Could the iPhone 14 lineup mark the return of the ‘Plus’ branding?

As we’ve covered a number of times already, expectations for the iPhone 14 lineup are pretty clear. Apple is likely to unveil four different iPhone 14 models across two screen sizes at 6. 1-inches and 6.7-inches.

While Apple (usually) does a great job at keeping marketing names under wraps until a product is announced, it’s fun to speculate ahead of time. Something I’ve been pondering recently is whether the iPhone 14 lineup could mark the return of the “Plus” branding…

The iPhone 14 lineup is likely to consist of two 6. 1-inch iPhone models, one of which will be branded as a “Pro” model and the other one being the “entry-level” model. This is unsurprising and is the exact strategy Apple used with the iPhone 12 and iPhone 13.

But where things are expected to differ is with the 6. 7-inch iPhone models. At the high-end of the lineup will be the iPhone 14 Pro Max, again repeating the strategy used with the iPhone 12 and iPhone 13. For the first time, however, Apple is also expected to introduce an iPhone with a 6. 7-inch display that is not branded as a “Pro” model.

What this means is that the iPhone 14 will be available in two different screen sizes across four different price points. Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has suggested that the non-Pro version of the 6. 7-inch iPhone 14 could be priced at around $900, making it the most affordable 6. 7-inch iPhone ever released by Apple.

Loosely looking at current iPhone prices, that means the iPhone 14 lineup could look like this:

• $799 iPhone 14
• $899 iPhone 14 Max
• $999 iPhone 14 Pro
• $1099 iPhone 14 Pro Max

iPhone 14 Plus?

But my proposal and idea for Apple’s crack marketing team is this. Instead of using the “iPhone 14 Max” name, let’s bring back the “Plus” and call it the iPhone 14 Plus.

• iPhone 14
• iPhone 14 Plus
• iPhone 14 Pro
• iPhone 14 Pro Max

Having two versions of the iPhone 14 with “Max” tacked on the end could prove to be confusing for consumers. Apple’s “Plus” branding was also very popular in the past. The iPhone 6 Plus, for instance, is one of the best selling iPhones of all-time.

The iPhone 14 lineup is actually looking like an extension of Apple’s iPhone 6 strategy of attempting to bring a large screen to as low of a price point as possible. If the iPhone 6 Plus success serves as any indication, the iPhone 14 Plus could be one of the most popular iPhone models in recent years.

Again, this is all just conjecture at this point and Apple does a great job at keeping iPhone branding under wraps until officially announcing the new devices. Apple’s marketing names are notoriously difficult to predict, so it is possible that Apple will do something surprising this year. Drop the numbers all together? Go with the “iPhone 13S” instead? It’s anyone’s guess.

What are your thoughts on marketing names for this year’s iPhone 14 lineup? Give us your best guesses down in the comments.

Read more 9to5Mac coverage of the iPhone 14:

• Exclusive: iPhone 14 coming in four models without ‘mini’ version, Pro models with taller screen, satellite features advancing
• Here’s everything we know so far about the iPhone 14
• Kuo: iPhone 14 Pro camera bump to be even larger thanks to new 48MP sensor
• Kuo: Apple’s new A16 chip only included with higher-end iPhone 14 Pro models, base model iPhone 14 uses same chip as iPhone 13