The main trend in smartphones currently is AI, as exemplified by the AI-packed Google Pixel 9 line, but for iPhone owners, AI might not be such a big deal.

This is according to a survey of over 2,000 US adults that own iPhones, carried out by SellCell (via 9to5Mac).

Despite Apple doing its best to hype Apple Intelligence earlier this year, the survey found that just 21.9% of respondents considered AI to be the most important factor in whether they upgrade, and 82.1% said they would be happy to wait an extra month after launch for the AI features to start rolling out.

So what are the main things that could tempt people to upgrade to an iPhone 16? Well, according to this survey, affordability that’s the main factor, which – since Apple has never been overly known for competitive prices – could be a bad sign for the upcoming phones.

That said, this is still only the top factor for 30.9% of respondents, so there’s no clear consensus on the most important aspect.

In second place there’s the hope of a new thermal design to combat overheating, which is likely a response to the overheating issues some iPhone 15 Pro models initially exhibited.

Then in third place it’s AI, so there is at least some interest in this, and that's followed by a faster chipset, and then the rumored larger screen sizes on the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max.

But while only 19.3% of respondents considered larger screen sizes to be the most important rumored feature of the iPhone 16 line, 54.9% said they would like a larger iPhone, while only 12.9% claimed to be holding out for a new compact model.

Buttons are seemingly boring

The rumored Capture button and the likely presence of the Action button on all four upcoming phones seemingly hasn’t excited many potential purchasers though, with just 19% claiming the latter is the most important factor in their purchase, and 17.7% pointing to the former.

Perhaps unsurprisingly there’s even less interest in Wi-Fi 7 or in a vertical camera lens arrangement for the standard models, but the potential for new iPhone 16 colors was the thing that the fewest respondents saw as the main factor in a potential purchase. Which is fair enough, especially if you’re just going to be putting the phone in a case anyway.

But despite a fairly muted response to some of the most high profile rumored features, 61.9% of respondents said they probably would buy a model in the iPhone 16 line, and among those who claim they won’t the main reasons are the cost, and them being happy with their current iPhone.

Still, while there’s some interesting data here, it’s worth remembering this is a tiny sample size relative to all the people who might consider buying an iPhone 16, and it also only accounts for the US – which is Apple’s biggest market – and only existing iPhone owners. So this definitely won’t tell the whole story.

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We thought we had a good idea of the colors that the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max will land in, but recently we heard that the iPhone 16 Pro colors might include a brown shade rather than the previously rumored rose one. Now, further evidence for this new color has emerged, though it could be more aesthetically pleasing than initially believed.

Posting on X (via 9to5Mac), leaker Majin Bu has shared an image of what appears to be a colored camera lens ring for the iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max. The ring is shown in four different colors, including silver, black, gray, and what appears to be a dark gold or bronze.

That said, Bu mentions a white option rather than a silver one, so it’s not clear whether we’ll see a white iPhone 16 Pro with a silver camera lens housing, or whether their interpretation of the color just differs from ours.

In any case, we’ve heard talk of a white or silver shade, a black shade, and a gray shade (possibly set to be called Natural Titanium) previously, so this is just more evidence that we’ll see those colors. And those colors aren’t overly exciting – not least because versions of them are already available for the iPhone 15 Pro line.

The interesting bit is the dark gold or bronze, which could replace the iPhone 15 Pro’s Blue Titanium shade, and which Bu calls ‘Desert Titanium’. They describe the new shade as “kind of dark gold, similar to the old purple color, relatively discreet and deep.”

This, then, sounds a little like the recently leaked brown shade, but while many dismissed that as boring, if this ends up being more of a dark gold it could prove more appealing.

Gold or rose?

The big question now is whether some version of this brown, bronze, or dark gold shade is coming, or whether we’ll instead see the previously leaked rose option. It’s unlikely that both will land, since Apple usually only offers four shades on its Pro phones.

Credible leaks have pointed to both, but oddly one of the leakers who pointed to a rose iPhone 16 Pro shade included an example image that looked more bronze or gold anyway. So – especially since the claims of a bronze or gold color are more recent – we’re inclined to say that’s more likely than a rose iPhone 16 Pro. 

Either way, though, it sadly looks very unlikely that the iPhone 15 Pro's blue shade will be making a return.

