5 Reasons to Wait for the iPhone 16 & 5 Reasons Not To

iPhone 16 rumors are hinting at some significant upgrades and that might have some shoppers thinking about waiting for Apple’s 2024 iPhone.

Many people will be perfectly fine buying an iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Pro or another model right now or in the weeks ahead. On the other hand, some people might want to wait and see what the company has up its sleeves for 2023 and beyond.

The current iPhone lineup and upcoming iPhone 15 series are certainly worth considering, but others may want to take a rain check and wait for the 2024 iPhones, also known as iPhone 16.

Despite the launch being over a year away, iPhone 16 rumors have swirled for much of 2023 and they’ve outlined some intriguing changes which may, or may not, include an extremely high-end iPhone model dubbed iPhone 16 Ultra.

This new iPhone Ultra could be positioned above the iPhone Pro line as a powerful, and expensive, alternative to Apple’s iPhone Pro models.

Of course, we’re still more than a year away from Apple’s announcements which means the company’s plans can, and probably will, change as development progresses behind the scenes.

That being said, what we’ve heard about the iPhone 16 puts those of you in the market for a new device in 2023 and 2024 in an interesting position: Buy now or wait?

In this guide we’ll take you through the best reasons to wait for the iPhone 16 and the best reasons to go with another device long before the 2024 iPhones arrive on shelves.

Wait for the iPhone 16 Ultra

As of right now, the iPhone Pro Max is Apple’s highest-end iPhone model. That could change in 2024 according to a source who is almost always accurate with his information.

In his Power On newsletter, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman says Apple might add an even higher-end iPhone Ultra above its Pro models in 2024.

It’s unclear how Apple might do this exactly, but Gurman believes it might come down to the iPhone 16 Ultra having an even faster chip, an even bigger display, additional improvements to the camera, and possible even a port-less design, meaning, no USB-C or Lightning ports.

Apple already does this with the Apple Watch Ultra, its high-end Apple Watch, which offers additional improvements at an added cost.

This is all clearly still in flux which means we may not see this change until 2025 or later. That being said, if a really high-end, premium iPhone is something you’d be interested in, you might want to skip the iPhone 15 series and hold onto your current device until next year.

Wait for Bigger Screens

According to display analyst Ross Young, the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max will have larger displays. If true, they will be the largest ever for an iPhone.

Young believes the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max will come with 6.27-inch and 6.86-inch display sizes, respectively. The iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max have 6.12-inch and 6.69-inch displays.

Young says these changes will be exclusive to the Pro models and the lower-end iPhone 16 models are expected to keep the same screen sizes (6.1-inches and 6.7-inches). A well-known leaker on Twitter backs up Young’s claims.

He also believes Apple will also change the aspect ratio on the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max which will make the devices a bit taller than their predecessors.

You can get a sense for these potential changes via these CAD images of the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max/Ultra from 9to5Mac.

So, if you’ve wanted an even bigger display on your iPhone, you might want to hold off on an upgrade this year and wait for the iPhone 16 series.

Wait for Solid State Buttons

Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo believes Apple’s working on a “solid-state button design” that’s similar to the home button design on the company’s iPhone 7, iPhone 8, iPhone SE 2, and iPhone SE 3. It would replace the current mechanical button design.

Kuo says “Taptic Engines located on the internal left and right sides to provide force feedback to make users feel like they are pressing physical buttons.” Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman also believes Apple is working on haptic volume buttons.

Initially, it looked like these features were coming on board the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max. but Apple’s plans have changed.

According to Kuo, these features have been pushed back due to unresolved technical issues. Kuo believes the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max will both have traditional buttons.

Another source who has been accurate with information in the past also says these features have been cancelled for the iPhone 15 Pro models.

Analysts Jeff Pu and Shelly Chou believe these changes have been pushed to the iPhone 16 series. Gurman says Apple has been “wavering” on the change, but that as of right now, it’s likely coming on board the iPhone 16.

