Every year there comes a time when the question arises whether to buy an iPhone of the current generation or wait for the next model. In this case, we are talking about the iPhone 15 versus the iPhone 16.
As someone who has been covering Apple products for many years, the easy answer to that (at the time of this writing, mid-July) is to wait.
By conventional wisdom, we're about six to eight weeks away from what will most likely be a September Apple event that will see the debut of the iPhone 16 family, which comprises the standard model, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, and iPhone 16 Pro Max.
While rumors about the iPhone 16 specs and camera don't point to huge improvements, the hype from Apple Intelligence means these could be phones worth waiting for.
On top of that, I predict the iPhone 15 price will drop, meaning even if next-generation Apple phones don't appeal to you, you'll be better off waiting to get an iPhone 15 model at a lower price.
Let's wait for the next generation of the iPhone
If you have an older iPhone, like the iPhone 13, then it's definitely worth waiting for the iPhone 16 and seeing what improvements the phone brings. Even if they're minor compared to the previous generation or two before that, they'll likely be a big step up from what you currently have — you can expect better cameras and overall performance, longer battery life, and a refined design.
And if you tend to upgrade your phone every two years, then it makes perfect sense to wait and upgrade from an iPhone 14 to an iPhone 16.
My prevailing feeling is that once you get past the Amazon Prime Day iPhone deals, which tend to take place in July year after year, it's time to hunker down and hold on to your iPhone (or even one of the best Android phones) until the new iPhones arrive.
It's simply not worth buying a new current-generation iPhone when a new one is coming out so soon that it's likely to bring price cuts to current iPhones.
If you should buy an iPhone right now…
But you may have ended up in a situation where you have to buy a new iPhone – maybe yours fell off a table onto a hard concrete floor and now has a ruined screen, or maybe an impetuous dog thought your iPhone 14 Pro was a high-tech chew toy…
If that is the case, I can recommend three things.
First, consider buying an older iPhone to last you a lifetime, perhaps one that's been refurbished and is available on Amazon – the iPhone 13 is still a great phone and features on our list of the best iPhones. Plus, an iPhone SE is a good stopgap Apple phone and can be used as a secondary smartphone if you decide to upgrade to an iPhone 16.
The second option is to buy a used iPhone 15 or iPhone 14, as these phones are usually refurbished to a near-new level but can be had for significantly cheaper than when they were new.
Thirdly, if you can't stand the above options, simply visit our best iPhone deals page, which will show you attractive discounts on the best-in-class iPhones. And check out the widget below, which will show you the latest iPhone deals wherever you are reading this article.
