Why Is There No iPhone 9?

Apple has sold more than two billion iPhones since the device debuted in 2007, making it one of the most successful product lines in consumer electronics history. Over nearly two decades, the company has released dozens of models, each bringing new features, fresh designs, and incremental upgrades. Yet a quick scan of the lineup reveals something curious: there is no iPhone 9. Apple went from the iPhone 8 straight to the iPhone X in 2017, leaving a gap that still puzzles people today. Below, we unpack the real reasons behind the decision and explain what actually happened to the "missing" model.

Table of contents

• Why did Apple skip the iPhone 9?
  • 1. It was the iPhone's 10th anniversary
  • 2. To signal a radical redesign
  • 3. It was a stronger marketing move
• What happened to the iPhone 10?
• Is the iPhone SE the "real" iPhone 9?
• Other tech companies that skipped a number
• A brief history of Apple's iPhone naming
• Takeaway
• FAQ

Why did Apple skip the iPhone 9?

Apple's decision to skip the iPhone 9 and jump straight from the iPhone 8 to the iPhone X came down to three factors, all of them deliberate.

1. It was the iPhone's 10th anniversary

The original iPhone launched in June 2007. By 2017, Apple was approaching a milestone it could not afford to downplay: ten years of the device that reshaped the mobile industry. Rather than release a routine "iPhone 9," the company chose the Roman numeral X (which stands for 10) to mark the occasion. The naming was a celebration, not just a label.

2. To signal a radical redesign

The iPhone X was not an incremental update. It was the most dramatic iPhone redesign since the iPhone 4 in 2010. Apple removed the home button, introduced Face ID, and adopted an edge-to-edge OLED display. The phone also broke new ground as the first iPhone to cross the $1,000 price mark.

By releasing the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus alongside the iPhone X, Apple framed the lineup as "good versus best" rather than "old versus new." The strategy made the premium iPhone X feel like a generational leap, exactly the message a number jump from 8 to 10 reinforces.

3. It was a stronger marketing move

Skipping a number generates buzz on its own. The gap in the sequence drew attention and media coverage, which amplified public interest in the iPhone X launch. There was also a cultural dimension: in Japan, the number 9 can carry negative connotations because its pronunciation (ku) sounds like the word for suffering. While Apple has never confirmed this played a role, the Roman numeral X sidestepped the issue entirely.

Beyond superstition, the letter X carries symbolic weight. In mathematics, science, and popular culture, it represents the unknown, transformation, and discovery. That symbolism aligned neatly with a product Apple positioned as the future of the smartphone.

What happened to the iPhone 10?

The iPhone 10 is the iPhone X: they are the same device. Apple used the Roman numeral X, which stands for 10, as the official name. The iPhone X was announced in September 2017 alongside the iPhone 8 and 8 Plus, then shipped in November of that year. It introduced the design language (Face ID, gesture navigation, and a notched display) that would define every mainline iPhone through the iPhone 14 series.

Apple discontinued the iPhone X in September 2018 when the iPhone XS and iPhone XR took its place, but you can still find refurbished units at significantly lower prices. Compare current availability below:

Learn more: Is the iPhone X Worth Buying in 2026?

Is the iPhone SE the "real" iPhone 9?

When Apple announced the second-generation iPhone SE in April 2020, many observers called it the iPhone 9 in all but name. The device was built on the iPhone 8 chassis, retained the home button and Touch ID, and launched at $399, a price point that fit squarely between the iPhone 8 and the premium iPhone X series.

Multiple reports suggested that Apple internally considered the name "iPhone 9" before settling on iPhone SE to keep the device within its established budget lineup. Whether or not the label was ever official, the second-generation SE filled the practical gap the missing iPhone 9 left behind: a modern, affordable iPhone that carried forward the pre-X design.

Learn more: iPhone X vs. iPhone XR: Which One Is Better and Why?

Other tech companies that skipped a number

Apple is not the only company to jump ahead in its product numbering. Here are a few notable examples:

• Microsoft, Windows 9: Microsoft went from Windows 8.1 directly to Windows 10 in 2015. The official reason was to signal a clean break from the poorly received Windows 8. A widely cited secondary explanation is that legacy code in many third-party applications checked for "Windows 9" to detect Windows 95 and 98, which could have caused compatibility problems.
• Samsung, Galaxy Note 6: Samsung skipped the Galaxy Note 6 and released the Galaxy Note 7 in 2016 to align its Note numbering with the Galaxy S7 that launched earlier the same year.
• OnePlus, OnePlus 4: OnePlus went from the OnePlus 3T to the OnePlus 5, skipping the number 4 because it is considered unlucky in Chinese culture (the word for four sounds like the word for death).

