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If you’re looking to buy a new iPhone, you have two main choices: Buy an iPhone 16 right now or wait a little longer and get the iPhone 17, which is expected to debut on Tuesday during Apple’s fall event. What’s the better route?
With the anticipated launch of the iPhone 17 just days away, it could be a good idea to hang tight and either buy the new phone or get the iPhone 16 at a discounted price. Apple still hasn’t confirmed the existence of the iPhone 17, and we don’t have any official specs or features, but here’s how it could compare to the iPhone 16, according to rumors and speculation.
iPhone 16 vs. iPhone 17: Key rumored specs compared
We still don’t have any confirmed details about the iPhone 17, but that hasn’t stopped the rumor mill from churning and purported leaks from making the rounds. Speculation extends across the entire iPhone 17 lineup, from the Pro models to what could be a thinner “Air” version (which may be Apple’s answer to the Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge). But I’m going to focus on the baseline iPhone 17.
Screen differences
One of the most highly anticipated changes could be that the iPhone 17 adds a 120Hz display, which would be very welcome. Currently, only the iPhone Pro models have that higher refresh rate, while the baseline and Plus models are stuck with a 60Hz display. Bumping that refresh rate could also prompt Apple to bring the always-on display to the baseline model, making it easier to quickly glance at the time and your notifications without waking your display.
There’s been some back-and-forth on whether the iPhone 17 will have a scratch-resistant, antireflective display. But the most recent reports suggest that the feature will only be available on the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max, not the baseline iPhone 17 (or the Air). So there may not be major discrepancies between the iPhone 16 and 17 on that front.
Camera differences
It’s possible the iPhone 17’s selfie camera will get a bump to 24 megapixels, instead of the current 12 megapixels found in the iPhone 16’s front-facing shooter. Megapixels aren’t the only determining factor for good-quality photos but if it is an upgrade, that could make taking selfies or shooting videos for social media on the front-facing camera less of a compromise.
There’s also been some conversation about the camera bump on Apple’s upcoming iPhone lineup. It’s likely that only the Pro models’ cameras will be nestled in a new, larger panel that stretches horizontally across the back of the phone (perhaps evoking the “Geordi Visor” on the Google Pixel 9) and that the baseline will maintain a similar camera arrangement to the iPhone 16. Only time will tell.
Design differences
Rumors suggest that like the iPhone 16, the iPhone 17 will have an aluminum frame. (In fact, it’s possible that’ll be the case for the entire lineup, apart from the iPhone 17 Air, which could have a titanium frame to make it lighter.)
There have also been reports that the iPhone 17 will use a new compact “metalens” technology for the proximity sensor, which could reduce the size of the Face ID sensor and the Dynamic Island. That could give slightly more real estate to the top of the 17’s display.
Processor and RAM
One key element that could remain unchanged across both phones is the processor. The iPhone 17 is rumored to pack an A18 chip, just like the iPhone 16 — though there have been conflicting rumors that it could pack an A19 chip instead.
With Apple’s plans to expand its Apple Intelligence suite of AI capabilities, it’s possible the iPhone 17 lineup could come with 12GB of RAM instead of the current 8GB — or at least part of it could.
In April, analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said the iPhone 17 Air and Pro models would sport 12GB of RAM but that Apple was still deciding whether to equip the baseline model with that higher amount too. In May, analyst Jeff Pu noted the baseline would remain at 8GB. We’ll have to wait to see what Apple ultimately decides.
Speaking of Apple Intelligence, a new AI-powered Adaptive Power feature arriving with iOS 26 can help conserve the battery by making “small performance adjustments,” like “allowing some activities to take a little longer,” according to Apple. The next iPhone is expected to arrive with the upcoming operating system onboard, but you’ll also be able to download iOS 26 on the iPhone 16, as well as some older iPhones, once it becomes available publicly. That should help to stretch your battery life on either device.
Color options
What’s on the inside may be most important, but people also want to know what fun colors the iPhone 17 could sport. Rumors suggest the upcoming device could come in black, blue, silver, purple and green.
For comparison, the iPhone 16 is available in black, white, pink, teal and ultramarine.
Everything we think we know about the iPhone 17 is still just speculation, so we’ll have to see what Apple unveils this fall.
Should you buy an iPhone 16 now or wait for the iPhone 17?
If you’re in desperate need of a new phone and can’t wait any longer, who am I to stop you? But if you can hang tight until Sept. 9, when Apple is expected to announce the iPhone 17, you can either score the flashy new device or get a discount on the iPhone 16. (In previous years, the company dropped the price on older models by about $100.)
It’s likely the changes between the iPhone 16 and 17 will be relatively modest. Apple tends to debut newer features on its Pro models before eventually rolling them out across the full lineup, like it did with the Dynamic Island on the iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max, and the Action button on the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max. So any shiny new capabilities will likely land on its more premium phones first, such as the rumored antireflective display and redesigned cameras on the iPhone 17 Pro models.
But perhaps the biggest changes could arrive next year with the 20th anniversary of the iPhone, for which Apple is reportedly “preparing a major shake-up” of the phone’s design, according to Bloomberg. That includes a (long-rumored) foldable version and a “bold new Pro model that makes more extensive use of glass.” The iPhone 17 may not even be announced yet, but it’s never too early to be looking even further ahead.
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