Well the Galaxy Note 7 is a higher end device so maybe. But my parents both bought smartphones and they couldn't name the model. I tested this theory just now and my dad got the even the manufacturer wrong.
Indeed, I think at least for most older people their phone is what reads on it. If it says Nokia, it's Nokia and they likely have no idea what Android/iOS/Symbian/Tizen even mean.
Right - the parent was saying if you have the absolute latest flagship phone, you're likely to know it. The type of people who don't know the model of their phone are those who aren't buying the "Just released in last 60 days and is the most expensive in it's class" type smartphones.
Or they just got their first flagship and went with the most expensive one because the monthly cost didn't seem that large. I don't buy that most phone owners know the phone they own, but I could definitely see non-phone enthusiasts ending up with Note 7s