We should find out for sure what colors we'll get soon, as the iPhone 16 Pro release date is likely to be in the first half of September.

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Last month we heard that contactless iPhone payments would be opened up to third-party developers in the European Union, in response to regulatory pressure, and now Apple has announced that the feature is coming in 18.1 – and not just for countries in the EU.

As per Apple's press release, other apps will soon be able to make contactless payments in Australia, Brazil, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, the UK, and the US, with "additional locations to follow". It looks as though this will eventually roll out to most places.

It means other apps will be able to use the NFC (Near Field Communication) and Secure Element (SE) tech built into iPhones to offer contactless in-app payments and transactions that are safe and secure. At the moment, you can only use Apple Pay for these payments, though other apps can read NFC tags.

You'll even be able to swap out the default app that launches when you double-click the side button on the iPhone too. It's a significant opening up of the technology inside Apple's phones that developers have previously been unable to get at.

Sometimes less is more

This covers alternatives to Apple Wallet as well as Apple Pay: car keys, corporate badges, student IDs, home keys, hotel keys, rewards cards, and event tickets are also going to be supported. Apple says government IDs will follow "in the future".

However, developers will have to "enter into a commercial agreement with Apple, request the NFC and SE entitlement, and pay the associated fees". It's not clear exactly what that will entail, but it's clear that there are going to be certain strings attached.

While it's encouraging to see developers getting deeper access to the iPhone and its features, our only worry would be the contactless functionality getting over-complicated – part of its appeal at the moment is that only Apple Pay and Apple Wallet can make full use of the NFC and SE technology, which means you can use those apps without thinking about it.

As with the move to support game emulators on iOS, Apple is taking this action to avoid any further fines or sanctions from lawmakers in the EU. We might hear more at the launch of iOS 18, which is expected to appear next month alongside the iPhone 16.

The iPhone 16 series is likely almost here, with all signs pointing to a September launch. But whether you’ll want to buy one of these phones is another matter entirely, especially given that much bigger upgrades could be coming to the iPhone 17 series next year.

In a note to investors seen by 9to5Mac, analyst Jeff Pu has argued that the iPhone 17 line could prove far more popular than the iPhone 16 series, thanks to numerous upgrades.

Pu claims the iPhone 17 line will include a refreshed design, a new 24MP front-facing camera for every iPhone 17 model – up from 12MP on the current phones – and a new 48MP telephoto camera on the iPhone 17 Pro models, in place of the current 12MP one.

Pu also says the iPhone 17 Pro Max will have a narrower Dynamic Island, and that the Pro models will have 12GB of RAM, up from 8GB currently, which should help to power their AI capabilities.

On top of which, Pu echoes reports that we’ll see a new model in the form of an iPhone 17 Slim or an iPhone 17 Air, which could slot in between the standard and Pro models, and have a much slimmer design than the other iPhone 17 models.

All this, coupled with the fact that, according to Pu, those Apple loyalists who are still using the iPhone 12 will likely be looking to upgrade their phones next year, could lead to a massive sales boost for Apple.

A limited upgrade

As for the iPhone 16 series, Pu echoes Mark Gurman in suggesting that these phones probably won’t excite many people, saying that the iPhone 16 line will have “limited spec upgrades.”

As a reminder, the key rumored upgrades include larger screens for the Pro models, a new camera control button – likely called the Capture button – for the Pro models, the Action button making its way to the standard iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus, a new 48MP ultra-wide camera for the Pro models, a 5x zoom for the iPhone 16 Pro, and a new A18 chipset.

These upgrades aren’t insignificant, clearly, but nor are they likely to be game-changing, and while Pu believes that Apple Intelligence could also tempt some buyers, it apparently won’t be enough to drive strong sales growth.

So this might not be a big year for Apple, and if you’re not desperate for a new phone just yet then it could be worth holding out for the possibly more exciting iPhone 17 line next year.

That said, the iPhone 17 series is still over a year away, so there’s a long time to wait, and with those phones still a long way off we’d take any leaks about them with a serious helping of salt.

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We’ve been hearing for a few months now that Apple is apparently working on adding a thinner iPhone to its lineup. Earlier this month, new details emerged as this slimmed-down device could have a new “iPhone Air” name, and that's now been backed up by Bloomberg's Mark Gurman – along with a few extra details that could have you considering skipping this year's iPhone 16.

