iPhone sequence: Models listed in chronological order

⁠Apple’s success story continues: We have listed all iPhone models in order.

1. iPhone – the first model in the sequence of Apple smartphones

The first iPhone also marked the beginning of the triumph of mobile apps. Although users of the first iPhone generation still had to rely on the pre-installed system apps, the Apple App Store later established itself and remains the source of applications for Apple phones to this day.

Apple launched the first iPhone on November 9, 2007, heralding the dawn of the smartphone era.
With a 3.5-inch screen and a resolution of 480 × 320 pixels, it was a start.

2. iPhone 3G

Just under a year later, on July 11, 2008, the first successor model was released.

However, the differences from its predecessor were marginal: slightly lighter, plastic instead of aluminum on the back, slightly better battery life.
One feature, however, was crucial: support for the faster 3G network standard, whereas the original iPhone did not go beyond the Edge standard.

3. iPhone 3GS

The iPhone 3GS followed on June 19, 2009.

The size remained unchanged, but a newer processor, the Samsung S5L8920, was installed.
The camera was also improved: instead of 2 megapixel resolution, the iPhone 3GS now had 3.1 megapixels.
The Internet connection was also improved with the new model.

4. iPhone 4

With the iPhone 4, which was launched on June 24, 2010, not only did the design change significantly, but for the first time an Apple A4 processor was used instead of a Samsung S5L8920.

The 5-megapixel camera was also an improvement, as was the screen resolution of 960 × 640 pixels.
The iPhone 4 was also the first iPhone to feature a front camera. This made features such as Face Time and selfies possible.

5. iPhone 4s

An advanced version of the iPhone 4 was released on October 14, 2011.

With the Apple A5 processor, the smartphone was faster and the camera now had a resolution of eight megapixels.
A major new feature of the 4s was the integration of Siri, the first complete voice assistant ever in a cell phone.

6. iPhone 5

The next generation of iPhones hit the German market on September 21, 2012.

With a 4-inch display, the iPhone 5 was larger than all its predecessors for the first time, but still lighter.
The RAM was doubled to 1 GB compared to previous models, and the Apple A6 processor delivered more power.

7. iPhone 5c

On September 20, 2013, Apple released its iPhone 5c.

The differences to the iPhone 5 were actually minimal: the battery life and thus also the talk time were slightly longer in the new model, as was the standby time.
Only the color palette for the new iPhone was really new: The back of the iPhone 5c was colorful and available in white, pink, yellow, blue, and green.
Furthermore, the back of the iPhone 5c was not made of aluminum as usual, but entirely of colored plastic.

8. iPhone 5s

The iPhone 5s went on sale at the same time as the iPhone 5c.

While the iPhone 5c was only available with 16 and 32 GB of storage, the iPhone 5s also came with 64 GB of storage.
In addition to silver and gray, the iPhone 5s was now also available in gold and was slightly lighter than the previous model.
However, the main difference was the processor. The iPhone 5s was the first to have two chips: the main A7 chip with 64-bit architecture and the M7 motion coprocessor.
Another new feature: the iPhone 5s was the first smartphone with a fingerprint sensor, allowing the phone to be unlocked using biometrics. Since then, this feature has been incorporated into more and more devices.

9. iPhone 6

September 19, 2014 marked another milestone in the iPhone series: the iPhone 6 and its big brother, the iPhone 6 Plus, conquered the market.

With its 4.7-inch screen, the iPhone 6 was already larger than the 5 series. However, Apple went one step further in terms of display size with the 5.5-inch display of the iPhone 6 Plus.
Both models were offered with a storage capacity of up to 128 GB.
The iPhone 6 is still the best-selling iPhone ever, closely followed by the iPhone XR (see below).

10. iPhone 6s

The successor was not long in coming: September 25, 2015, was the launch date for the iPhone 6s and the larger version, the iPhone 6s Plus.

A new generation of processors, double the RAM at 2 GB, and a 12-megapixel camera were the new features of the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus.
The 6s models were also equipped with 3D Touch integration for the first time. In addition, this smartphone featured the advanced and significantly faster version of TouchID, Apple’s fingerprint sensor.

