iPhone 101: What model of iPhone do I have?

When you purchase a new iPhone, it's pretty easy to know exactly what you bought. But what about the situation where someone gives you an iPhone and they're not really sure what it is? Apple doesn't help out, as they don't label the phones with stickers that say "iPhone 4" or "iPhone 3GS". Since the model of iPhone can make a difference on what version of iOS will run on it and what kind of case will fit it, it's kind of an important thing to know.

Fortunately, it's pretty easy to find out. There's an area on the back of your iPhone that contains text -- things like "Designed by Apple in California" and an FCC ID. There you will find the model number. For my iPhone, that number was A1533, which still doesn't help me too much.

Apple has a web page to help in the translation between this model number and the actual kind of phone I have in my hand. Point your web browser to http://support.apple.com/kb/HT3939 and you'll find a sliding list of every iPhone model ever made along with the model numbers. Look until you find your model number, and then you've also found out what kind of iPhone you've inherited. That A1533 of mine is an iPhone 5s, but then I already knew that...