iPhones are named with "iPhone" followed by a number, which denotes the iPhone generation, and sometimes a suffix (such as Plus, Pro, Pro Max). The current naming pattern is that "Plus" indicates a physically larger iPhone model of the same generation, sometimes with higher end features (iPhones 6-8 Plus, iPhone XS Max, 14 Plus, 15 Plus). "Pro" indicates the higher end model (iPhones 11-16 Pro). “Pro Max” denotes the largest and highest-end model (iPhones 11-16 Pro Max). Currently, models with just a number (i.e. without a suffix) indicate the flagship iPhones (iPhones 11-16). The "SE" used in the entry-level iPhone SE line stands for "Special Edition".[1][2] They were all named and marketed as simply “iPhone SE”, and can be differentiated by generation suffixes.
Previous naming style
The suffixes S, R, and C were previously used. "S" was used to denote a slight upgrade (iPhone 3GS, 4S, 5S, 6S & 6S Plus, XS & XS Max), but it has since been dropped; iPhone XS and XS Max were the last models to feature the "S". "R" was used to denote the lower-priced iPhone XR, which is the only iPhone with "R" in its name. Similarly, "C" was used to denote the lower-priced iPhone 5C, a variant of the iPhone 5 with similar features and internals, and is the only iPhone with "C" in its name. iPhone X (pronounced "10"), iPhone XR (pronounced "10R") and iPhone XS and XS Max (pronounced "10S") are currently the only iPhones to have been branded with Roman numerals (X).
No models called the iPhone 2, iPhone 7S, iPhone 8S or iPhone 9 were ever produced; however, iPhone 9 was the rumored name for the iPhone SE (2020).[4][5]
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