Why isn't the 8 called the 7S?

[andyp350]

I'm not bashing the phone. As things stand out the moment the 8 Plus is the most desirable phone to me out of the 3 new ones. I'm just confused over the naming of it. It's the same form factor as the 7 so why not call it the 7S and then come up with something new next year to be the iPhone 8.
It's the first time they've ever broken with the S naming method and it's on a phone that is very very similar to the one that came before it, I'm just not sure I follow the logic.

 

[44267547]

I'm not bashing the phone. As things stand out the moment the 8 Plus is the most desirable phone to me out of the 3 new ones. I'm just confused over the naming of it. It's the same form factor as the 7 so why not call it the 7S and then come up with something new next year to be the iPhone 8.
It's the first time they've ever broken with the S naming method and it's on a phone that is very very similar to the one that came before it, I'm just not sure I follow the logic.

Partially Marketing. If They used the 7S, consumers would logically think they may not be receiving much of an upgrade from The iPhone 7. Using the iPhone 8 title helps create a separation.

 

[jpn]

China

 

[Falhófnir]

I'm guessing simply justification for jacking up the price?

 

[andyp350]

Marketing. If They used the 7S, consumers would logically think they may not be receiving much of an upgrade from The iPhone 7. Using the iPhone 8 title helps create a separation.

I suppose so. But that's never stopped them using the S models in the past. My less tech enthusiastic friends have always made fun of me for buying the S model each year because "it's the same phone as I already have". I guess it's more to do with the fact that this is the 4th phone with the same form factor.

 

[44267547]

I suppose so. But that's never stopped them using the S models in the past. My less tech enthusiastic friends have always made fun of me for buying the S model each year because "it's the same phone as I already have". I guess it's more to do with the fact that this is the 4th phone with the same form factor.

I consider the iPhone 8 similar to a 7S, but I think Apple wants the separation for those to have the conscious thought that they are receiving something entirely new. Which in some cases, it does have new technology embedded into the iPhone 8, but ultimately, it is a 7S. But I understand why they didn't use the 7S moniker.

 

[Technarchy]

Who knows really? You’d have to be part of Apple executive leadership to really know the answer.

Apple doesn’t tend to redesign the exterior much for the S models, and in this case there are apparent at the glance differences between the iPhone 8 and 7.

As I said though, who knows.

 

[TommyA6]

I suppose so. But that's never stopped them using the S models in the past. My less tech enthusiastic friends have always made fun of me for buying the S model each year because "it's the same phone as I already have". I guess it's more to do with the fact that this is the 4th phone with the same form factor.

Exactly. The last year's 7(+) were basically 6ss design wise...

 

[Nozuka]

they probably just want to fill out the numbers until 10 faster..
or they thought, since it's a bigger design change than the 7 it deserves a new name

 

[nicho]

Really it should have been 6, 6S, 6SS and then now the 7.

 

[dumastudetto]

The iPhone 8 is a substantial upgrade over the iPhone 7 with its all-new design and powerful new technologies. This is why it's not being marketed as the 7s.

 

[Tom G.]

Cause didn’t want to do that.

 

[martin2345uk]

The iPhone 8 is a substantial upgrade over the iPhone 7 with its all-new design and powerful new technologies. This is why it's not being marketed as the 7s.

I’d say it’s half-new rather than all-new. The front is pretty much identical but the back looks different.

 

[MjWoNeR]

The only thing for sure is that marketing wise it doesn't hurt having an iPhone called 8 to compete with Samsung's S8.
And what a coincidence, when Samsung releases the S9 next spring, Apple will already have iPhone 10 in the market.

Apple. We saw what you did there..

 

[frscl]

Because of the concurrence

 

[JohnnyGo]

Most answers above are correct. Probably Apple used all or a combination of them to decide the name.

1) Apple chose not to call it 7s
2) in China, 8 is considered a lucky number
3) to convey it is a brand new design (glass+wireless)
4) to allow for an 8s iPhone next year with the same design and new internals

All in all I give Apple a pass. The naming doesn’t seem a marketing gimmick but it’s certainly not justified 100% by the design changes, at least not for me.

 

[gadget123]

It has a new glass back so it is a new design.

 

[jMc]

Partly marketing. Partly because Apple probably have a plan to move fully to the X form factor across the board in 2-3 years and releasing a 7s this year wouldn't fit with that. Next year we may well see a not greatly different iPhone 9 release and the following year, once all the early gen wrinkles are ironed out, X as the standard form factor.

jMc

 

[andyp350]

I was also just thinking it could be for better clarity over the whole available iPhone range which is now a bit all over the place. I suppose having an iPhone SE, iPhone 6S, iPhone 7, iPhone 8 and iPhone X is slightly less confusing than throwing something called a 7S into the mix.
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It has a new glass back so it is a new design.

The 7S had a new jet black finish. That didn't make it a new design. It's basically the same form factor as the previous 3. Not an issue to me as I loved the design of the 6 and never saw the point in changing it for the sake of it. But I certainly wouldn't call the 8 a new design.

 

[Dexterama]

The only thing for sure is that marketing wise it doesn't hurt having an iPhone called 8 to compete with Samsung's S8.
And what a coincidence, when Samsung releases the S9 next spring, Apple will already have iPhone 10 in the market.

Apple. We saw what you did there..

Agreed. Samsung skipped the Galaxy Note 6 name and went straight to Note 7 to align with the S7 series, but to also not appear one generation behind the iPhone 7 lineup. And now Apple skipped the 7S and went straight to 8. It's like Apple and Samsung are toying with each other. I wonder how Samsung will name their devices in the future now that there is an 8 and X, not to mention we don't know what Apple's naming scheme for the iPhone will be for next year.

 

[T-Bob]

If we assume that this is the last of the '6' line, then they can just move on from the X next year. XS? Perhaps 7 was too far from X in terms of numbers, and they won't have a 9.

 

[aakshey]

It has a new glass back so it is a new design.

This is the only correct answer.

Apple never changes aesthetics in a S variant.
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I was also just thinking it could be for better clarity over the whole available iPhone range which is now a bit all over the place. I suppose having an iPhone SE, iPhone 6S, iPhone 7, iPhone 8 and iPhone X is slightly less confusing than throwing something called a 7S into the mix.
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The 7S had a new jet black finish. That didn't make it a new design. It's basically the same form factor as the previous 3. Not an issue to me as I loved the design of the 6 and never saw the point in changing it for the sake of it. But I certainly wouldn't call the 8 a new design.

1. Remove the headphone Jack is a change in aesthetics.

2. AFAIK as far as Apple is concerned, even introducing a new color is enough perhaps.

 

[titrau]

10 yrs ... so they skip S and 9
8-10 = is more fitter

 

[joeblow7777]

Probably so that people who find the X too costly will still feel like they are getting something special rather than "just an S upgrade" this year.

 

[Falhófnir]

The iPhone 8 is a substantial upgrade over the iPhone 7 with its all-new design and powerful new technologies. This is why it's not being marketed as the 7s.

I'd still argue changing to a glass back (which design wise I do love) in order to facilitate wireless charging isn't really any bigger a change than adding Touch ID to the 5s or completely changing the shell of the 6s to thicker 7000 series aluminium, seems more likely for marketing purposes to make people believe there's a bigger difference than there is to help justify the price hike, but that's just cynical me...