iPhone 9, iPhone 14 mini and other models that do not exist

Search for iPhones in Kenya long enough and you will see names like "iPhone 9" or "iPhone 13 Plus". Apple never made these. Some adverts are honest typos, but an advert for a model that does not exist can also be a copy phone. Here is the real name behind each one.

Names Apple never used

• iPhone 9, 9 Plus, 9 Pro Max: never made. Apple skipped from the iPhone 8 to the iPhone X.
• iPhone 7s, 7s Plus, 8s, 8s Plus: never made. You probably want the iPhone 7 or iPhone 8.
• iPhone 6 Pro, 7 Pro, 8 Pro and their "Pro Max" versions: never made. Pro models began with the iPhone 11 Pro.
• iPhone X Pro, X Pro Max, X Plus, XS Plus, XR Max: never made. You probably want the iPhone XS Max.
• iPhone 11 mini, 11 Plus, 11 Max: never made. The range was the iPhone 11, 11 Pro and 11 Pro Max.
• iPhone 12 Plus, 12 Max: never made. The range was the iPhone 12 and 12 mini, plus the 12 Pro and 12 Pro Max.
• iPhone 13 Plus: never made. See the iPhone 13 and 13 mini.
• iPhone 14 mini: never made. See the iPhone 14 and 14 Plus.

Names people write differently

• iPhone 10 is the iPhone X. iPhone 10R is the XR and iPhone 10S is the XS.
• iPhone X Max usually means the XS Max.
• iPhone S5, S6, S7 and S8 are usually a mix-up. Galaxy S phones are made by Samsung, while Apple's were the iPhone 5s and 6s.
• iPhone 5se means the first iPhone SE, which looks like an iPhone 5s.

How to check a phone is real

On a real iPhone, open Settings, then General, then About to see the model name. Then dial *#06# for the IMEI and enter it on Apple's coverage check page. A copy phone will often fail one of these checks. Read more in our guide to where to buy.