Gurman on 2018 iPhone Names: iPhone Xs, iPhone Xs Max, and Possibly iPhone Xr

Just two days before Apple is expected to unveil new iPhones at Steve Jobs Theater, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman has outlined the potential names of the devices, along with his other expectations for the media event.

apple event sep 12
Gurman believes Apple will introduce three new iPhones, as widely rumored, including a 5.8-inch model named "iPhone Xs," a larger 6.5-inch model named "iPhone Xs Max," and a lower-priced 6.1-inch model that Apple has considered naming "iPhone Xr," according to his sources familiar with the company's plans.

Those three names have already surfaced in various reports over the past few weeks, and now that they've been corroborated by Gurman, who has a very reliable track record, there is an especially good chance they are accurate.

Apple has used "s" branding for several iPhone models over the years, including the iPhone 4s, iPhone 5s, and iPhone 6s, which were iterative versions of the iPhone 4, iPhone 5, and iPhone 6 respectively. iPhone Xs would keep with this trend, as the device is expected to closely resemble the iPhone X.

Gurman doesn't specify why Apple will apparently ditch its "Plus" branding for its largest iPhone, although "Max" certainly sounds fresher, and emphasizes that the 6.5-inch model would easily be Apple's largest iPhone ever.

Meanwhile, some Twitter users have speculated that "Xr" could be short for "X Reality," a mix of augmented reality and virtual reality, but it could also be short for something as simple as "regular"—we may never find out. Other speculated names for the 6.1-inch model include "iPhone Xc," à la iPhone 5c, and "iPhone 9."

Apple has routinely expressed a "profound interest" in augmented reality in particular, but it seems unlikely the company would emphasize the technology in the 6.1-inch iPhone, especially if it has only a single-lens rear camera.

Gurman also expects the 6.1-inch model to have an LCD screen, rather than an OLED display; an aluminum frame, instead of stainless steel edges; and a wider range of color options, with some reports mentioning blue, red, and orange. Like the current iPhone X, it should have a notched display and Face ID.

Many analysts expect the iPhone Xs to be priced from $899, with the iPhone Xs Max starting at $999 and the iPhone Xr priced anywhere from $699 to $849 in the United States. These would be the prices for the base models with 64GB of storage, with configurations up to 512GB expected to be available.

Last year, the iPhone X was released November 3, six weeks after the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus launched. This year, Gurman expects all three new iPhones to be available for purchase much closer to their announcement date, but he cautions that the 6.1-inch model could be available in limited quantities initially.

Apple may elect to delay availability of the 6.1-inch model entirely, according to some analysts, including JP Morgan's Rod Hall:

Still, Apple has faced tight supply of the new low-cost model due to minor complications fitting backlights for the LCD screen, according to people familiar with the matter. That could mean the lower-cost device ships in limited quantities initially, they said. Apple may be tempted to delay availability of the LCD version to gauge demand for the more expensive largest new iPhone, Goldman's Hall said.

Beyond the iPhone, Gurman expects the Apple Watch Series 4 lineup to be unveiled Wednesday. These models will likely have larger displays, as seen in a marketing image leaked by 9to5Mac's Guilherme Rambo and Zac Hall. The website also leaked a marketing image for the so-called iPhone Xs and iPhone Xs Max.

applewatchseries4
iphonexs
Gurman concludes his report with a list of other products in Apple's pipeline for release by the end of this year, including its long-awaited AirPower charging mat, a lower-cost notebook to succeed the MacBook Air, two new iPad Pro models with Face ID, and a so-called "pro-focused" upgrade to the Mac mini.

Our guess is that AirPower availability may finally be confirmed at Wednesday's event, alongside a new pair of AirPods with "Hey Siri" support, while new Macs and iPad Pro models with Face ID could be enough for an October event.

Many of these details have been rumored numerous times leading up to September, so fortunately there is just over 48 hours to go until the real deal. MacRumors will be providing live coverage of Apple's event from Steve Jobs Theater on Wednesday, starting around 8:15 a.m. Pacific Time.

Related Forum: iPhone

Top Rated Comments

chromite Avatar
60 months ago
Ugh....iPhone Xs Max...... Just another dumb mistake made by Timmy.....I miss Steve.
It’s been 7 years. How much time has to pass before his name stops being invoked?
Score: 16 Votes (Like | Disagree)
macmanmass Avatar
60 months ago
Ugh....iPhone Xs Max...... Just another dumb mistake made by Timmy.....I miss Steve.