In each case, the skip was strategic rather than accidental, much like Apple's decision with the iPhone 9.

A brief history of Apple's iPhone naming

Understanding how Apple names its phones makes the iPhone 9 gap less surprising. The company has never been rigid about sequential numbers:

1. iPhone (2007): No number at all.
2. iPhone 3G (2008): Named after its 3G network support, not because it was the third model. There was never an "iPhone 2."
3. iPhone 3GS (2009): The "S" stood for speed, starting the S-suffix tradition.
4. iPhone 4 through iPhone 8: Apple adopted sequential numbering from the fourth model onward, with S and Plus variants along the way.
5. iPhone X (2017): The Roman numeral leap, skipping 9.
6. iPhone XS, XR (2018): Letter-based variants of the X generation.
7. iPhone 11 through iPhone 16 (2019 to 2024): A return to sequential numbering, now with Pro and Pro Max tiers.

The pattern shows that Apple treats product names as branding tools rather than strict version counters. When a name serves the story the company wants to tell, it takes priority over numerical logic.

Learn more: How Long Does Apple Support iPhones?

Takeaway

In short, there is no iPhone 9 because Apple made a deliberate choice to skip it:

1. The iPhone X launched in 2017 to celebrate the iPhone's 10th anniversary, and the Roman numeral X underscored that milestone.
2. The iPhone X represented a radical redesign (Face ID, an edge-to-edge OLED screen, and the removal of the home button) that warranted a bigger naming jump than a single digit.
3. The skip was a savvy marketing move that generated buzz, avoided cultural sensitivities around the number 9, and positioned the iPhone X as a premium, transformative product.
4. The second-generation iPhone SE (2020) is widely regarded as the spiritual successor that filled the iPhone 9 gap in practice.

If you are in the market for an iPhone, many of these older models are no longer sold new but remain excellent choices when purchased refurbished. A refurbished iPhone is professionally inspected, tested, and restored before resale, so you get reliable performance at a fraction of the original price. You can compare deals from trusted sellers on RefurbMe, all in one place.

Compare and get your iPhone at the best price now

FAQ

Can the iPhone XR be considered an iPhone 9?

It could be argued that the iPhone XR fills a similar role. Apple released the iPhone XR in 2018 after the iPhone 8 and alongside the iPhone XS. The XR offered a larger 6.1-inch LCD display at a lower price than the 5.8-inch OLED iPhone X, making it a more accessible entry point. However, its design followed the X-era template (no home button, Face ID, gesture navigation), so it was closer to an affordable iPhone X than a continuation of the iPhone 8 line.

Learn more: iPhone X vs. iPhone XR: Which One Is Better and Why?

Why did Apple skip the iPhone 2?

Apple named the second iPhone the "iPhone 3G" after the faster 3G cellular network it supported. The name reflected a feature rather than a version number, and Apple never circled back to release an iPhone 2 or iPhone 3.

Is it pronounced iPhone 10 or iPhone X?

The correct pronunciation is "iPhone ten." Apple used the Roman numeral X to represent the number 10, honoring the device's release during the iPhone's 10th anniversary in 2017. Despite the written form, saying "iPhone ex" is technically incorrect, though it remains common in everyday conversation.

Will Apple ever release an iPhone 9?

Almost certainly not. Apple has moved well past the single-digit era, with the iPhone 16 series on sale as of 2024 and the iPhone 17 lineup expected in 2025. Releasing an "iPhone 9" at this point would create more brand confusion than it would resolve. The second-generation iPhone SE is generally considered the closest thing to an iPhone 9 that Apple ever produced.

What is the iPhone X's legacy?

The iPhone X set the template for every mainline iPhone that followed. Its all-screen design, Face ID system, and gesture-based navigation persisted through the iPhone 14 series. The iPhone 11, iPhone 12, and iPhone 13 all built directly on the foundation the iPhone X established.