As Gurman's Power On newsletter explains, the iPhone 16 update is likely to be relatively minor one (aside from around six mooted upgrades). But the iPhone Air could finally be something a bit different. Apparently coming in 2025, this iPhone could have a much thinner chassis than any existing Apple phone, while retaining most of the specifications of the base-level iPhone 17. 

Importantly, Gurman also says the iPhone Air will sit somewhere between the iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Pro in price (similar to how the original MacBook Air was positioned between the MacBook and the MacBook Pro). That could make it much more tempting than a higher-end iPhone Ultra, an earlier rumor that appears to have died down for now.

All of this could make it a pretty intriguing phone for Apple fans. If you feel like you don’t need the high-end features (or eye-watering price tag) of Apple’s Pro and Pro Max phones but still want something that looks and feels different in your hand, the iPhone Air could absolutely tick those boxes. Particularly if you don't want that svelte frame to wreck your finances.

Compare that to the rumors swirling around this year’s iPhone 16 range and you might find that it’s a good reason to sit on the sidelines for another twelve months. Unless you really need an iPhone this year – or are enticed by any of the iPhone 16’s rumored features – you might do better to wait a while for the iPhone Air to appear.

Breaking the fourth wall

According to Gurman, this is just the start of Apple’s plans. In the future, he says the company wants to bring this slim design to all of its iPhones, including the flagship Pro and Pro Max models – although this likely won’t happen until 2027 at the earliest. But until that day comes, next year’s iPhone Air might be your best opportunity to get an iPhone that feels like the future without costing you Pro Max-level cash.

Of course, there are a lot of questions surrounding the iPhone Air, the biggest of which is whether it will be able to solve the problem of the “fourth iPhone.” Apple has struggled with its iPhone mini and iPhone Plus models, none of which seem to sell particularly well. 

The iPhone Air, on the other hand, could be a great way to attract upgraders because it apparently won't just be a smaller or larger version of the regular iPhone – it's supposedly something entirely different, granting you a cutting-edge design that doesn’t have the price tag of a Pro or Pro Max model.

So, if you’re thinking about getting a new iPhone but aren’t desperate to snap up what the iPhone 16 range has to offer, you might want to wait until next year for the iPhone Air. After so many years of iterative updates, it might just be the iPhone that gets us excited to upgrade again.

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The iPhone 16 and its siblings are sure to boast numerous upgrades over the iPhone 15, but according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman – a journalist and Apple leaker with a strong track record – these phones might not be a massive improvement on their predecessors overall.

To illustrate this prediction, Gurman has highlighted what he considers to be the six main upgrades that are apparently coming to the iPhone 16 line.

You'll find all six rumored upgrades below, along with our thoughts (and Gurman's) on whether they're significant or not.

1. An Action button for all models

One leak we’ve heard numerous times (and that Gurman also highlights) is that all four iPhone 16 models will apparently have an Action button.

This would be a customizable hardware key, though it’s not actually a new feature, since the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max already have an Action button. Instead, this would just be the first time the standard and Plus models get one.

Gurman notes, however, that Apple is adding more customization options to the lock screen and Control Center with iOS 18, which could render the Action button less useful, since you’ll already be able to add various shortcuts to the phone.

This is a fair point, but having shortcuts on a physical button is still arguably faster and better than having them on the lock screen or Control Center. The bigger issue could simply be that, among Apple’s most popular phones (read: the Pro models), the Action button won't be a new feature.

2. A Capture button for the Pro models

Another widely rumored iPhone 16 upgrade is the Capture button, which would be something truly new, as no current iPhone models have one.

Gurman reiterates a previous leak in saying that this Capture button will function like a button on a DSLR camera, with a light press activating the autofocus and a harder press taking a picture. Meanwhile, swiping across the button would let you zoom in and out. The Capture button would allow you to control the video camera too, according to Gurman.

Interestingly, though, Gurman suggests the Capture button might only be included on the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max, while many previous leaks suggested it would come to all four models.

We’re not sure who’s right here, but this will probably be a reasonably big upgrade for whatever phones do get it. How interesting it really is, though, will depend on how passionate you are about photography.

