Strange ‘iPhone xx’ Found in Apple Xcode 10 as New iPhones Loom

While we’re still a good three-weeks away from Apple’s rumored September 12 special event, the rumor mill has shown no signs of slowing down, as even newer reports and discoveries surrounding what Apple might have in store for consumers this fall continue trickling in..

Just the other day we received news that a total of six new Apple Watch models passed through ECC certification — a hallmark indicator that we can expect to see at least that many new Apple Watch Series 4 models at the event.

As we know from previous reports, Apple is also expected to announced three new iPhone models including 5.8- and 6.5-inch OLED equipped flagships, and a 6.1-inch ‘mid-range’ model boasting an advanced LCD display which will be sold for a very reasonable price in order to spur interest among cost-conscious consumers.

We also know pretty much everything there is to know about these handsets; their iPhone X-inspired designs, lack of hardware Home buttons, Face ID, edge-to-edge displays and upgraded internals including Apple’s beastly next-gen A12 CPU.

New “iPhone xx” Discovery

While we’re still not entirely sure what this year’s new iPhone models will be called, at least one report has come out saying they’ll be marketed as the iPhone 9, and iPhone 11, though the ‘iPhone 11 aspect of that rumor seems improbable.

Adding to the speculation, on Wednesday evening, iOS developer and frequent 9to5Mac contributor Guilherme Rambo posted to Twitter, pointing to a discovery he made in Apple’s latest Xcode 10 software, which references an unidentified “iPhone xx” device.

Its highly unlikely Apple would market and try to sell a device under the ‘iPhone xx’ brand — and it’s just as unlikely that the “xx” corresponds to any other name, for example, ‘iPhone 20’ or ‘iPhone Double X’.

Rambo — who’s track record discovering future Apple products and plans hidden within current software code is historically spot-on — asserts the “iPhone xx” identifier appeared in the drop-down list of modern iPhone models pictured in his Tweet.

Interestingly, as you can see the devices are referenced in alphabetical order, and not in order of generation (for example, iPhone SE appears after iPhone 8) — and so the list clearly doesn’t reflect an ordering of models in terms of their performance or generation-specific capabilities. 

“iPhone xx” with A10 CPU?

Additional details unearthed in Xcode 10 and shared by Rambo  include revelations that the CPU associated with “iPhone xx” is Apple’s A10 Fusion. Notably, that would be the same two-year-old chip found in the company’s iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus. 

As we mentioned, Apple is expected to unveil three new iPhones next month — a 5.8-inch OLED model, 6.5-inch OLED model, and a mid-range 6.1-inch LCD model. And while at least the premium, OLED-equipped iPhones will feature Apple’s new A12 CPU, it’s still ridiculous to even think the company would stuff a two-year old chip into its brand-new 6.1-inch iPhone — even though it’s clear they’re trying to keep building costs down.

The “iPhone xx” reference certainly stands out from the pack, but as Rambo himself noted, the most likely scenario is that the placeholder is referring to Apple’s “low cost iPhone” (which has internally dubbed “LCP, model N84”, according to his findings.

Of course, the double-X reference could always be associated not with a forthcoming flagship iPhone, but with an internal testing unit, which could explain the discovery of an A10 CPU. 

Another theory Rambo presents is that “xx” could be referencing a “cheaper-to-build iPhone 7” model, although that theory doesn’t really hold valid as we’re just three weeks away from seeing three completely brand-new iPhone models flaunted on stage.  

Stay tuned for further updates and be sure to check back with us on the morning of September 12 for live coverage of Apple’s fall event.

[The information provided in this article has NOT been confirmed by Apple and may be speculation. Provided details may not be factual. Take all rumors, tech or otherwise, with a grain of salt.]