Why Apple Ended iPhone ’S’ Models

If you’ve been an iPhone user for a while, you may’ve noticed that Apple ended the iPhone ’S’ naming scheme that had been used for over a decade. And the reason has to do with the iPhone’s new update cycle.

Previously, Apple released a major update to iPhone every two years, with a minor update in-between. Like the 3G featuring a completely new design, and the 3GS featuring a speed bump and lower price. Or the 4 having a radical new design, and the 4S simply including a new software feature called Siri.

The S naming scheme worked well back then, but things got a little messy after the 6S was released.

[edwardmupenda]

Back then the "s" upgrades were bigger than the number upgrades we get now

[bajanking]

I feel as though the iPhone 8, Pros and Pro Maxes are spiritual successors to the S Models. I'm going to miss the S Models of these devices which got me hook into the iPhone ecosystem.

[evergIow]

the 5S & 6S were no joke. definitely were better than their superiors and i’ve owned those phones too and could feel the amount of changes even though nothing physically was changed.

[guisousa]

Straight to the title?
No video essay?
No 10-minute tangents?
No explaining the big bang?
No obnoxious sponsor?

Am i dreaming?

[domi]

The reason why Apple upgraded phones every two years instead of every year is because back then most iPhones were sold with a two year contract at a telephone provider

[ehmzed]

I still find it amusing how both the iPhone and Windows went from 8 to 10 skipping the 9.
Meanwhile Samsung jumped from Galaxy S10 to S20 lol

[TheGansLP]

Am I the only one thinking the 7 was an actual desing change over the 6S so the naming was fine, but the 8 should have been the 7S instead?

[Swimmer-rwqb]

Instead of discerning between minor and major innovations with the (s), Apple is now pushing every phone out with a minor upgrade but advertising it as a major upgrade by increasing the number every year.

[theodor]

3GS - s means speed
4S - s means Siri
5S - s means sensor (touch id)
6S - s means sensivity (3D touch)
XS - s means size (iphone XS max)

[kennyjayhardy]

It was because it was released 10 years to the day of the original iPhone. It was an important milestone and so they skipped 9 and went straight to 10 to match the 10 year anniversary

[peter_shadow]

Things don't do by magic. Although technology advances a lot, it is very difficult to bring new features and new styles every year, plus they must pay the R&D cost to be offering a new model every 12 months. Not everything depends on Apple or whatever company it is, remember that there is a manufacturing process, you have to make or modify machines, develop the new chip, design the parts distribution lines, etc. There is a complex process to be able to change things every year. So I suspect it's all part of the marketing. They take the “S” out of the equation and sell themselves to consumers as a company that innovates every year. And that's not bad, it's part of the marketing principles, everyone does it.

[thabangmaila]

Crazy cause the iPhone 14 is just an iPhone 13S if we're being realistic. It would've made a lot more sense if they stuck to that naming scheme cause consumers who like upgrading every year would probably skip the 14 entirely or opt for the pro version instead of the base version.

[TimpossibleOne]

The iPhone Xr is the unofficial iPhone 9

[iamgarystinson]

After all the years, I still love the background music of your videos. Timeless.

[cypher]

I love how this guy never asks for a like or subscribe. This is the reason why I like every single one of his videos.

[brandonmichigan]

I had the 6s Plus and the 7 Plus and I never thought those ones looked exactly alike. I thought that was more an issue between the 7 and 8 hence why I didn’t get the 8 Plus because it wasn’t an upgrade to for me having the 7 plus. I miss the S model years though, it was like a improved version of the model year before.

[Chain_]

I use to only get the S models. Now I get the Pro but doesn’t feel the same as it use to back in the day.

[Erdadler]

The step from the 6 Plus to the 6S Plus was greater than the one from the 6S Plus to the 7 Plus and even smaller to the 8 Plus…so the naming didn’t make sense from the beginning 🤷🏻‍♂️

[고글]

iPhone 3GS(peed)-Faster 3G
iPhone 4s(iri)-Siri included
iPhone 5s(ecurity)-Fingerprint sensor included
iPhone 6s(ensitive)-3D touch included
iPhone Xs-Follows the naming convention of previous models

[jakedunlap]

That makes sense. The S means second generation for that iPhone model. I am looking forward to the iPhone 15 this year! I will hand my current iPhone 12 to either my mom or dad and my mom or dad will get an iPhone 13 or 14 while I get the 15. I think my mom is leaning towards something getting an older phone but yet something that is still current. I will definitely be watching the WWDC Keynote on June 5.