11. iPhone SE

The iPhone SE was a kind of interim model and was released on March 24, 2016.

It combined the missing form factor of the iPhone 5s with the technology of the iPhone 6s, but was also cheaper than the full-fledged iPhone 6s (Plus).
Among other things, savings were made on the front camera, which performed significantly worse, which was a disadvantage for FaceTime users in particular.
The fingerprint sensor, which was installed in the second version of the iPhone 6s, is still built into the SE in the slower first version.

12. iPhone 7

The two iPhone 7 variants in the series were introduced on September 16, 2016.

The powerful A10 Fusion chip made the iPhone 7 twice as fast as its predecessor.
The iPhone 7 Plus, the version with a larger screen, was also equipped with a dual camera. According to Apple, this combination of wide-angle and telephoto cameras was supposed to produce images like those from an SLR camera.
The iPhone 7 also heralded an era that many users still cannot come to terms with today: the disappearance of the headphone jack. This iPhone was the first smartphone that no longer had room for a classic 3.5-millimeter jack plug. This trend continues today: hardly any modern flagship models still use this port.
In the Jet Black version, the iPhone 7 was also the first model to support wireless charging via the QI standard.
Furthermore, for the first time, the iPhone 7 no longer came with a physical home button. Instead, 3D Touch technology is used here, which simulates a button press in combination with the Taptic Engine.

13. iPhone 8

The iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus went on sale on September 22, 2017.

Here, too, not much has changed in terms of design compared to its predecessor, but the design with glass and aluminum is of higher quality. The iPhone 7 was only available in Jet Black with this combination of materials. Apple also had corresponding problems with the delivery of this model at the beginning.
The new True Tone display was designed to offer users better screen quality. To achieve this, the smartphone constantly analyzed the environment and adjusted the color tone of the display to the current lighting conditions.
Both iPhone 8 models were powered by an A11 Bionic SoC processor.
The iPhone 8 is also the first generation to support wireless charging in all color combinations and can be charged using Qi chargers. The popular red color (“Product Red”) was also introduced for the first time with the iPhone 8 (Plus).

14. iPhone X

Although the iPhone X was first presented to the public at the same event as the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus by Apple, it was not available until November 3, 2017.

The redesigned stainless steel and glass design featured what Apple called a Super Retina HD display with rounded corners that better follow the curves of the design than those of previous models.
For the first time, Apple installed a virtually bezel-less display on the front, which still resembles the design language of current iPhones: no more display bezels, but a prominent notch at the top of the display. Here, too, the iPhone X laid the foundation for many other smartphone manufacturers, who continue to bring all kinds of variations of screen notches to the market.
Of course, there is a reason for the notch: the iPhone X was the first smartphone ever to be unlocked with the help of a 3D model via Face ID using the user’s own face. This is made possible by infrared sensors and cameras. Face ID makes face unlocking much more secure than standard 2D recognition.
Thanks to the Face ID system, features such as emojis and later memojis were also possible for the first time.
A new feature that takes some getting used to: Due to the prominent screen on the front of the device, the typical Apple home button had to be removed. Instead, since the iPhone X, all new Apple phones have featured gesture control.
Like the iPhone 8, the iPhone X also has an A11 Bionic SoC processor, which provides the necessary performance.
Another new feature is the five preset effects for more beautiful portrait shots with the main and front cameras.

15. iPhone XS

Three new iPhone models were unveiled at the Apple Keynote on September 12, 2018: the iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max were two of them. All iPhone models up to and including this one support iOS 17, but will not receive any more updates to iOS 18.

Both devices were similar in design to the iPhone X, but with the Max model, Apple unveiled its first new design with a screen diagonal of over 6 inches. In addition, both featured the same Apple A12 Bionic processor.
The smartphones differed primarily in terms of their displays: Apple used OLED screens for both models, which were 5.8 inches on the XS and 6.5 inches on the XS Max. The resolution was also higher on the Max model.
The XS devices also supported dual SIM in the form of a physical nano-SIM and an eSIM.