Supplier Cirrus Logic says it has “limited knowledge” of Apple’s plans at this time which suggests the change isn’t guaranteed to come next year.

Wait for Performance Improvements

Expect the iPhone 16 series to come equipped with a new processor, but performance improvements will likely go beyond that.

According to Ming-Chi Kuo, Apple might have support for Wi-Fi 7. According to the Wi-Fi Alliance, the standard could provide speeds up to 30Gbps.

It also says it will “support reduced latency and jitter for time sensitive networking applications including AR/VR, 4K and 8K video streaming, automotive, cloud computing, gaming and video applications.”

Wait for More iPhone 16 Info

If you’re on the fence about whether to buy a new device this year or wait for iPhone 16, you may want to wait for the fog to clear a bit.

As of right now we don’t a whole lot about the iPhone 16 series. As we noted before, Apple’s plans often change during the development process so feature you hear about now may not make the cut into the final product.

As the year goes on, we’ll start to hear more about the iPhone 16’s other specs and perhaps get a much clearer picture about what to expect from the 2024 iPhone models.

So if you aren’t in a hurry, it might be in your best interest to hang back and follow both iPhone 15 and iPhone 16 rumors. They will help you set proper expectations and help you make a well-informed decision regarding your next phone.

Don’t Wait If You Can’t Wait to Buy Until Late 2024

Apple won’t launch an iPhone 16 in 2023. The company will instead launch four iPhone 15 modes (iPhone 15, iPhone 15 Plus, iPhone 15 Pro, and iPhone 15 Pro Max) in the fall.

While the iPhone 16 series is exciting, its arrival on shelves is more than a year away. Assuming Apple sticks to protocol, you can expect the iPhone 16 models to arrive in September, 2024. 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 2024 to bridge the gap between the iPhone 15 series and iPhone 16 series. The iPhone SE series serves as Apple’s budget line.

Don’t Wait for Under-Display Face ID

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

We’ve heard about this change numerous times in the past. And while it will probably miss the iPhone 15 Pro models, we could see it emerge on board the high-end iPhone 16 variants.

In a tweet, analyst Ming-Chi Kuo says he thinks a “real full-screen iPhone will come in 2024. High-end iPhones in 2024 would adopt an under-display front camera alongside the under-display Face ID.” Korean publication The Elec also believes the iPhone 16 Pro will come with embedded Face ID.

Unfortunately, not everyone thinks these changes will come next year. While display analyst Ross Young initially believed the technology would come in 2024 on the iPhone 16 Pro models, he’s changed his stance and now says the feature has been pushed to the iPhone 17 Pro.

Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman believes Apple will eventually “fully embed Face ID and the front-facing camera into the display itself” but that 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.

We trust Young and Gurman so there’s a good chance these changes miss the iPhone 16 series and arrive on the iPhone 17 models in 2025 instead.

Don’t Wait for a Foldable iPhone 16

Apple might be working on a foldable version of the iPhone, but it sounds like the device won’t be ready until 2025.

We’ve seen patents hint at a foldable iPhone but this doesn’t confirm anything. One patent reveals plans for a protective layer that will help prevent cracking on foldable displays.

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.

As for analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, he believes “Apple may launch its first foldable product in 2025 at the earliest, which may be a foldable iPad or a hybrid of iPad & iPhone.”

Kuo says Apple is currently testing Chinese company E Ink’s Electronic Paper Display (EPD) for “future foldable device’s cover screen & tablet-like applications.”

He thinks Apple will launch a foldable iPad in 2024 ahead of a foldable iPhone. Kuo says the device will feature a carbon fiber kickstand. This has been disputed by Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman and analyst Ross Young.

Young once said a foldable iPhone wasn’t “expected until 2023 at the earliest” with 2024 more likely. Young has followed this up with a new report that suggests the foldable iPhone has been delayed until 2025.

So at this point you should operate on the assumption that Apple’s foldable iPhone will miss 2023 and probably 2024 as well.

