In an unexpectedly late leak, it has been revealed that Apple will not be releasing an ‘iPhone 14 Max’. Instead, the company’s first 6.7-inch sub-$1000 smartphone will be called the “iPhone 14 Plus.” And this makes sense for many reasons. Apple’s iPhone 14 lineup renders based on multiple leaks — expect iPhone 14 Plus to replace iPhone 14… [+] Maximum EverythingApplePro First, the leak — and it was in two parts. The first part was released via Twitter when a photo of an apparently genuine next-gen iPhone case was branded “iPhone 14 Plus”. This prompted further investigation by 9to5Mac, who then verified the name and instructions given to third-party case makers. “Sources familiar with the matter say that Apple has chosen to name the next largest iPhone, the iPhone 14 Plus. Additionally, since at least July, iPhone case makers have been told not to use the iPhone 14 Max branding as it won’t be the actual name of the product,” 9to5Mac’s José Adorno wrote. And that makes perfect sense because Apple consistently uses the ‘Max’ brand to indicate a premium version of something: it’s both the top-of-the-line iPhone and a top-of-the-line version of Apple’s M1 chipset. Importantly, “Max” sits above “Pro” in the M1 line: M1, M1 Pro, M1 Max, M1 Ultra. So telling iPhone owners that an iPhone 14 Max is lower in range than an iPhone 14 Pro, but an M1 Pro is lower in range than an M1 Max, would be confusing. In contrast, the ‘Plus’ brand is simpler. It’s been tied with the bigger (but not necessarily better) iPhone for four years, and the iPhone 8 Plus was below the iPhone X when the pair launched in 2017 — meaning it doesn’t carry the same elite status as the Max. Overall, it doesn’t require the same mental gymnastics for buyers. Interestingly, this late brand leak is part of a larger pattern of iPhone leaks in 2022, where established leaks are tackled by smaller names, which change the narrative. With that in mind, Apple fans should be excited because the latest example claims that iPhone 14 prices will be much cheaper than expected.
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