Every year, Apple, Samsung, Google, and many other companies release new smartphones. If you like to read about new products, you’ve probably noticed that some of them are referred to as “flagship” phones. This terms goes back a long way, but what does it actually mean?

What Does “Flagship” Mean?

The origin of the term “flagship” has nothing to do with technology. Going all the way back to the 1700s, a flagship was the vessel that housed the commanding officer. In some cases, it was simply the lead ship in a fleet. Typically, the flagship was the largest, fastest, and most heavily armed ship. Literally, it was the ship that bears the admiral’s flag.

What Does That Have to Do with Phones?

The flagship was essentially the biggest and best ship in the fleet—that’s exactly what “flagship” means for phones, too. Sometimes, the flagship term is used for a single device, but it can also be applied to a series of devices. There’s not really a hard and fast definition—it’s a metaphor.

For example, someone might call the Galaxy S25 Ultra the “flagship” Samsung phone since it’s the one with the most features. However, you could also look at the bigger picture and refer to any phone in the Galaxy S series as a flagship since they’re more high-end than the Galaxy A series. It just depends on what you’re comparing.

Another example is the iPhone. Unlike Samsung, Apple doesn’t have multiple iPhone product lines—there are just variants of the iPhone 16. So, the iPhone 16 Pro Max is the “flagship” iPhone. It’s the one with the biggest and best features you can get in an iPhone.

Not Just for Phones

“Flagship” is used to describe more than just phones and ships. It’s typically applied to a company’s main product, the product that’s been around the longest and was probably what made a name for the company. Windows and Office are flagship products for Microsoft. Photoshop is Adobe’s flagship product.

In broadcasting, the flagship channel is the privately owned station of a network. For example, WCBS in New York is CBS’ east coast flagship network. In sports radio, the flagship station is the primary station in the team’s home market—WXYT Detroit for the Detroit Tigers. You get the idea.

Like the original flagships in the 1700s, the term is sometimes used to describe the best and highest quality products, but it can also be applied to the “leader”—the thing that was there first. When you hear that a phone is a “flagship,” you know you’re getting the best the company has to offer.