what was the deal with the “R” in iPhone XR?

@dukktekk

10.3K followers · usually 5.5K views a post

Views

26.0K

Likes

1.5K

Comments

52

Shares

15

SoundTikTok sound · original sound - dukktekk

Promoted product

iPhone XR

Manuals, technical specifications, downloads, and more for Apple software and hardware

4 videos4 creators

Why it worked

The video taps into a common curiosity about product naming conventions and uses a relatable example (Apple iPhones) to explain a subtle marketing strategy. The explanation is concise and directly addresses a question many viewers might have had.

Summary

This video explains the meaning behind the 'R' in the iPhone XR's name, stating it was meant to evoke a car-like sound and was dropped by Apple to avoid perceptions of being a lesser or 'restricted' model. It contrasts this with the iPhone 11 lineup, suggesting the 'R' branding was replaced by numerical designations for a more premium perception.

Structure

1Explaining the 'R' in iPhone XR
2The 'R' meant to sound like a car
3Apple dropped 'R' to avoid negative perception
4

Original caption

what was the deal with the “R” in iPhone XR? follow for more tech vids #techtok #techhistory #apple #iphone #iphonexr

More from @dukktekk

Product placement

iPhone XR: ACTS - it is the subject of the video, explaining the meaning of the 'R' in its name. Removing it would change the video's topic. Apple: APPEARS - it is the manufacturer of the iPhone XR, mentioned in the context of the product's branding. Removing it would not change what happens in the video.

Call to action

follow for more tech vids

On-screen text

"I love cars and things that go fast, and R and S are both letters used to denote sport cars that are really extra special," Apple's senior vice president of worldwide marketing, Phil Schiller, told Engadget. So the "R" could stand for "rally," or "type R," or "road and track," or anything really — there are a lot of cars that use "R" in their branding. what was the deal with the “R” in iPhone XR?

Transcript

what was the deal with the R in iPhone XR? what did it mean and why did Apple get rid of it? as for what it meant, it didn't stand for anything. it was just literally meant to sound like a car. why did Apple get rid of the R branding? well, subconsciously naming plays a huge role in how you perceive things, and when the cheapest iPhone Apple had a letter at the end, it almost seemed like a watered down and maybe the R stood for restricted. basically the same thing that happened to the iPhone 5C, which got the nickname "iPhone 5 cheap." But Apple didn't want people to perceive it that way. So the next year they made the iPhone 11, a continuation of Apple's flagships, the 11 Pro being an entire new line for power users. But straight up, the iPhone 11 Pro is just a continuation of the iPhone 10S with the iPhone 11 being a continuation of the iPhone XR. This is just an iPhone 10 with an ultra wide better processor. In another universe where Apple never got rid of the R branding, the iPhone 17R and that would be iPhone 17.