If a foldable device interests you, you should check out Samsung’s Galaxy Z series. You can learn more about Samsung’s foldable devices in the video above.

Don’t Wait for a Periscope Lens on Base Models

This may not be a deal-breaker for a lot of shoppers, but it’s something to keep in mind while you decide what to do.

The iPhone 15 Pro Max will reportedly come with a new periscope lens which could offer enhanced optical zoom, somewhere in the range of 5x to 10x. This would be a big improvement over what current iPhones offer.

Unfortunately, the feature will likely be limited to the iPhone 15 Pro Max. According to Ming-Chi Kuo, this could be the case next year as well. Kuo believes only the highest-end iPhone 16 model will have a periscope lens on board.

If this happens, it would break tradition. When Apple introduces a new exclusive feature, it typically brings said feature to next-generation models.

That apparently won’t be the case with the iPhone 16 series which could prove frustrating given the size, and price, of the highest-end model.

Don’t Wait If You Find a Phone You Love

If you find a phone you really like between now and the fall of 2024, don’t let iPhone 16 rumors hold you back.

We’ve already touched on the rumored iPhone 15 which is set for release this fall. And again, Apple is also expected to launch a new iPhone SE 4 in 2024. The iPhone 15 will definitely be out before the iPhone 16 and the iPhone SE 4 should be as well.

We should also see retailers start to offer some really nice iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Pro deals in the coming months as supply recovers. We’ve also seen numerous iPhone 13 series, iPhone 12 mini, iPhone 12, iPhone 12 Pro, iPhone 12 Pro Max, and iPhone SE 3 deals.

If you aren’t married to the iPhone you’ll also want to take a look at devices like the Galaxy S23 series, Galaxy S22 series, and Google’s Pixel 7.

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 16 series arrives on shelves.

Wait for Design Changes

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Last year, Apple introduced a brand new pill-shaped notch the company calls Dynamic Island. Unfortunately, this change is only available on the company's high-end iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max models. That will likely change this year. Analyst Ross Young believes Apple could bring Dynamic Island to the lower-end iPhone 15 models. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman does as well. Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo says the iPhone 15's proximity sensor will be integrated into Dynamic Island. The proximity sensor on the iPhone 14 Pro models is under the display outside of Dynamic Island. This could lead to Face ID improvements. This might give some of you considering Apple's iPhone 14 or iPhone 14 Plus a reason to hold out and wait for the new models. On the flip side, Young doesn't think the standard iPhone 15 models will get 120Hz/LTPO like the iPhone 15 Pro models. This haas been backed up by another source who says the iPhone 15/iPhone 15 Plus won't get ProMotion and Always-On display capabilities.  We've heard the the iPhone 15 Max's design will be made out of titanium as opposed to stainless steel. Leaker ShrimpApplePro claims early information suggests Apple is indeed working on a titanium design. The leaker says the design may also incorporate curved rear edges and a glass back. In a newer tweet, the leaker says the iPhone 15 Pro models will "have thinner bezels" with curved edges. The display is reportedly still flat, however. ShrimpApplePro says additional sources now agree with the information and that the bezels on the iPhone 15 Pro models will indeed be thinner. In a tweet, well-known leaker Ice Universe says the iPhone 15 Pro Max will break the record for thinnest bezels on a smartphone. The record is currently held by the Xiaomi 13. Front glass panels for the iPhone 15 series have apparently leaked and they depict thinner bezels on the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max.  Analyst Jeff Pu from Haitong International Securities also believes the company is working to deliver a new titanium design. So does Gurman. We've seen an iPhone 15 Pro dummy unit leak on the Chinese version of TikTok and it gives us a glimpse at what the device might look like. CAD images of the iPhone 15 Pro from 9to5Mac also show us what the final product could look like.  We've also heard the iPhone 15 Pro might have a multi-use action button instead of a mute button. This button would probably work like it does on the Apple Watch Ultra in that it will allow users to map it to different functions. You can see it in AppleInsider's video above.

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