16. iPhone XR

The iPhone XR was Apple’s secret star of the show. It offered much of the modern technology with a few compromises for a much more attractive price. From the perspective of newer iPhones, the iPhone XR is the last one that still receives software updates. (As of March 2025)

The 6.1-inch screen was between the XS and XS Max in terms of size. However, Apple opted for LCD instead of OLED technology here.
Many users were disappointed with the low display resolution, which was just around HD. For a 2018 smartphone from Apple, this was no longer up to date.
While the CPU is similar to that of its XS siblings, the XR has to make do with one gigabyte less RAM. The main memory was also not as highly configurable as in the XS models.
On the back, the XR series did away with the second camera lens that provided lossless zoom shots on the iPhone XS (Max).
The display bezels on the front were slightly wider, but users still found the same gesture controls here.
The iPhone XR was intended to make an Apple phone with a modern design affordable for buyers for less money. However, the MSRP was still very high and similar to that of other 2018 flagships.

17. iPhone 11

As the direct successor to the iPhone XR, Apple also unveiled the iPhone 11 alongside the new Pro models.

The iPhone 11 was available in six colors. The choices were white, purple, green, yellow, black, and Product Red.
The iPhone 11’s display was again 6.1 inches in size, and otherwise, the design had hardly changed from its direct predecessor. Only the Apple logo on the back had been moved to the center to match the entire lineup.
The iPhone 11 had two 12-megapixel cameras on the back: the main camera in the iPhone 11 was joined by an ultra-wide-angle camera. However, buyers had to do without the telephoto zoom.
In terms of internal hardware, the device was similar to its big brothers. In terms of price, it had even fallen below the RRP of its predecessor, the XR, but was still not exactly affordable. The device was again available in a wide range of colors. The normal 11 had to do without the matte design of its big brothers.

18. iPhone 11 Pro

On September 10, 2019, Apple unveiled the new iPhone generation at its keynote event. Two of them were the iPhone 11 Pro and the iPhone 11 Pro Max.

The display size was 5.8 inches (iPhone 11 Pro) and 6.5 inches (iPhone 11 Pro Max) .
In addition to a 12-megapixel main camera and a 12-megapixel telephoto camera, the Pro and Pro Max editions also featured a 12-megapixel ultra-wide-angle camera. The new night mode was designed to enable good photographs even in very dark lighting conditions.
Buyers are still arguing about the camera design on the back: the arrangement is definitely reminiscent of a fidget spinner.
Inside the iPhones was the A13 Bionic processor, the next generation of the processor found in the iPhone XR and XS.
Since the 11th generation, there has also been no more 3D Touch.
In terms of design, Apple used matte glass on the back of the Pro models of the eleventh iPhone generation for the first time. This made a much higher-quality impression.

19. iPhone SE (2nd generation)

The second iPhone SE was unveiled on April 15, 2020. Visually based on the iPhone 8, it followed the first SE generation from 2016.

With a display size of only 4.7 inches diagonally, the iPhone SE 2 was one of the smallest mass-produced smartphones at the time.
The processor used was the A13 Bionic chip, which was also used in the iPhone 11 series. Unlike the iPhone 11, however, the SE was only equipped with 3 GB of RAM.
The main camera had a resolution of 12 megapixels and could record video in 4K quality at up to 60 FPS. The front camera, with its 7 megapixels, delivered video quality of 1080p.
The iPhone SE 2 was released on April 24, 2020, and the operating system at launch was iOS 13.

20. iPhone 12

The iPhone 12 was unveiled on October 13, 2020. As in previous years, the keynote took place at the Steve Jobs Theater in Apple Park in Cupertino – but due to the coronavirus pandemic, it was completely virtual for the first time. A total of four new iPhone 12 models were presented:

The iPhone 12 is available in the following versions: iPhone 12 Mini, iPhone 12, iPhone 12 Pro, and iPhone 12 Pro Max.
They differ not only in size, but also in terms of display, camera, and other aspects.
All models support 5G technology.
The iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Mini are available in blue, red, yellow, green, and black. The iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 12 Pro Max are available in black, gold, silver, and dark blue.

