Key Takeaways
- The company used to sell only one flagship phone, but now the company has four.
- Apple has long struggled with a successful fourth iPhone.
- There are rumors for a future iPhone 16 Ultra, iPhone 17 Slim, iPhone 17 Air, and an iPhone Flip or Fold.
A conversation I often have with one of my former Apple Store teammates is how much we miss the idea of Apple selling a single flagship iPhone. A remnant of the Steve Jobs era was Apple unveiling one new iPhone model while continuing to sell the previous years at a discounted price. One of Apple CEO Tim Cook’s hallmarks at the company has been his ability to expand the company’s product offerings to suit a wider variety of price points and feature requirements, like screen sizes.
In 2014, Apple introduced the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus, identical phones but with different display sizes. In 2017, Apple unveiled three phones: the iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus, and iPhone X. In 2020, Apple expanded its lineup again with the iPhone 12, iPhone 12 mini, iPhone 12 Pro, and iPhone 12 Pro Max. Then, in 2022, Apple swapped out its mini model with a Plus variety with the iPhone 14 lineup.
Needless to say, Apple has been playing around with and expanding its various iPhone offerings for years now. From what reports tell us, the iPhone 12 and 13 minis didn’t sell well, resulting in their replacement by the iPhone 14 and 15 Plus. Yet, those aren’t selling well, either. Now, we’re hearing rumors that Apple is preparing for the release of an alleged iPhone 16 Ultra. At the same time, the company is reportedly developing an iPhone 17 Slim or iPhone 17 Air, along with an iPhone Flip or iPhone Fold for a release in 2026 or later. Let’s briefly look at each of these possible future iPhones and how they may entice iPhone buyers.
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iPhone 16 Ultra
Expected release: September 2024
Aligning with the Apple Watch Ultra and M2 Ultra chip, an iPhone 16 Ultra is rumored to be positioned as an even more premium iPhone than the iPhone 16 Pro Max. Rumor has it that this iPhone will feature an even bigger 6.9-inch display, making it the largest ever. It’s possible the iPhone 16 Ultra may also have a new, more powerful A18 Pro chip along with storage tiers up to 2TB. It’s also safe to speculate that this phone would have one of the best cameras we’ve ever seen on an iPhone. If we do see a phone like this come out this fall, rest assured, I’ll be giving Apple my credit card yet again.
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iPhone 17 Slim
Expected release: September 2025
What we expect from an iPhone 17 Slim is still a little murky. That’s unsurprising, as the iPhone 16 lineup hasn’t even released yet. What we are expecting is for Apple to release a new, significantly thinner iPhone that we can assume will also be a great deal lighter. This rumored iPhone 17 Slim will likely feature a 6.6-inch display, an A19 processor, and whatever the flagship camera is at launch. Still, the focus of this device will be on its thinness, lightness, and battery life, which will likely serve as an even more premium option above the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max.
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iPhone 17 Air
Expected release: September 2025
Recently, rumors started surfacing that Apple was working on an iPhone 17 Air instead of an iPhone 17 Slim. Rumors are just that — rumors. They change all the time as new information is sourced. While the iPhone 17 Slim is or was expected to be a more premium iPhone, focusing on its thinness, lightness, and battery life to demand a higher price point, new leaks suggest that we’ll instead see a more affordable model.
The hardware rumors for this phone are still widely the same, with a 6.6-inch display and an A19 processor. Some of question marks still surround what the casing material will be, as that can indicate whether we’ll see a premium Slim model or a more price-conscious Air one. Apple executives have stated previously that devices with the Air branding are intended to incorporate pro-level features at a more affordable price. Arguably, the existing base-level iPhones already do that.
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iPhone Fold
Expected release: September 2026 or later
While it’s unclear whether Apple will go with an iPhone Fold or iPhone Flip, the tech giant is expected to release a foldable device by 2026 at the earliest (it’s more likely it could be 2027 or later). Reports indicate that Apple is investigating foldable Macs, iPads, and iPhones internally so we could see another product release before a foldable phone. Arguably, from a functionality and portability perspective, a foldable tablet makes a lot more sense than a foldable phone. However, the practical use case for a foldable is still one of cautious curiosity for me.
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