3. Bigger Pro screens

We’ve also repeatedly heard that the iPhone 16 Pro will have a 6.3-inch screen (up from 6.1 inches on the iPhone 15 Pro), while the iPhone 16 Pro Max will have a 6.9-inch display (up from 6.7 inches on the previous model).

This should make for a noticeable increase that’s handy if you want to watch videos on your phone or do other things where a larger screen is desirable, but it will be less useful if you want a high-end phone that’s not also massive.

4. Apple Intelligence

Apple Intelligence is the name of Apple’s upcoming set of AI features, and this isn’t exclusive to the iPhone 16 line, as it will also work on the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max.

Despite that – and despite the fact that Apple Intelligence probably won’t arrive until after the iPhone 16 series launches – this is likely to be one of the main selling points of the new phones.

Gurman, though, is skeptical about how interesting the initial Apple Intelligence features will be, and argues that, alone, they probably won’t be a reason to upgrade.

5. New colors

As ever, there are sure to be some new iPhone colors this year, with Gurman noting that the iPhone 15 Pro’s blue shade will be replaced with a rose gold option this year.

That’s something we’ve heard before, with previous leaks suggesting the iPhone 16 Pro Max and iPhone 16 Pro colors will include black, white, rose, and gray, while the iPhone 16 Plus and iPhone 16 colors will include black, green, pink, blue, and white. There's a small chance that we'll see yellow and purple shades offered, too.

For the most part, though, these colors are similar to what you’ll find on the iPhone 15 line, so it’s not the most exciting selection.

6. More power

Finally, Gurman notes that the iPhone 16 line will have a new A18 chipset. He doesn’t say whether every model will use that chipset, though, and we’ve heard elsewhere that the Pro models might use an A18 Pro instead.

Still, even if the base models only get a standard A18 (or even last year’s A17 Pro) that would make for a power upgrade for all four models. All four phones will reportedly have 8GB of RAM, too, as this capacity is supposedly required for Apple Intelligence to function. That would be a 2GB upgrade for the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus, but no change for the Pro models.

More power is always appreciated, but the current iPhones are already highly capable devices, and other than their respective AI smarts, you might struggle to tell much difference in the performance of these upcoming phones.

A quiet year for Apple

With all that in mind, Gurman could have a point in saying that this year’s iPhones might not drive record sales numbers. But next year could be a bigger one for the company, with both the iPhone SE 4 and the iPhone 17 Air reportedly planned.

Still, if you’re currently rocking an iPhone that’s a few years old, or in less-than-ideal condition, then a model in the iPhone 16 line could well be worth buying.

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Since its inception, the idea behind the iPhone SE has been to provide a much more affordable way into the Apple phone family – although it wouldn’t be correct to call the SE ‘cheap’. According to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, that tradition will continue with the upcoming fourth generation iPhone SE set to launch in "the beginning of 2025" – and the new model will also pack enough punch to run Apple’s on-device AI smarts, aka Apple Intelligence.

While it perhaps shouldn't be shocking that a new iPhone will include one of Apple's biggest marketing points, the demanding hardware requirements of Apple Intelligence made it anything but certain. This year’s iPhone 16 will obviously have enough horsepower to drive the new AI, but only two older handsets will be compatible: the iPhone 15 Pro and 15 Pro Max. 

While speaking at WWDC 2024, Apple’s Senior VP of Machine Learning John Giannandrea said that you "could in theory run these models on a very old device", but due to the bandwidth, size of the ANE (Apple Neural Engine) and "oomph in the device", "it would be so slow it would not be useful" – which is why Apple Intelligence is exclusive to the most powerful iPhones.

So if Bloomberg's report that we can bet the iPhone SE "will have Apple Intelligence" is correct, that not only means you won't need to pay for flagship rates for AI access, it also means the iPhone SE 4 will be at least as powerful as the iPhone 15 Pro.

Apple Intelligence and the power associated with it isn't the only new rumor that's got us excited to see the new budget model, either.

There have been mixed reports about its design, with some suggesting the iPhone SE could look near-identical to the iPhone XR. It seems the latest rumor, at least according to Bloomberg, is that the iPhone SE will look very similar to the iPhone 14, with a 6.1-inch OLED display that covers the entire screen. 

