The iPhone 13 may be the phone that never hits the shelves. Here’s why people think so

Until Apple’s flagship event in the fall, the guessing game on the name of the next iPhone family will continue. At CNET, we’ve referred to the next-gen iPhone family as iPhone 13 for the sake of continuity, but a recent wave of reports suggests that we never get an iPhone 13.

Among the possible names, the iPhone 12S is said to be this year’s series favorite. A January Bloomberg article citing Apple engineers says only minor upgrades are planned for the upcoming lineup, which will likely be an “S” version of the iPhone 12. Jon Prosser also pointed out an iPhone 12S . We’ve seen Apple use this naming scheme in the past with the 2015 iPhone 6S, which replaced the 2014 iPhone 6, and again with the 2018 iPhone XS, a follow-up to the 2017 iPhone X. .

But if other reports are correct, there won’t be an iPhone 13 on shelves next year. Is: Apple should switch to an iPhone 14 in 2022, completely excluding “iPhone 13” from its nomenclature. Here’s why.

The name iPhone 13 may be bad for the optics

It’s no secret that associating the angel number 13 with bad luck has real world answers. Just ask the real estate developers who omit the 13th floor of their skyscrapers, the crowds of couples who avoid getting married on the 13th, or the psychologists who treat patients for triskaidekaphobia, the fear of the number 13.

Apple knows that this less than favorable perception could deter customers from buying an iPhone 13. In the past, Apple has not shied away from branding its products with the number 13, after releasing the A13 Bionics chipset and the iOS 13 software update, for example. This is, however, a higher stakes branding exercise, as we are talking about a consumer product as opposed to a component or software. What’s more, the iPhone is Apple’s flagship product, responsible for generating nearly 50% of Apple’s billions of dollars in revenue – and it’s also one of the most popular consumer products to date.

Read more: Apple iPhone 12 Generated Biggest Revenue and Profits in Company History

IPhone 12S paves the way for a major upgrade

By adopting the name iPhone 12S and skipping the iPhone 13, Apple could also set the stage for a complete design overhaul when the iPhone 14 or 15 arrives, just like it did with the iPhone X. You may remember that Apple skipped the name of the iPhone 9 in 2017, instead, after the iPhone 7 of 2016 with the iPhone 8, 8 Plus and iPhone X. And don’t forget, iPhone X was the one that redefined design standards and paved the way for the modern iPhone.

There are reports that the iPhone 14 or 15 (or whatever name Apple decides to call it) could be the company’s highly anticipated entry into the world of foldable smartphones. To be clear, we cannot say for sure whether a foldable iphone will never see the light of day, but we hope it could happen as early as next year. A Bloomberg report, released in January, said Apple already has a working prototype of a folding screen for iPhone, but has not confirmed its launch. Other outlets, like Taiwan’s Economic Daily, for example, have pinned 2022 as the year the foldable iPhone will come to fruition. Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo highlighted 2023.

Until Apple’s fall event, there is no guarantee on the name that will be applied to this year’s iPhone. But if you want to know more about what we expect from Phone 13, or ahem, the iPhone 12S family, read our roundup of some of the juiciest iPhone rumors.