Yes, I double checked the sources Tim Hardwick links to, and clearly it’s his mistake. A20 is likely coming with the 2nm node if everything follows according to the plan.
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5 Reasons to Skip This Year's iPhone 17 Pro
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I'm far from an expert on that, but I heard it's around 12 stops for high dynamic range displays. And that a typical display that most people have is around 8.
i checked and apparently yeah. the visionPro might just do though, with its deeper blacks and 5000nits of peak brightness .
in theory, 5000 nits would be enough for 20 stops, although you'd also need the display to be 16bits to avoid banding
treasure the moment...when i have 0 issues with my smartphone+0 issues with OS i barely update anything
I try to keep it this way 1-2 years without any updates on software or hardware because these days are so many glitches especially on OS..
I’m happy with my iPhone 15 Pro Max. I might stretch to the iPhone 19 Pro Max since my current device is hitting all my needs.
However, if you need (or want) an upgrade, then get the new iPhone when they come out. I don’t need a new iPhone every year, but I understand there are people who still upgrade every 1-2 years and it’s the only device they really use.
However, if you need (or want) an upgrade, then get the new iPhone when they come out. I don’t need a new iPhone every year, but I understand there are people who still upgrade every 1-2 years and it’s the only device they really use.
5 reasons why I might get iPhone 17 Pro :
Apple will launch its new iPhone 17 series in two months, and the iPhone 17 Pro models are expected to get a new design for the rear casing and the camera area. But more significant changes to the lineup are not expected until next year, when the iPhone 18 models arrive.
If you're thinking of trading in your iPhone for this year's latest, consider the following features rumored to be coming to the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max models – as well as a rumored new premium iPhone model for 2026. Taken together, they may just give you pause for thought.
Under-Display Face ID
The iPhone 18 Pro models are expected to feature under-display Face ID, placing the TrueDepth camera beneath the screen – though the front-facing camera will remain visible.
While The Information's Wayne Ma claims these models will ditch the Dynamic Island for a single pinhole cutout, other sources disagree. Display analyst Ross Young and Bloomberg's Mark Gurman both report that the Dynamic Island will still be present, just smaller, contradicting claims of its complete removal.
C2 Modem
Apple plans to include its next-generation C2 modem in the iPhone 18 Pro models, according to supply chain analyst Jeff Pu. The chip will succeed the C1 modem, which debuted in the lower-cost iPhone 16e as Apple's first in-house cellular modem. The C2 is expected to bring faster speeds, improved power efficiency, and support for mmWave 5G in the United States – a feature missing from the C1.
Apple's modem roadmap is part of a long-term strategy to reduce reliance on Qualcomm, which currently supplies 5G modems for the rest of the iPhone lineup. The company has been working on developing its own cellular chips for years, aiming for deeper integration and greater control over power management and performance.
A20 Chip
Apple's upcoming A20 Pro chip, set to power the iPhone 18 Pro models, will reportedly be built using TSMC's third-generation 3nm process – the same node expected for the A19 Pro chip in this year's iPhone 17 Pro, according to analyst Jeff Pu. This suggests that year-over-year performance gains between the A19 Pro and A20 Pro may be modest, at least in terms of raw CPU and GPU improvements.
However, Pu notes that the A20 Pro will feature a more advanced packaging method known as CoWoS (Chip on Wafer on Substrate). This technology enables tighter integration between the processor, unified memory, and the Neural Engine, which could potentially enhance performance in AI-related tasks. The shift could be part of Apple's broader push to support on-device Apple Intelligence features in future iPhones, as the company ramps up its machine learning capabilities.
New Camera Image Sensor
Samsung is working on a new three-layer stacked image sensor, reportedly intended for the iPhone 18. The sensor, referred to as PD-TR-Logic, integrates three layers of circuitry, which would improve camera responsiveness, reduce noise, and increase dynamic range. The leak comes from a source known as "Jukanlosreve," who claims the sensor is being developed specifically for Apple's 2026 iPhone lineup.
Sony has long been Apple's sole image sensor supplier, so Samsung's entry would be a big shift in the iPhone’s camera supply chain. Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo in 2024 said he expected Samsung to begin shipping 48-megapixel Ultra Wide camera sensors to Apple for iPhones as early as 2026, which is when the iPhone 18 Pro models are expected to be released.
2026 Foldable iPhone
Tired of the classic iPhone form factor? Multiple rumors suggest that Apple's first foldable iPhone will launch in the fall of 2026, with the device coming alongside the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max models. Rumors suggest that the foldable iPhone will feature a display that's around 5.5 inches when closed, and 7.8 inches when opened up. It will fold in half like a book, similar to the Galaxy Fold devices, rather than the Galaxy Flip.
The foldable iPhone could be as thin as 4.5mm when unfolded, and 9 to 9.5mm when it's closed, which would make it incredibly thin when used in its full-screen mode. Apple put considerable effort into hinge design, and the device is expected to have almost no visible crease. It will use under-display cameras, though it may feature some kind of Touch ID authentication feature rather than Face ID due to space constraints. It will, of course, be expensive. In the past, Kuo has said he expects Apple to price the foldable iPhone at $2,000 to $2,500, and that was before Apple was facing steep tariffs in China.