Now, how much Apple Intelligence actually matters to normal people is questionable – but having the power and snappy performance needed to handle that AI functionality suggests the next iPhone SE will offer great bang for buck regardless. 

The most recent 2022 iPhone SE 2022 launched at $429 / £419 / AU$719 but if the rumors are true, the iPhone SE 4 could see at least a small price increase – although with Apple continuing to sell multiple generations of older iPhones it honestly doesn’t have a lot of wiggle room if it wants to maintain the SE’s position as the entry-level option. Moreover, even if the price were to increase to around $529 / £499 / AU$900, it would still be considerably cheaper than the next nearest AI-compatible handset, with the iPhone 15 Pro currently costing $999 / £999 / AU$1,849. 

If the iPhone SE performs better than an iPhone 15, looks like an iPhone 14 and doesn't lose sight of its base objective of affordability, it will be one hell of an upgrade to an SE line of phone's that we were starting to think Apple had abandoned. While we’re unlucky to nail down specifics, we should get some answers in September.

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Back in June, a host of new Apple Intelligence features were unveiled, AI powers for iOS, iPadOS, and macOS. While we're still waiting for these updates to hit devices, it seems as though Apple has plans for plenty more AI upgrades in the future.

As spotted by The Mac Observer, a newly filed Apple patent outlines a number of ideas for the Journal app that now comes on the iPhone. Launched in December as part of iOS 17.2, the app enables you to keep a personal diary of your comings and goings.

The patent document suggests that the Journal app is going to offer more prompts for what users could write about: workouts, photos, or events that are logged in a calendar, for example. This is where Apple Intelligence could come in.

If you've used the Journal app, you'll already know that it offers some basic writing prompts based on your day, but it looks as though Apple wants to make the feature more proactive and smarter when it comes to making suggestions.

Interface changes

Furthermore, you might be able to get some AI assistance when it comes to actually writing in your journal. You could be asked about how the food was at a restaurant visit, for example, or how your run went, if those activities have been detected.

It also seems that some interface changes are coming to the Journal app, with widgets for the iOS homescreen and a new view option that displays your memories as a flow of text and images – not unlike a social media feed.

What we don't get here is any indication that the Journal app will be heading to the iPad or to macOS in the near future – so for the time being, all of your tracking and musing is going to have to be done on an iPhone.

While Apple has announced new features coming to the Journal app with iOS 18, they're not the ones mentioned in this patent. As always though, patents are no guarantee that features will actually launch – they just show ideas that companies are exploring.

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With its Siri overhaul, image-generation abilities, and photo-editing tools, Apple Intelligence – Apple’s upcoming suite of AI features – could be more exciting than iOS 18 itself, but according to one report it might also be rather expensive.

According to Neil Shah, a partner at Counterpoint Research, speaking to CNBC, Apple Intelligence probably won’t be a free offering, with Apple charging $10-$20 (around £8-£16 / AU$15-AU$30) for some of the more advanced features within Apple Intelligence.

Shah didn’t specify which features might be charged and which might be free, but we can imagine that perhaps the upgraded version of Siri or the ChatGPT integration would come at a cost.

He added that if Apple does charge, it might bundle its Apple Intelligence features into an Apple One tier, so you’d be getting other things for your money too, like iCloud storage and potentially subscriptions to services like Apple TV Plus and Apple Music.

AI also costs money elsewhere

That would be a similar bundle to what Google offers with its Google One AI Premium plan, which provides access to its Gemini Advanced AI service, along with cloud storage and Fitbit Premium.

So there’s precedent for this sort of bundle, and there’s certainly precedent for charging for AI, with OpenAI charging for the most advanced ChatGPT model.

Shah also pointed out that AI would give Apple a chance to further lock its customer base into Apple products, since Apple Intelligence can learn from a user’s behavior over time, becoming more personalized, and you wouldn’t be able to bring that model with you from iOS to Android.

As it becomes more personalized, you’d likely use it more too, becoming more reliant on it, and therefore happier to pay.

Of course, Apple would have to get past the initial hurdle of convincing people to sign up in the first place, but it’s easy to imagine that it might provide Apple Intelligence for free for a period of time with purchases of an iPhone 16 or other devices.