21. iPhone 13

Apple took the tried-and-tested route with the iPhone 13: the power of the chips was used to enable users to take better photos and videos. In terms of design, however, there were no major changes. The iPhone 13 was unveiled on September 14, 2021.

The iPhone 13, unveiled by Apple CEO Tim Cook, retained the design of the current generation with angular edges. The most noticeable external change, apart from the colors, was that the gap at the top of the screen for cameras and facial recognition sensors was reduced by 20 percent.
There were changes under the hood: the iPhones in the 13 series are powered by an advanced chip developed in-house, the A15 Bionic. Among other things, the computing power was used to improve the night shots taken by the upgraded cameras.
The devices also feature a cinematic video mode, in which the software automatically focuses on different levels in the image depending on what is happening. For example, if the person in the foreground turns around, the lens focuses on the background in the direction they are looking.
In line with this, the displays have also been revamped compared to the previous model. Among other things, the iPhone Pro also supports refresh rates of up to 120 hertz.
Given the improved cameras and correspondingly larger files, the phones have more storage than the previous generation models. The basic version of the iPhone 13 has at least 128 gigabytes of storage, while the Pro model has up to 1 terabyte. There is also an iPhone 13 mini.
The battery is said to last between 1.5 and 2.5 hours longer than its predecessors.

22. iPhone SE (3rd generation)

The 3rd generation of the iPhone SE was unveiled on March 18, 2022. Its design is similar to its predecessor, the iPhone SE (2020), and the iPhone 8.

The iPhone SE runs on an A15 Bionic chip and has a compact design with a 4.7-inch Retina HD display with True Tone.
You can choose between 64GB, 128GB, and 256GB of storage.
The camera offers several new features. It supports Smart HDR 4 and portrait mode. For video recording, there is an extended dynamic range, stereo sound recording, and stabilization.
The model is available in three colors: Midnight (black), Polar Star (white), and Product Red (red).

23. iPhone 14

On September 7, 2022, Apple introduced the iPhone 14 with its additional models iPhone 14 Plus, Pro, and Pro Max.

In the US, unlike previous models, the iPhone 14 models no longer have a SIM card slot but are equipped with an eSIM. In Europe, however, the iPhone 14 has normal nano-SIM card slots as usual.

Another new feature is the accident detection function. The iPhone 14 is also waterproof.

The iPhone 14 still has the familiar notch. The iPhone 14 Plus, Pro, and Pro Max feature a so-called Dynamic Island. The area reserved for the front camera has been reduced in size and interacts by tapping or holding the black area. Another new feature is the Always-On display.

The iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus take photos with a 12-megapixel camera. The Pro models are equipped with a 48-megapixel camera. The iPhone camera is quite capable.

With the standard and Plus models, you can choose between 128, 256, and 512 GB of storage. If you opt for a Pro model, you can also choose 1,024 GB.

The iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus run on an A15 Bionic processor. The Pro versions feature an A16 Bionic processor.

The 14 series comes in a variety of colors. The standard and Plus models are available in blue, purple, midnight, polar star, and red. With the Pro version, you can choose between dark purple, gold, silver, and space black.

You can set up the iPhone 14 as usual and get to know the various features depending on the price.

24. iPhone 15

Since September 12, 2023, Apple fans have been able to enjoy the new iPhone 15 series. In addition to the iPhone 15, the iPhone 15 Plus, iPhone 15 Pro, and iPhone 15 Pro Max have also been released on the market.

New to the 15 series models was Dynamic Island instead of the notch.

Starting with the iPhone 15 models, Apple is switching to a USB-C port instead of the previous Lightning port for more universal connectivity.

As with the 12 series, the iPhone 15 series will also be available in different models with different sizes and battery capacities. You can choose from 128 GB to one terabyte of internal storage.

While the displays on the iPhone 15 and Plus models continue to operate at only 60 hertz, the refresh rate on the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max models is twice as high at 120 hertz.

The camera has also been further improved. The main camera has 48 MP and advanced zoom functions. The Pro Max model offers a 5x optical zoom.

