Marketed since 2007, the iPhone is now part of our daily lives. However, many users have just discovered what the “i” in its name refers to. And reason disappointed them greatly.
The iPhone is an almost timeless object today. At the center of many discussions, the famous Apple smartphone has gradually established itself as one of the most well-known and appreciated tech products in the world. Since the launch of the very first model in 2007, the iPhone has evolved a lot with numerous versions and updates.
The latest version of the iPhone to date is the iPhone 16 range. Launched at the end of 2024, this generation benefits from all of Apple’s know-how in mobile telephony. However, the iPhone may soon celebrate its 20th anniversary, but many users have no idea where its name comes from! It must be said that Apple almost never communicates on the reasons for this name, whether during official conferences or in advertisements around the product.
Many Internet users then imagined what the “i” in iPhone could refer to. While some thought it was a reference to the words “innovation” or “intelligent”, to refer to the “smartphone”, or even to the “I” in English, as a symbol of symbiosis with the user, everyone was more or less wrong! The response recently created a little buzz on social networks, which sparked a reaction.
Many years ago, Steve Jobs, former CEO of Apple, spoke about the name of the iPhone. The latter notably declared that the “i” referred to “internet, individual, educate, inform and inspire.” If this statement did not surprise many people, it was accompanied by another much more mysterious one, which had the merit of questioning several users.
Indeed, Steve Jobs also clarified that the “i” in the iPhone has no real meaning and that it might as well be a personal pronoun for the device. This would therefore mean that the name of the iPhone still remains subject to individual interpretation!
On several social networks such as TikTok, X (formerly Twitter) or YouTube, several Internet users admitted to being surprised by this very vague explanation. Most even go so far as to dispute it, ensuring that for Apple, “i” does indeed officially mean “interaction” or “interactive” (“interactive” in English). Others regret that their iPhone is less “intelligent” than expected and prefer to laugh about it. “I was sure it meant fuel injection!!!”, laughs one of the Internet users when another quips: “I thought it meant ‘I don’t listen to you'” .