All of this is really just speculation though, and we likely won’t know Apple’s plans for Apple Intelligence until the service launches, which it probably won’t until October. Before that, there’s the iPhone 16 line itself to look forward to, with a September launch likely, and TechRadar will cover all of these announcements in full as they happen.

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The iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max are sure to excel in numerous ways, from powerful chipsets to capable cameras and beyond, but will their colors impress?

Typically, Apple just offers a small number of color choices for its Pro phones, and these are usually quite smart and understated.

So will this trend continue for the iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max? Or will Apple offer a wider and brighter selection? We don’t know for sure yet, but thanks to leaks we have a good idea.

The colors below have all been tipped as possible shades, and in the past Apple has offered the same selection of colors on the Pro model as on the Pro Max. So we assume that if any of the below shades are offered, they’ll be offered on both the iPhone 16 Pro and the iPhone 16 Pro Max.

Rose

Starting with arguably the most interesting of the rumored iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max colors, rose has been mentioned both by leaker ShrimpApplePro, and in a later iPhone 16 Pro colors leak by Ming-Chi Kuo (a leaker with a great track record).

This shade is interesting for a couple of reasons. First, it’s likely to be the brightest and most playful of the iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max shades from what we’ve heard so far, and secondly it’s not a color that you can get the iPhone 15 Pro or iPhone 15 Pro Max in.

That said, Apple is no stranger to offering pink or rose gold shades on some of its other phones, so we can take a look at those for an indication of how this rose shade might look. The pink iPhone 15 above for example is one possibility, though the leak from ShrimpApplePro suggests this might have more of a yellow or bronze coloring.

Gray / Natural Titanium

Next, we have a gray shade, which has been leaked by the same two sources and according to Ming-Chi Kuo might be sold as Natural Titanium.

That’s a color you can already get the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max in, as you can see above, so it might be a similar color to that. That said, a leaked image of iPhone 16 Pro dummy units in three different shades (which you can also see above) shows a slightly darker take on the color.

In either case, aside from the fact that it was used last year this is quite an unusual color for a phone, but it’s a smart, understated shade in line with the colors Apple tends to choose for its Pro phones.

White / silver

Now we’re coming to the more conventional rumored colors, with white (or possibly silver) being next up.

Specifically, ShrimpApplePro has mentioned a white shade, though they claim it might be similar to the silver iPhone 14 Pro, pictured above. Though despite the name that’s more white than silver anyway. 

Ming-Chi Kuo claims that this rumored shade might be silver rather than white, but again, Apple’s take on silver is often quite white anyway.

We’ve also seen how it might look in a leaked photo of iPhone 16 Pro Max dummy units, which you can see further up, and this again shows a distinctly white shade.

Space Black

Finally, there’s a rumored black shade, which ShrimpApplePro claims might be similar to the Space Black iPhone 14 Pro, pictured above, and it’s a color that’s also been mentioned by Ming-Chi Kuo.

However, rather than the iPhone 14 Pro’s take, this might be an even darker, deeper black going by the leaked iPhone 16 Pro Max dummy units photo further up.

In any case though, black is an enduringly popular color choice, which won’t turn heads but won’t look out of place anywhere either.

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Apple’s top phone right now is the iPhone 15 Pro Max, but not for long, as next month we expect the iPhone 16 Pro and the iPhone 16 Pro Max to launch – alongside the lower end iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus.

Apple hasn’t confirmed this just yet, let alone revealed exactly what date the launch will happen on, but between leaks and the company’s typical patterns we can take a very good guess – right down to not just the day, but the hour.

Below then, you’ll find our guess for when the iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max will launch, along with our reasoning, and when we think the phones will go up for pre-order and ultimately ship.

When will the iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max be announced?

• Predicted announcement date: September 10
• Predicted announcement timing: 10am PT / 1pm ET / 6pm BST, or 3am AEST on September 11

Guessing the month that we’ll see the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max is easy, because with very few exceptions, Apple always announces its new flagship phones in September.

When it does break with that tradition there’s usually a good reason, such as a pandemic or a major software feature that won’t be ready in time.

But a report in May suggested that iPhone 16 production was on schedule, so there aren’t many reasons to think there might be a delay. The only small thing to note is that Apple Intelligence has been delayed to iOS 18.1, which will probably launch in October. But according to Mark Gurman – who’s got a great track record for iPhone information – Apple won’t delay the iPhone 16 line to launch with this.

