Newly discovered references to the iPhone 14 Plus as "iPhone 14 Max" on Apple's website suggest this was the name originally intended for the low-end 6.7-inch device before the company changed its mind at short notice.
As spotted by the Dutch blog iCreate, in two instances on the company's website, Apple refers to the iPhone 14 Plus as the "iPhone 14 Max." Firstly, in a support document that helps users identify their iPhone, the image of iPhone 14 Plus models in five colors is named "iPhone-14-Max-colors."
Secondly, on a page that provides compliance and regulatory information for the company's products, Apple plainly lists "iPhone 14 Max" with the iPhone 14 Plus model number, alongside the iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Pro, and iPhone 14 Pro Max.
The iPhone 14 rumor cycle widely referenced the lineup's larger low-end model as the iPhone 14 Max. It was not until a week before Apple's iPhone launch event that a leak suggested it would be called the iPhone 14 Plus instead, re-using the "Plus" name for the first time since the iPhone 8.
The 6.1-inch iPhone 14 and the 6.7-inch iPhone 14 Plus share the same features and cameras, with the latter model featuring a larger screen and battery. Apple may have felt that the "Plus" name was better suited for a device that offered all the same features as the smaller variant but in a larger form. The iPhone 14 Plus became available for pre-order earlier this month and will begin arriving to customers on Friday, October 7.
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