Whats next the iPhone XXX? The iPhone for Adults Only ;)
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)
L-Viz Avatar
60 months ago
What about all the people, who use the current SE just for its size?

I don't want anything bigger than my current SE. Is it so hard to understand for Apple?

All the Apps that I have work wonderful on this 4 inch display, yes it is not as convenient to use safari on it, compared to a bigger phone, but THAT'S IT! Despite the worse "web browsing experience", the small form factor is SO MUCH BETTER in many other ways.


Apple, why don't You give Your customers a real choice? Where is that 4-inch-iPhone X?
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)
FrankieTDouglas Avatar
60 months ago
Is John Sculley back?

All i can think of is Pepsi Max.
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
asdavis10 Avatar
60 months ago
Gurman is talking out of his r(ear). If he has "sources" that fed him that bit of info, he needs to evaluate where he is getting his intel. No chance Apple uses "Xr".
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
blairh Avatar
60 months ago
XS Max and Xr are comically bad names, which is why Apple will never use them.
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

iPhone 15 Pro Buttons CAD Leak

iPhone 15 Pro Low-Energy Chip to Allow Solid-State Buttons to Work When Device is Off or Out of Battery

Wednesday March 29, 2023 1:54 am PDT by
The iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max will use a new ultra-low energy microprocessor allowing certain features like the new capacitive solid-state buttons to remain functional even when the handset is powered off or the battery has run out, according to a source that shared details on the MacRumors forums. CAD-based render of new solid-state buttons on iPhone 15 Pro models The source of this rumor is ...
maxresdefault

Apple Announces WWDC 2023 Event Taking Place June 5 to 9

Wednesday March 29, 2023 9:58 am PDT by
Apple today announced that its 34th annual Worldwide Developers Conference will take place from Monday, June 5 to Friday, June 9. Like WWDC 2020, 2021, and 2022, WWDC 2023 will be an online event for the most part, and it will be open to all developers at no cost. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Apple will provide online sessions and labs, which will allow...
iPhone 15 Pro Multi Purpose button Mute Switch Feature Green 2

iPhone 15 Pro Rumored to Feature Multi-Use Action Button Instead of Mute Switch

Wednesday March 29, 2023 7:28 am PDT by
iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max models are rumored to feature a customizable Action button like the Apple Watch Ultra, according to a MacRumors forum member who leaked accurate details about the Dynamic Island on iPhone 14 Pro models last year. The source claimed the Action button will replace the Ring/Silent switch that has been included on every iPhone model since 2007. They did not...
iOS 16

Apple Releases iOS 16.4 With New Emoji, Safari Web Push Notifications, Beta Changes, Voice Isolation for Calls and More

Monday March 27, 2023 10:03 am PDT by
Apple today released iOS 16.4, the fourth major update to the iOS 16 operating system that initially came out last September. iOS 16.4 comes two months after the launch of iOS 16.3, an update that added Security Keys for Apple ID. iOS 16‌.4 and iPadOS 16.4 can be downloaded on eligible iPhones and iPads over-the-air by going to Settings > General > Software Update. It can take a few minutes...
Apple Music Classical

Apple Explains Why It Launched an iPhone App Dedicated to Classical Music

Monday March 27, 2023 8:54 pm PDT by
Apple today published a support document explaining why it decided to release a standalone Apple Music Classical app for classical music. In short, Apple says the app was designed to support classical music's complex metadata:Classical music is different. It has longer and more detailed titles, multiple artists for each work, and hundreds of recordings of well-known pieces. The Apple Music...
iOS 16

Apple Seeds First Betas of iOS 16.5 and iPadOS 16.5

Tuesday March 28, 2023 10:15 am PDT by
Apple today seeded the first betas of upcoming iOS 16.5 and iPadOS 16.5 updates to developers for testing purposes, with the software coming a day after the launch of iOS 16.4 and iPadOS 16.4. Registered developers can opt in to the betas by opening up the Settings app, going to Software Update, tapping on the "Beta Updates" option and toggling on the iOS 16 Developer Beta. Note that an...
home upgrade available feature

PSA: Apple Has Made Its New Home Architecture Update Available Again

Tuesday March 28, 2023 1:50 am PDT by
Apple has made the option to upgrade to new Home architecture available again with the release of iOS 16.4, iPadOS 16.4, and macOS Ventura 13.3, after it temporarily pulled the update in December. After updating Apple devices to the latest software, users can once again opt to upgrade any homes set up in the Home app to the new Home architecture, which Apple says brings faster, more reliable ...