The next iPhone will be called simply “iPhone” if this pic is to be believed. Published by iPhonenieuwsblog.nl, the image is reportedly of the next, ahem, new iPhone’s packaging fresh off a massive printing press. And within, clear as day, is the new iPhone with five vertical rows of icons and the wording “The New iPhone.” Gone is the numerical designation that’s been with the iPhone for the last four generations. Apple is making it as simple as possible with the next iPhone — and this will likely be confusing to a lot of people.
The next iPhone is actually the sixth generation but the Internet has taken to call it the iPhone 5. Even Apple played with that naming a bit in the invite for the new iPhone’s launch. But it’s been speculated that Apple would drop the version number on the iPhone ever since it did so with the new iPad.
iPhone 5? iPhone 6? The rumor mill never really decided on what to call the next iPhone, but with Apple announcing the next iPhone next week, it really doesn’t matter at this point. Plus, logic dictates that this image likely tells the truth.
The iPhone was the lone product in Apple’s lineup to feature a version designation ever since the latest iPad launched. Throughout several major redesigns, the iMac has always been just the iMac. The Mac Pro is just the Mac Pro. The Apple TV has always been the Apple TV even when Apple completely revamped the product.
If this image is legit, Apple is blazing forward into unknown territories. Cell phones are selling at bulk commodity levels. Year over year, this simple naming scheme could be confusing as more models come out. That said, keeping it simple is what Apple does best.
Of course this pic could be easily faked. Anyone with a $100k printing press could run a job and have their girlfriend hold up the results. Because that’s what sane people do.