Well, they counted the 3GS edition when they named the iPhone 4 because that was the 4th generation iPhone. Granted, that’s pretty much the last time the number and generation matched up (and first time, too, considering the 3 in 3G and 3GS stood for the 3G connectivity, not as a generational number).
I just looked these up and was surprised to learn Apple still numbers their phones, with Iphone 14 being the latest. I’ve never owned and Iphone(my school gave me an Ipad Air once) and didn’t realize they were numbering still.
My Samsung phone is, get this, Samsung Galaxy S52(?).
I think. I have no idea what any of the numbering stuff is with my Samsung. S? 52? Huh?
That sounds like another reason not to use numbers: so as not to confuse the audience should you decide to make the sequel a prequel or a reboot or an AU or whatever,
Or whatever this was:
That’s The Lion King’s version of Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead.
I think the whole reason behind Iron Man being numbers is that Iron Man 2 came out before the Avengers and when the movies were still fairly separate other than a few teases. Post-Avengers, everything is so interconnected that numbering them doesn’t make sense. Captain America might be the 3rd movie named “Captain America”, but it’s also the 5th movies featuring Captain America (among a number of other characters).
Personally, 15 is my second-favorite of the entire series, next to FFVI. De gustibus non est disputandum.
On a related note to the topic, WWE stopped numbering Wrestlemania in official marketing after Wrestlemania 30, reportedly because Vince McMahon thought it made it sound “old”. Everyone still uses the numbers unofficially, though - this year’s event was Wrestlemania 39, and next year will be Wrestlemania 40, which they are referring to by number, partly because of the “XL” Roman numbering and partly because Vince doesn’t run the company any more.