Apple has unveiled its latest iPhone 16 and 16 Pro lineup, and with pre-orders opening soon, now is the time to decide. Should you upgrade or wait another year? Here are three reasons why you should hold off until the iPhone 17 Air arrives next year.
All-new ultra-thin design
The iPhone 17 Air first entered the rumor world under the name “iPhone 17 Slim” because one of its defining features is its extremely thin new design.
We don’t know exactly how thin it will be, but we expect it will make a big difference.
This year’s M4 iPad Pro was the thinnest device Apple has ever made, and given what Apple has done with the iPad and the physical requirements of a USB-C port, it’s easy to see what the 17 Air will bring to the table.
The new iPhone 16 Pro and 16 Pro Max are each 8.25mm thick, while the 17 Air is expected to be much closer to the iPad Pro’s 5.1mm thickness, which is a significant decrease in thickness.
Upgrade your camera in every way
Apple didn’t change anything about the front camera on the iPhone 16 — all of the improvements were made to the back of the device — but the iPhone 17 series will get a major upgrade to its selfie camera, going from 12MP to 24MP and surely bringing new software features to take advantage of the improvements.
On the flip side, the iPhone 17 Air will have a completely new rear camera design. Instead of a multi-camera system in the top left corner, Apple will place one powerful camera in the top center. Not much is known about the new system at this point, but it will be interesting to see how this major design change affects the rear camera.
Today we get a glimpse into the future
The iPhone 17 Air will revolutionize smartphone design in the same way that the original MacBook Air did for laptops. It may not be as powerful as the 17 Pro model, but it will undoubtedly represent the future.
If the iPhone 16 doesn’t appeal to you, you’ll love next year’s model. While most iPhone models include iterative improvements, every now and again there’s an iPhone X moment. The iPhone 17 Air is poised to bring back the excitement of a new phone, and it might make every other iPhone feel a little outdated.
Bonus: Apple Intelligence will take a while to roll out
For many users, the iPhone 16 series will be their only opportunity to try out Apple Intelligence, as the only older iPhone models that support the new AI features are last year’s iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max.
But Apple’s gradual rollout of AI features may make the wait for the iPhone 17 Air easier: All features announced for Apple Intelligence will be released incrementally over the next year, so waiting until 2025 for an AI-enabled iPhone might not be such a painful experience.
summary
If you need an iPhone now, the iPhone 16 and 16 Pro are very attractive options. But if you’re still undecided or the new models don’t appeal to you, you might want to wait until next year. The iPhone 17 Air is sure to bring that radical change you’ve been looking for in a new smartphone.
Are you waiting for the iPhone 17 Air? Let us know in the comments.
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