Is Apple really naming its next phones iPhone Xr and iPhone Xs Max?

Following last week’s apparent confirmation of the “iPhone Xs” name for the 5.8-inch sequel to Apple’s iPhone X, multiple reports are claiming that Apple has picked an unusual name for its 6.5-inch model: “iPhone Xs Max.” Published almost simultaneously, the claims from 9to5Mac and BGR are somewhat hard to take seriously, but presented for your consideration.
Apple reportedly has been planning to drop the Plus designation for its larger iPhone model this year, a suffix that first appeared when the company offered the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus with 4.7-inch and 5.5-inch screens. When the iPhone X debuted last year as a flagship model with a 5.8-inch screen, no Plus version was offered.
This year, Apple is expected to release a direct sequel to the iPhone X called the iPhone Xs, as well as a larger version that it could easily call the iPhone Xs Plus or iPhone Xs (6.5-inch) under its prior naming conventions. By comparison, the “iPhone Xs Max” name sounds decidedly unlike Apple — and very 1990s — but there have been murmurs within the industry that this year’s name choices would be unconventional and perhaps controversial.
Additionally, the name “iPhone Xr” has been circulating as the supposed title of the 6.1-inch budget iPhone model, which will sit below the iPhone Xs but above the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus in Apple’s lineup. Like the “Max” name, this one is hard to swallow given that “Xr” hasn’t been used in an Apple product before, and apart from coming earlier in the alphabet than “Xs,” doesn’t have an obvious meaning. Like the Xs Max, the Xr name should be taken with at least a grain of salt for the time being.
Apple will hold its Gather Round event on September 12 to officially unveil its new iPhones — including their names — so if their packaging doesn’t leak before then, we’ll certainly get answers straight from the horse’s mouth next week. The event is also expected to focus on the Apple Watch Series 4, the company’s first major redesign of the wearable since its introduction.
Source: VentureBeat