With the iPhone 18 lineup, Apple is going to change the way that it releases new iPhones. The more expensive iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max iPhones will launch in the fall of 2026 as usual, alongside the new foldable iPhone, but the more affordable iPhone 18 and iPhone 18e models won't come out until spring 2027.
Article Link: 5 Reasons to Skip This Year's iPhone 17 Pro
- Smaller Dynamic Island (I don’t want it UNDER the display bruh)
- C1, C2 or whatever… The iPhone is very powerful… it’s not a mac btw… and has a good battery (with C1 it will be a lot better also… IK it might be even better with c2 but look it will be ok for me and most users)
- A20 chip? I just said the iPhone is not a mac…
- New sensor doesn’t mean much better image quality
- foldable phone? 1. Too big, 2. Very expensive and 3. I already have ipad… 4. Don’t wanna carry a brick with me, 5 what about MagSafe? Will it work well ? And 6. What if I wanna use it on tripod or dji osmo mobile… ouch I’m cooked…
Let's see what Apple has up its sleeve for the 20th anniversary model in 2027. Until then I am not really interested in the minor upgrades.
Well you have people who only upgrade when their current phone either breaks or doesn't support OS or app updates anymore. I'm not that kind of person. I upgrade when I feel there's enough compelling reasons to do so and to determine that I look at design changes and features. So to stick with your comparison, switching from the XS to the 15 Pro has a massive impact on my day-to-day experience, let alone switching from the 7. There's the display brightness, battery life, USB-C, ProMotion, MagSafe, U1 chip for precision finding, much better front facing camera. There are many other differences but those I mentioned there are all features that actually mean something in my personal use.
Besides the fact that I upgrade on 2 years cycle. The last time (iPhone 16 Pro) one of the main reasons I did was AppleIntelligence. And yeah... No. (personalized Siri was the main reason I wanted a phone capable of running it).
Then I usually update on the "specs" year and not on the "redesign year".
So I'll wait and see if it is going to be a 2 or a 3 years cycle. I'll know in September 2026
Then I usually update on the "specs" year and not on the "redesign year".
So I'll wait and see if it is going to be a 2 or a 3 years cycle. I'll know in September 2026
I have it just because I like the flexibility to be able to upgrade yearly. Which I pretty much have because why not? But unless the heat dissipation and battery life are like, MacBook Pro levels of good, I’m rolling with my 16 Pro Max for another year. I’m holding on to the natural titanium color until upgrades aren’t iterative.
If you follow this advice and wait another year then you will only buy an iPhone after your current one had died or been submerged in salt water since the new iPhone always brings only an incremental upgrade over last year's model. You can't realistically reinvent the wheel with an annual release schedule.
This article ignores the one cold, hard fact: This will be the best iPhone ever and we think you're going to love it.
I was going to get iPhone 17, but now will wait for 18, but then I think I should wait for 19, oh no, but then 20 will be the next one, I will wait for that. Shoot, should I wait for 21?
My 16 Plus meets all of my needs and I am likely to skip both the iPhone 17 and 18 series. Really, the year-over-year “improvements” amount to minutia. Smart phones are a mature product and we’re talking about notch vs hole punch. Honestly, who cares? The Apple modem may work out nicely. But let’s give it a couple of years.
I’ll probably replace my iPhone 13 Pro with a 17 Pro.
Battery is down to 67%, and I reckon an upgrade after 4 years is reasonable.
Could be an expensive Autumn, with the new phone, an Apple Watch 11 to replace my 5, and AirPod Pro 3 to replace my first gen (which survived a cycle through the washing machine).
Thank goodness I got my M4Pro Mini at the start of the year so I’m not tempted to get the M5Pro too!
(I’m pretending to ignore iPads for now, so as not to traumatise my poor credit card)
Battery is down to 67%, and I reckon an upgrade after 4 years is reasonable.
Could be an expensive Autumn, with the new phone, an Apple Watch 11 to replace my 5, and AirPod Pro 3 to replace my first gen (which survived a cycle through the washing machine).
Thank goodness I got my M4Pro Mini at the start of the year so I’m not tempted to get the M5Pro too!
(I’m pretending to ignore iPads for now, so as not to traumatise my poor credit card)
I’m just fine with my 16PM, to be honest I probably also would be if I still had my 13PM.
the 5 year cycle (X to 14 Pro) seems best right now, only actual reason for the newer handsets seems to be spatial video
Cool article. It’s MacRumors after all so it was entertaining to read at the very least.
I skipped 16 series because I disliked that camera button (found it useless), and the biggest phone gave me a lot of issues charging in my car’s wireless charger.
The 15 Pro / Max series is a fantastic phone. Lightweight due to titanium and with a battery health above 81% it is incredibly snappy at least on iOS 18.5 today.
I see no reason to upgrade. I would prefer that the phones have both face and finger ID under the screen like Pixel though.
I skipped 16 series because I disliked that camera button (found it useless), and the biggest phone gave me a lot of issues charging in my car’s wireless charger.
The 15 Pro / Max series is a fantastic phone. Lightweight due to titanium and with a battery health above 81% it is incredibly snappy at least on iOS 18.5 today.
I see no reason to upgrade. I would prefer that the phones have both face and finger ID under the screen like Pixel though.