Being the mobile tech addict that you undoubtedly are, you’ll be well aware of the fact that iPhone 9 and Windows 9 never showed up on the marketplace.
So, why is there no iPhone 9 or Windows 9?
Just as mysteriously, Apple and Microsoft never really disclosed the reasons behind skipping the upside-down-6 series to the public.
However, studying the history of these brands throughout the years has given way to some likely theories and reasons.
In this article, we’ve dug deep into the details so that we can answer this question for our readers who are dying to know the answer!
So, Why Did Microsoft Skip Windows 9?
Apple first released the iPhone series in 2007, looking to take its place in the world as the premium smartphone brand.
Since then, it has released new, updated models of the phone yearly. After its eighth iteration in 2017, the general expectation was that the ninth series would follow.
However, that never eventuated.
The iPhone 9 was never rolled out; instead, the company released the iPhone X series to mark a decade since Steve Jobs first introduced the iconic iPhone concept.
Apple didn’t just want to commemorate the milestone; it wanted to mark the significance of a new era.
The iPhone X brought with it distinguishing features that had never been seen before.
The model introduced Face ID, a more prominent visual display, a beautiful glass body, home button-free bezels, and wireless charging.
We like to imagine that when Steve Jobs was asked, “Why is there no iPhone 9?” He simply replied (in his mildly condescending manner), “Because 7 8 9 (7 ate 9).“
Ha. Ha.
By skipping from 8 to 10, Apple essentially had brought their technology two steps ahead of where they were before.
Some people have argued that Apple did not launch the iPhone 9 in their models because the number is not a well-liked number in many countries and cultures.
For example, in China and Japan, the number has significantly evil connotations and can also be a curse word.
Similarly, Blackberry didn’t release its ninth model in Japan for the same reason, since the number 9 in the Japanese language means to torment or cause agony.
Apple obviously did not want to compromise on its company name and reputation in these massive markets by offending the sensibilities of these cultures.
So, to make its marketing appealing and practical, Apple went straight for iPhone X and used a Roman numeral to name the model- showing that Apple never seriously considered releasing a ninth model.
Apart from these, Apple naming the new model as iPhone 9 would look like being stuck between iPhone 8 and iPhone X, which did not sit well with the die-hard iPhone enthusiasts stateside either.
Why Did Microsoft Skip Windows 9?
Microsoft is one of (if not the) biggest technological corporations in the world and has introduced ten versions of Windows thus far.
The last version, Windows 10, is the only one that represents the correct release number.
But why did Microsoft jump from Windows 8.1 to Windows 10 directly?
The big reason is that Microsoft had already released two consumer versions starting with 9; namely, Windows 95 and 98.
Even now, some third-party applications and even the developers themselves at Microsoft refer to these two versions as Windows 9x.
If Microsoft had released Windows 9, the old software from the 90’s would have significantly confused potential communications and development for a version rolling out in 2016.
It would be challenging for the programmers and developers to deal with both versions, due to the fact that they are more than two decades old and would cause severe code incompatibility.
Another reason Microsoft chose not to release a ninth model could be the same as Apple’s.
In some Chinese cultures, the number 9 is subject to unflattering references that might not suit a company’s reputation.
Microsoft has considerable authority in Japan and China, and this would explain its decision to skip Windows 9 entirely.
Microsoft also thought it wise for Windows 10 to be their last version, with any new updates being a part of the software.
It makes sense that if you’re going to stick with the same version forever, it’s better for the number to be ten instead of nine!
Additionally, Microsoft could have skipped Windows 9 because it wanted to mark a new start.
That’s because Windows 10 is very different from Windows 8, and contains multiple new features and aspects that Windows 8 lacks.
Finally, it has also been surmised that Microsoft chose Windows 10 because it makes the other versions, Windows 7 and Windows 8, sound as if they are completely outdated.
From a marketing and sales perspective, this would push more people to update to the latest version and upgrade their computer interface (which looks like it totally worked!).
In Conclusion
Apple wanted to signify a new beginning and chose its tenth anniversary to introduce that change.
Microsoft probably jumped to Windows 10 because Windows 8 was such a flop, amongst other reasons.
It could also just as likely be due to the fact that Windows 95 and 98 are known as Windows 9x in many software applications, and bringing a Windows 9 into the mix would’ve caused severe headaches and confusion.
Either way, it’s quite normal for companies to skip a number or two and disrupt a product sequence.
However, it could be due to many other reasons as well, such as marketing strategy, functionality improvements, and cultural considerations in giant markets.
Honestly, your best guess is as good as any!
Whatever these unconfirmed reasons are, rest assured that the respective X and 10 versions from each company brought with them better features and functions that we’ve never had to look back on!