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Like clockwork, a brand new iPhone has made its method by way of the rumor mill in August, and customers are starting to surprise if they need to purchase what’s at the moment out there or wait till fall to see how issues play out.
Based mostly on previous traits, there is a good likelihood Apple will unveil the iPhone 17 series subsequent Tuesday. So, do you have to choose up an iPhone 16 out of your native Apple retailer right now or play the lengthy (however not that lengthy) recreation?
Additionally: Apple iPhone 17 event live blog: The biggest announcements we’re expecting on Sept. 9
Having examined each major smartphone release over the previous a number of years and helped quite a few household and buddies overcome this actual dilemma, here is the choice tree I exploit that works each single time.
1. Do you want a brand new cellphone proper now?
Fairly easy, proper? Should you’re at the moment utilizing a handset that is severely broken or defected in a method that stops it from finishing your each day duties, then it is time to purchase a brand new cellphone proper now.
I’ve had buddies say that they’d be prepared to energy by way of one other month with a closely cracked iPhone if it meant they might simply purchase the next-generation mannequin. Nevertheless, that does not consider the truth that Apple sometimes sells its latest iPhones weeks (if not longer) after they’re formally unveiled to the general public.
Additionally: You can download iOS 26 public beta right now – how to install (and which iPhones support it)
So, what’s anticipated to be per week’s wait time can simply develop into a month or extra, relying on which configuration and mannequin you purchase. That is to say, in case you want a brand new cellphone right now, do not wait — purchase one ASAP.
2. How a lot are you trying to spend?
Each new iPhone launch has a giant unknown: pricing. So, your present (and anticipated) finances must also be thought-about as you resolve which mannequin to purchase. Apple’s achieved a commendable job stabilizing iPhone costs through the years, with the bottom mannequin sometimes beginning at $799, the Professional at $999, and the Professional Max at $1,199, so most individuals would assume the iPhone 17 sequence will value about the identical.
However there are a couple of extra variables factoring into this 12 months’s iPhone launch. First, Apple is anticipated to launch a brand new iPhone 17 Air (or Slim) mannequin that contains a thinner and lighter design than the usual variant. If it follows Samsung’s value technique with its ultra-thin Galaxy S25 Edge, we may be taking a look at an iPhone that is priced just under the Professional fashions.
Additionally: Should you buy a refurbished iPhone 15 from Apple? Only if these factors matter to you
Ongoing tariff and commerce talks have additionally led market analysts to imagine that Apple will increase the worth of iPhones beginning this September. In accordance with Jefferies analyst Edison Lee, the iPhone 17 Air, Professional, and Professional Max may even see a $50 value enhance, or a 4-5% bump from final 12 months, in an effort to offset the price of new parts and exports. Here is a snapshot comparability to the iPhone 16 sequence.
iPhone 16 costs | iPhone 17 costs (anticipated) | |
Commonplace | $799 | $799 |
Air/Slim | – | $949 |
Professional | $999 | $1,049 |
Professional Max | $1,199 | $1,249 |
If the potential value enhance offers you pause, then it could make extra monetary sense to purchase an older iPhone mannequin just like the 16 or 15, and even the brand new however accessible iPhone 16e (starting at $599). Apple sometimes reduces the worth of the last-generation iPhone mannequin by $100 when a brand new one is launched, so there is a good likelihood you’ll purchase the iPhone 16 for as little as $699 later this month — do you have to select to attend issues out.
Additionally: How to clear your iPhone cache (and why you should do it before installing iOS 26 public beta)
Lastly, whereas carriers and retailers sometimes provide aggressive trade-in and buy-one-get-one offers when a brand new cellphone is launched, these offers usually are not with out their catches and high quality print.
Most “free phone” affords by main carriers often are available trade for locking right into a long-term contract or upgrading to a pricier knowledge plan. That is to not say that the offers aren’t value it; for the precise buyer, they will actually internet you a brand new iPhone with out a lot additional work. Simply bear in mind to do your due diligence earlier than agreeing to something.
3. Do the rumored iPhone 17 options excite you?
Whereas none of those rumored options have been confirmed or made official by Apple, they offer us a glimpse of the following iPhone’s potential. Here is a listing of anticipated modifications this 12 months, pulled from business consultants, provide chain analysts, and extra.
- The iPhone 17 Air will characteristic the thinnest and lightest design, with a brand new show measurement, a titanium body, and a revamped digital camera bar.
- Apple will doubtless substitute the iPhone 17 Plus with the iPhone 17 Air, as shoppers have proven the least curiosity within the former mannequin.
- The iPhone 17 could undertake a smaller “metalens” know-how that permits the Face ID sensor and Dynamic Island module to take up much less area on the show. This additionally permits Apple to shrink the cellphone’s bezels and enhance the display screen measurement to six.3 inches.
- Solely the iPhone 17 Professional fashions can have a brand new scratch-resistant, antireflective show panel. Like Apple’s nanotexture choices for MacBooks and iPads, it could come at an additional value.
- The iPhone 17 Professional fashions will characteristic a brand new 48-megapixel telephoto digital camera that may seize at 8x optical zoom (up from 5x).
Additionally: iPhone 17 Rumors: Latest News and Leaks – CNET
The anticipated coloration choices are:
- iPhone 17: Black, White, Metal Grey, Inexperienced, Purple, and Mild Blue
- iPhone 17 Air: Black, White, Mild Blue, and Mild Gold
- iPhone 17 Professional: Black, White, Grey, Darkish Blue, and Orange
- iPhone 17 Professional Max: Black, White, Grey, Darkish Blue, and Orange
Backside line: Purchase now or wait?
Should you want a brand new cellphone instantly and can’t wait as much as a month, you should purchase an iPhone 16 (or different current mannequin) proper now. The iPhone 16’s present options, together with an A18 chip that may energy Apple Intelligence instruments, Motion Button, Digicam Management, and Wi-Fi 7 help, will stay related for years to come back, so you are not lacking out on a lot by choosing final 12 months’s mannequin. There’s additionally a superb likelihood that you’re going to discover a deal or value drop on the iPhone 16 right now.
Additionally: We tested iOS 26 on the iPhone 16 Pro – these 5 features make the update worthwhile
Should you’re in much less of a rush, wait till subsequent Tuesday to see what Apple has to supply with the iPhone 17 sequence. Maybe the iPhone 17 Aiir/Slim mannequin will enchantment to you greater than anticipated, or Apple introduces a digital camera characteristic that solves one in all your greatest ache factors. Simply be ready for something to occur, together with the next value throughout the board — or none in any respect.
