We’re probably only a month away from the announcement of the iPhone 16, but rumors suggest that this year’s models won’t bring significant upgrades when compared to the iPhone 15 lineup. iPhone sales have been slowing down in recent years, but analyst Jeff Pu has good expectations when it comes to iPhone 17 sales next year.
iPhone 16 may not be that appealing
In a note to investors seen by 9to5Mac, Pu reiterates what to expect for both the iPhone 16 and iPhone 17 models. The analyst once again says that this year’s iPhones will have “limited spec upgrades,” as rumors suggest that the main differences will be the slightly larger displays on the 16 Pro and 16 Pro Max models.
These are the main rumors about the new iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro:
- New rear camera layout on iPhone 16 and 16 Plus to shoot Spatial Videos for Apple Vision Pro;
- Action Button coming to iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus
- A18 chip with 8GB RAM for the entire lineup (with Pro models having a more powerful variant)
- Larger 6.3-inch and 6.9-inch displays on the iPhone 16 Pro and 16 Pro Max;
- Wi-Fi 7 for the 16 Pro models
- Periscope lens for 5x zoom on the smaller iPhone 16 Pro
- New 48 megapixel ultrawide lens for the 16 Pro models
- New button for camera controls on iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max
Although the analyst believes that Apple Intelligence will likely convince some people to upgrade their phones later this year (since the AI features currently require an iPhone 15 Pro), this won’t be enough for strong sales growth.
iPhone 17 to help Apple boost sales
But while the iPhone 16 doesn’t seem to be an exciting upgrade, next year’s iPhones might be able to boost sales again. That’s because, according to Pu, the iPhone 17 lineup will bring more significant upgrades. This includes:
- A refreshed design
- Upgraded front-facing camera with 24 megapixel sensor for the entire lineup
- New 48 megapixel periscope lens for even better optical zoom on the iPhone 17 Pro models
- Narrower Dynamic Island at least on the iPhone 17 Pro Max
- 12GB RAM for the 17 Pro models
Top comment by ChrisReid
How are we already ragging on the new iPhone that hasn't even been announced? "But while the iPhone 16 doesn’t seem to be an exciting upgrade..." Faster processor, larger screen, improved camera and new external camera controls sounds like plenty to be excited about (and that's if you have a 15 Pro Max... if you have anything else, there are bigger improvements with the action button, periscope lens, ability to use AI features, etc).
Yeah, the 17 sounds great, but the 16 seems like a phenomenal upgrade to anyone with a 12-14 or non-pro max 15.
There are also two other aspects that, according to Jeff Pu, will help Apple boost iPhone sales in 2025 and 2026.
First, the analyst notes that iPhone 12 owners will soon want to replace their phone. The iPhone 12 was considered a supercycle due to major upgrades such as a new design, 5G and MagSafe. Research shows that most users keep their iPhones for up to 3 years before buying a new one – and as the iPhone 12 starts to show signs of its age, owners of this model will likely want to upgrade next year.
There’s also the rumored iPhone 17 Slim, or iPhone 17 Air – a brand new iPhone model that will replace the iPhone 17 Plus and sit between the base model and the iPhone 17 Pro. This new iPhone 17 model is expected to feature a new, much slimmer design. Jeff Pu believes that there will be a lot of people interested in buying an iPhone 17 Slim because of the novelty factor.
Of course, Apple is still more than a year away from announcing the iPhone 17, so everything could change between now and then. You can also always buy an older iPhone model at a more affordable price without having to think about the new iPhones.
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