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Apple's next iPhone might not be called iPhone 9... Or iPhone SE 2

By Joshua Swingle

Published: Feb 20, 2020, 10:57 AM

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Apple's next iPhone might not be called iPhone 9... Or iPhone SE 2

Apple iPhone (9) CAD-based render

The iPhone 9 (also known as the iPhone SE 2) is expected to debut next month. But if new information is to be believed, Apple may delay the smartphone’s official introduction and even market it under a different name.

Not the iPhone 9... But also not the iPhone SE 2

Speaking on the latest episode of Front Page Tech, self-proclaimed ‘leader of the Toilet Squad’ Jon Prosser announced that he has received some information about the iPhone 9 from a new source. Do, however, take everything below with a grain of salt because Prosser wasn’t able to confirm their reliability.

The source in question, who apparently works at Apple, claims there are some inaccuracies in recent iPhone 9 reports. That’s because the smartphone won’t be called the iPhone 9 at launch, or even the iPhone SE 2 for that matter.

Apple is instead reportedly planning to market the smartphone as ‘iPhone.’ Yes – no numbers or anything – simply iPhone, much like the strategy already used by the Cupertino giant with the entry-level iPad.

The new iPhone pricing

This strategy would avoid customers thinking the smartphone is inferior or much older than the iPhone XR and iPhone 11. It also paves the way for a future iPhone lineup without numbers, perhaps where the iPhone 12 is marketed as the iPhone Air and the iPhone 12 Pro is known as the iPhone Pro.

As for how Apple is expected to price the so-called iPhone, countless reports and rumors have pointed towards a low $399 price tag. The source in question corroborates this and says it will be for the standard 64GB model.

A different variant with a more impressive 128GB of storage is reportedly going to be available. According to the source, it will retail at $450 in the United States.

There might not be an announcement event next month

If Apple chooses to unveil the entry-level iPhone at a dedicated event next month, the source in question says it will take place on either Monday, March 30, or Tuesday, March 31. This lines up perfectly with new reports, but then things get a little bit more interesting.

The same person claims Apple hasn’t yet decided whether it can hold an unveiling event next month because of the ongoing coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak. The latter has begun affecting iPhone production in China, which in turn is severely impacting the supply of the new iPhone, according to the source.

Now, this all seems a little sketchy considering the countless reports in recent days that have reaffirmed Apple’s plans and claimed the production situation is slowly improving. But shortly after Jon Prosser received the information, Nikkei Asian Review published a lengthy report.

Apple iPhone (9) CAD-based render

In it, the publication cites “sources familiar with the matter” and reveals iPhone supply could be constrained until early April. Low stock of existing iPhones is expected, as a result.

Mass production of the entry-level iPhone has also been delayed from late February until March, according to the same people. This could make an announcement and launch delay inevitable, hence Apple’s reluctance to settle on a firm date for the big event.

Adding further weight to Nikkei Asian Review’s claims are Prosser’s own sources within Foxconn – one of Apple’s biggest iPhone manufacturers – who said many factories won’t be allowed to reopen until mid-March.