5 Reasons to Wait for the iPhone 17 & 3 Reasons Not To

Thanks to leaks, we already have an idea of what to expect from Apple and the 2025 iPhone. While the launch is a long way out, some people might want to skip the iPhone 16 and wait for the iPhone 17.

While many people will be perfectly fine buying an iPhone 15, iPhone 15 Pro or another model in April or the months ahead, others might want to wait and see what the company has up its sleeve for 2024 and beyond.

Later this year, Apple will announce the iPhone 16 series. The devices will reportedly come with a number of upgrades including AI software features, but they may not move the needle a whole lot.

We may see bigger changes to the iPhone in 2025 and that may have some thinking about an upgrade next year as opposed to this fall.

Despite the launch being over a year away, we’ve seen quite a few iPhone 17 rumors.  They’ve outlined some intriguing changes to the iPhone’s design, camera, and more.

Apple’s plans can, and probably will, change as the development continues behind the scenes, but what we’ve heard about the iPhone 17 puts those in the market for a new iPhone in 2024 and/or 2025 in an interesting position: Upgrade now or wait?

In this guide we’ll take you through the best reasons to wait for the iPhone 17 and the best reasons to go with another device long before the 2025 iPhones arrive on shelves.

Wait for Under-Display Face ID

Might 2025 finally be the year Apple installs Face ID under the iPhone’s display? Maybe, according to some analysts.

Apple’s reportedly working to embed Face ID underneath the iPhone’s display. If the change happens, it would give the iPhone a bigger display area for users to work with.

It’s a rumor we’ve heard many times in the past. It was rumored for the iPhone 15 Pro, but missed it. It has also been rumored for the iPhone 16 Pro, but we don’t expect the 2024 iPhone models to have it.

Display analyst Ross Young initially believed the technology would come in 2024 on the iPhone 16 Pro models, but he’s changed his stance and says the feature has been pushed to the iPhone 17 Pro.

In 2022, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman said he believes Apple will eventually “fully embed Face ID and the front-facing camera into the display itself,” but the move is at least three to four years away. Gurman’s reiterated this stance in a more recent version of his Power On newsletter.

There’s always a chance the feature gets delayed again, but the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max may be the first iPhones with this technology on board.

Wait for Display Upgrades

The iPhone 17 will reportedly come with upgrades to the display. We’ve heard about two potential changes and they might convince you to wait.

According to leaker Instant Digital, the iPhone 17 will feature an anti-reflective display with better scratch resistance than the iPhone 15 and the upcoming iPhone 16.

The leaker claims the iPhone 17’s display will have “super-hard anti-reflective layer” that’s “more scratch-resistant than you think.”

It’s possible they are referring to Corning’s Gorilla Glass Armor which is currently on board Samsung’s Galaxy S24 series. You can get a feel for the difference between the iPhone 15 and Galaxy S24 in this image.

This change would be a boon for those who like to take their phone outside and/or those who often drop their phone. If that’s you, consider holding off on an upgrade.

Display analyst Ross Young believes the iPhone 17 Plus may have a smaller screen than the iPhone 15 Plus. The iPhone 15 Plus employs a 6.7-inch screen.

If you like the iPhone Plus, but want a smaller screen, think about waiting.

Wait for Better Cameras

We’ve also heard about some of the upgrades Apple might be making to the iPhone’s camera in 2025.

In late 2023 Jeff Pu, an analyst at investment firm Haitong International Securities, said he believes the iPhone 17 Pro Max will feature a 48-megapixel Telephoto lens.

Pu believes the lens will optimized for use with Apple’s Vision Pro headset. He didn’t elaborate on the tie-in, but it’s still intriguing if you own a Vision Pro.

The upcoming iPhone 16 Pro models will reportedly have an upgraded 48-megapixel Ultra Wide camera lens. If that pans out, the iPhone 17 Pro Max might be the first iPhone with a rear camera setup comprised of all 48MP lenses.

