When Apple released its new range of iPhones it chose to not designate the iPhone Air with a number. The iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Pro are marked as clear successors to the previous generations. But doesn’t the iPhone Air have a number?
Apple’s product naming strategy for the iPhone has been reasonably consistent for most of its life. The Phone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus offered different screen sizes for the first time. In 2018, the ‘Plus” moniker replaced with Max for larger screen models. The iPhone 15 split things further with the regular and Pro versions.
But each generation given a version number. A full list of all the iPhone versions covers all those changes.
The iPhone Air is not numbered. It’s not the iPhone 17 Air as many pundits expected. It’s just a plain, old iPhone Air.
None of the three iPhone SE models that were released were given a number by Apple. This allowed Apple to the iPhone SE in its range without giving away that it was an ageing product. The iPhone SE released in 2016 had the same product name for customers as the 2020 model.
The iPhone Air may not get annual updates
It may well be the case that Apple is not planning to update the iPhone Air annually. And with 2027 signalling the 20th anniversary of the iPhone’s release, Apple might be planning a big bang release with a bunch of new features.
The iPhone X release in 2017 was a way of commemorating the first ten years of the iPhone. The iPhone X added the notch, Face ID and a significantly revised form factor.
Apple might be planning something similar for the iPhone XX in 2027. By not numbering the iPhone Air, it can minimise the number of new product versions being released that year.
With rumours of a folding iPhone gathering momentum, we may find the iPhone XX will be Apple’s first folding iPhone. Or, perhaps Apple will adopt a different strategy entirely.
The iPhone Air will be its ultra-thin option, the iPhone Fold will do what the name says and the iPhone 18 will follow the traditional iPhone naming system.
Apple doesn’t make decisions about product names lightly. Whatever its strategy, not numbering the iPhone Air is pointing to something different coming along in the next year or so.
Anthony is the founder of Australian Apple News. He is a long-time Apple user and former editor of Australian Macworld. He has contributed to many technology magazines and newspapers as well as appearing regularly on radio and occasionally on TV.