Buy an iPhone 16 or Wait for the iPhone 17? Here's How the Phones Might Compare

Apple is expected to debut its next iPhone on Sept. 9. Will it be worth the wait?

Headshot of Abrar Al-Heeti
Abrar Al-Heeti
Aug. 30, 2025 5:00 a.m. PT
5 min read

Apple's iPhone 16
You can get the iPhone 16 now or wait to see what Apple has in store for the fall.
James Martin/CNET
If you're looking to buy a new iPhone right now, 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 during Apple's Sept. 9 event. What's the better route?

With the anticipated launch of the iPhone 17 just weeks 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.