The higher megapixel count would allow the device to capture more detail than its predecessors.

The other iPhone 17 camera rumor revolves around the front-facing camera.

Well-known analyst Ming-Chi Kuo says he believes the “iPhone 17 will be upgraded to 24MP/6P lens (vs. the 12MP/5P lens of iPhone 15 & 16), which will significantly improve the image quality.”

Wait for Better Performance

The iPhone 17 series should come equipped with a new processor, but performance improvements will likely go beyond that.

Jeff Pu believes the iPhone 17 Pro models might come with an Apple-designed Wi-Fi 7 chip. They would be the first iPhones with this chip on board.

If the iPhone 17 Pro models gain Wi-Fi 7 support, it would allow them to send and receive data over 2.4GHz, 5GHz, and 6GHz bands simultaneously if a supported router is used.

In turn, this would lead to faster Wi-Fi speeds and lower latency.

Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo believes Apple may use resin coated copper (RCC) foil for the device’s circuit boards. If this pans out, it would free up space within the iPhone 17 which could lead to changes like larger batteries.

Wait for More Information

If you’re on the fence about whether to buy a new device this year or wait for iPhone 17, you may want to wait for the fog to clear a bit.

While we’ve seen quite a bit of info, a lot of the key details are missing. And as we noted before, Apple’s plans often change during the development process so a feature you hear about now may not make it into the final product.

As the year goes on, we’ll start to hear more about the iPhone 17’s other specs and perhaps get a much clearer picture about what to expect from the 2025 iPhone models.

So if you aren’t in a hurry, it might be in your best interest to hang back and follow both iPhone 16 and iPhone 17 rumors. They will help you set proper expectations and help you make a well-informed decision.

Don’t Wait If You’re in a Rush

Apple will launch four phones in 2024: the iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, and iPhone 16 Pro Max. The iPhone 17 will come a year later.

Assuming Apple sticks to protocol, you can expect the iPhone 17 models to arrive in September, 2025. If you can’t wait that long, you’ll want to start thinking about buying/waiting for another smartphone.

We may see Apple launch a new iPhone SE 4 in early 2025 to bridge the gap between the iPhone 16 series and iPhone 17 series. The iPhone SE series serves as Apple’s budget model.

Don’t Wait for a Foldable iPhone 17

Apple might be working on a foldable device, but the device probably won’t come in 2025.

A report from Bloomberg states that while Apple “has developed prototype foldable screens for internal testing” the company “hasn’t solidified plans to actually launch a foldable iPhone.” In other words, a launch is a long way out.

Another report from South Korean publication The Elec says Apple is considering a foldable product between 7-inches and 8-inches. They believe Apple is targeting 2026 or 2027 for the release.

Digitimes says the company’s first foldable won’t be an iPhone. It’s said to be a larger device that’s more like a tablet or notebook.

Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo concurs and says “Apple’s only foldable product with a clear development schedule is the 20.3-inch MacBook, expected to enter mass production in 2027.”

Another report from AlphaBiz says the project has been delayed and pushed into 2027.

So at this point, you should operate on the assumption that Apple’s first foldable device is a long way out. If you’re interested in a foldable phone, you should check out Samsung’s Galaxy Z series.

Don’t Wait If You Find a Phone You Love

If you find a phone you really like between now and the fall of 2025, don’t let iPhone 17 rumors hold you back.

We should also see retailers start to offer some really nice iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro deals in the coming months as supply recovers.

We’ve also seen deals drop the price of the iPhone 13 series, iPhone 12 series, and the budget iPhone SE 3.

If you aren’t married to the iPhone you’ll also want to take a look at devices like the Samsung Galaxy S24 series, Galaxy S23 series, and Google’s Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro.

Make sure you dig into these devices before you decide to wait. If you find something that suits your needs at the right price, don’t be afraid to make a commitment long before the iPhone 17 series arrives on shelves.