Gurman even gets more specific and says that he’s heard the iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max will launch at around the same time in the year as the previous models, with September 10 looking the most likely.

For reference, the iPhone 15 Pro series landed on September 12 of last year, but this year September 12 is a Thursday, and Apple usually uses a Tuesday to announce its new phones, so September 10 (a Tuesday) is a likely candidate.

There’s also a chance that we could see the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max on Tuesday, September 3, Wednesday, September 4, or Wednesday, September 11, as Wednesdays are occasionally used, but the company almost always sticks to the first two weeks of September.

However, with Gurman having such a good track record we’d say September 10 is looking the most likely of those dates.

As for what time the launch event will kick off, based on past form it will probably start at 10am PT / 1pm ET / 6pm BST, which is 3am AEST on September 11 for those in Australia.

When will iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max pre-orders open?

• Predicted pre-order date: September 13

We can go by Apple’s typical patterns here too, as the company almost always opens pre-orders for its new phones the Friday of the week they’re announced.

So if they’re announced on September 10 as we predict, or on September 11 as is also possible, then pre-orders will most likely open on Friday, September 13.

In the slightly less likely but still very possible event that the phones are announced on September 3 or 4, then you’ll probably be able to pre-order the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max on Friday, September 6.

When will the iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max ship?

• Predicted shipping date: September 20

The date when a pre-ordered iPhone 16 Pro or iPhone 16 Pro Max will arrive on your doorstep is similarly predictable, as this is usually a week after pre-orders open.

So if pre-orders open on September 13 (as we predict) then the phones will probably ship on Friday, September 20. That’s our best guess, but it’s also possible that they’ll ship on September 13, if they go up for pre-order on September 6.

There’s an outside chance that Apple will deviate from its usual pre-order or release date patterns, but there’s no current reason to think it will this year.

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The iPhone 16 line is almost here, but some leakers are already looking towards the iPhone 17, and the most intriguing thing we’ve heard about next year's series is that there could be an iPhone 17 Slim – or, according to the latest leak, an iPhone 17 Air.

This comes from FrontPageTech (via NotebookCheck), which claims that the slimmer iPhone model that’s previously been leaked by a couple of sources may land as the iPhone 17 Air.

It’s a name that makes sense, since Apple already has an iPad Air line that sits between the base iPads and the Pro models, and which at one time was positioned as being a slim option (although the latest model isn’t as thin as the latest iPad Pro). The MacBook Air is similarly positioned as a slim device.

FrontPageTech has also shared some renders they’ve created of the supposed design of the iPhone 17 Air, and these show a somewhat familiar iPhone design, complete with a Dynamic Island, but with a noticeably slimmer build, and just one rear camera.

The source reiterates some previously leaked specs in saying that it may use less titanium in its frame than the Pro models, and may not have the best chipset available in next year’s iPhones, with it reportedly set to use an A19 chipset rather than the A19 Pro that the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max will likely ship with.

However, the iPhone 17 SlimAir could be around 5mm thick. For reference, the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus are 7.8mm thick, and the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max are 8.3mm thick, so that would make the iPhone 17 Air substantially slimmer.

FrontPageTech also reiterates some screen specs that have leaked elsewhere, saying the iPhone 17 Air may have a 6.6-inch, 1,260 x 2,740 screen, making it a similar size to the 6.7-inch, 1,290 x 2,796 iPhone 15 Plus.

A problematic price

However, one previous leak that FrontPageTech disputes is that the iPhone 17 Air will cost $1,299 (around £1,020 / AU$2,015). This high price was put forward by leaker @UniverseIce posting on Weibo, but FrontPageTech argues that with the rumored specs – and particularly if it does launch with the ‘Air’ name – it would make much more sense as a mid-range model, and should be priced accordingly.

That said, we’d take the iPhone 17 Air name with a pinch of salt, as it sounds like this is in large part speculation. But one thing’s for sure – the rumored specs (5mm thickness aside) don’t line up with a $1,299 price tag. So, at least some of what we’ve heard about this phone is almost certainly wrong.

Hopefully, things will become clearer soon, but with the iPhone 17 Air – or Slim – unlikely to land for over a year, we might not have much clarity for a while.

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