If you're ready to upgrade your iPhone, you'll probably want to hang tight.
Apple tends to unveil its new phones in September, as it did last year with the iPhone 16 lineup. It's expected to release the iPhone 17 series at the same time this year. So, if you can wait a couple more months, you'll either score the latest device or get a discount on previous models.
Watch this: Hey, Apple: Steal These S25 Edge Features for a Skinny iPhone 04:33
Newer iPhones tend to include camera and processor upgrades, as well as new features to make them more enticing. For instance, the iPhone 14 Pro models introduced Dynamic Island, the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max debuted the Action button, and the iPhone 16 series added the Camera Control button and Apple Intelligence across the full lineup, rather than on just the Pro models.
According to leaks and reports, the iPhone 17 lineup, which Apple technically has yet to confirm, could have a fresh camera setup and new color options and, perhaps most notably, could include a slimmer version of the iPhone to compete with similar offerings like Samsung's Galaxy S25 Edge. It'll likely arrive with the just-announced iOS 26, which features Apple's biggest software design shakeup in over a decade.
You can check out our iPhone 17 rumor roundup for more on what might be coming in the fall.
Will waiting for the iPhone 17 be worth it?
Overall, iPhone upgrades over the last several years have been relatively modest. And it's likely, based on rumors, that the iPhone 17 lineup will generally follow that mold.
But even with more moderate changes, now's not a good time to buy a new iPhone, if you can help it. We're less than a couple of months away from the anticipated launch of Apple's next smartphone. So if you hold on a little longer, you can snag that flashy new device when it drops, likely in September, based on previous iPhone launches.
If you buy a new iPhone 16 now, you'll probably pay full price for something that in just a couple months' time will technically be outdated (the harsh reality of the annual phone release cycle). And even if you get a good deal through your carrier now, if you stick it out just a bit longer, you could potentially get an even more lucrative deal once the iPhone 17 drops and carriers ramp up their promotions.
... continue reading