 Plus.
iPhone 2018 Names: 5.8-inch Model
Finally, the successor to the iPhone X has seen the widest array of names, ranging from the iPhone X2, 11, XS, and even XI. None of them have really stuck.
The image posted by Les Numeriques put forth the name iPhone XS, while many blogs have stuck with X2 just to make it obvious that it will be the next iteration of the X.
The name for the rumored 5.8-inch model has proven to be the most allusive out of all three potential smartphones.
In fact, the discussion surrounding the name of this last OLED model has been so contentious that Forbes contributor David Phelan believes Apple will just name it the iPhone X all over again.
Will this future phone deviate from Apple’s naming convention, like the iPhone X? Or will it stick to the script? September holds the answers.