There is a wide range of colors to choose from: the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus are available in pink, yellow, green, blue, and black. With the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max, you can choose between dark gray (“titanium black”), light gray (“titanium natural”), white (“titanium white”) and dark blue (“titanium blue”).

The display is 6.1 inches (iPhone 15, 15 Pro) or 6.7 inches (15 Pro Max) with Super Retina XDR display with ProMotion technology.

25. iPhone 16

The iPhone 16 was released on September 20, 2024. There are four different models: iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, and iPhone 16 Pro Max.

The size and weight of the new iPhone models are almost identical to their predecessors. However, the cameras are once again arranged vertically rather than diagonally. The Pro remains faithful to the three-part arrangement.

The biggest innovation in the 16 series is a new button for easier camera control. It responds to taps or swipes and lets you access and adjust zoom or exposure faster and easier.

The new A18 chip guarantees both faster processing and longer battery life. Between 22 and 33 hours of video playback and up to 105 hours of audio playback.

There is also a new selection of colors: For the 16 and 16 Plus, ultramarine (blue), blue-green, pink, white, and black. For the Pro and Pro Max, there is titanium desert sand, titanium natural, titanium white, and titanium black.

Apple is also integrating its in-house AI service, Apple Intelligence, into the iPhone 16 series. This service will be able to process text and documents and will also be available for various camera settings. However, this service is not yet available in all countries. In Germany, among others, you will have to wait a little longer to access it (as of March 2025).

26. iPhone 16e

The new iPhone 16e was released on February 28, 2025. It is intended to be a more affordable alternative to the iPhone 16 and is the successor to the iPhone SE.

The iPhone 16e does not have a home button and instead uses Face ID for biometric authentication. It has a 6.1-inch Super Retina XDR display with a classic notch, but without the “Dynamic Island” feature.
It is equipped with a 48-megapixel main camera that allows for 2x optical zoom. The front camera offers 12 megapixels with autofocus.
Thanks to the A18 chip with 4-core GPU, the device supports Apple’s AI feature “Apple Intelligence.”
Apple promises up to 26 hours of video playback and up to 90 hours of audio playback. This should give it a significantly improved battery life compared to previous models.
The device features the new Action Button, which replaces the previous mute switch and can be customized.
It is available with 128 GB, 256 GB, and 512 GB of internal storage and in black and white.

iPhone 17 series at a glance

In September 2025, Apple presented a completely redesigned iPhone generation: For the first time, the iPhone 17 series consists of four models – the classic iPhone 17, the ultra-thin iPhone 17 Air, and the powerful Pro models iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max. In addition to new designs and materials, the displays, chips, and camera systems have been further improved.

All four current models feature a Super Retina XDR OLED display with ProMotion technology (120 Hz) and Always-On function. The brightness has been increased to up to 3,000 nits, and the display glass is even more robust and offers less reflection. At 5.6 mm, the new Air model is the thinnest iPhone ever and scores with a large but feather-light design.

The standard iPhone 17 model features the new A19 chip with 8 GB of RAM, while the iPhone Air, Pro, and Pro Max use the more powerful A19 Pro and 12 GB of RAM. The new chips enable smooth AI functions, high graphics performance, and powerful energy management. This ensures longer battery life and faster charging: USB-C now allows 50% battery charge in just 20 minutes.

The standard model and the Air use a dual camera system with two 48 MP sensors for main and ultra-wide angle, and both models also feature a new 18 MP front camera with Center Stage. The Pro models offer three 48 MP cameras with telephoto lens and really powerful zoom (up to 8x optical zoom on the Pro Max), as well as ProRAW mode and LiDAR scanner for professional photo and video recording.

Apple is focusing on new materials: the Pro models’ casing is made of aluminum unibody instead of titanium, while the Air model uses an ultra-light titanium frame. The color selection is particularly wide: lavender, fog blue, sage, classic white, and black for the iPhone 17, and futuristic tones for the Air and Pro models.

All devices use iOS 26, offer Apple Intelligence, AI-powered image processing, Genmoji, dual recording, and real-time live translations. Connectivity standards such as Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6, and the new N1 chip for lightning-fast connections are built in as standard.