Apple's upcoming iPhone lineup is the most exciting we've seen in years
Over the past few years, Apple's iPhone releases have offered incremental improvements. A slight redesign here, some moderate camera improvements there, and so on and so forth. Still, Apple's iPhone has remained incredibly popular and a money-making machine. During the last holiday quarter, for example, the iPhone alone generated nearly $70 billion in revenue for Apple. All the while, critics and tech pundits who have incessantly been shouting that 'the iPhone has peaked' have been proven wrong time and time again.
The reason why Apple's iPhone continues to impress is partially due to the fact that consumers today are holding onto their iPhones for longer than ever before. The end result is that most users aren't looking at the iPhone 17 and comparing it to the iPhone 16. Rather, prospective users are looking at the iPhone 17 and comparing it to devices like the iPhone 11, 12, or 13. So, while iPhone improvements are admittedly incremental from year to year, those improvements are all the more drastic when compounded together. This, coupled with the stickiness of the iOS platform, is why Apple has managed to keep iPhone sales robust despite an avalanche of skepticism from naysayers
Today's Top Deals
XGIMI Prime Day deals feature the new MoGo 4 and up to 42% off smart projectors
Best deals: Tech, laptops, TVs, and more sales
Best Ring Video Doorbell deals
Apple's upcoming iPhone lineup is intriguing
Looking ahead, Apple's iPhone roadmap is more intriguing and exciting than it's ever been. If you've been underwhelmed by the last few iPhone releases, there's good news on the horizon. Over the next few years, Apple is poised to launch some of its most innovative and groundbreaking iPhone models yet. Indeed, it's fair to say that upcoming iPhone models will arguably introduce a level of innovation we haven't seen since Apple introduced the iPhone X back in 2017.
Now, you might be wondering: Why is it taking Apple so long to deliver a game-changing new iPhone? Well, the answer is that revolutionary products, by definition, don't show up every single year. It's what makes them so special when they do. It's easy to forget that revolutionary new products take time, an ungodly amount of R&D, and typically involve design and testing schedules can sometimes stretch out for years. All that said, let's take a closer look at why Apple's upcoming iPhone roadmap is incredibly exciting.
iPhone Fold enters the fray
Without question, the most intriguing iPhone model on Apple's product roadmap is a foldable iPhone. We've seen reports and rumors of a foldable iPhone for years, but it's starting to look like the release of such a device is more a matter of when than if.
According to reports, Apple's take on a foldable iPhone will be more akin to Samsung's Galaxy Fold than the Galaxy Z Flip. In other words, Apple's foldable smartphone will open up into a large-screened tablet style device as opposed to a flip phone. Consequently, it stands to reason that the selling point for Apple's device will be more about productivity and entertainment than compactness.
Of course, it's no secret that Apple typically doesn't enter a new market unless it can deliver a best-in-class device. In other words, there's a strong chance that Apple's foldable iPhone will be decidedly better than anything on the market. To that end, a new report from analyst Ming-Chi Kuo reveals that Apple's foldable iPhone will not suffer from a creased display.
According to my latest industry survey, Apple has chosen Samsung Display (SDC)'s creaseless display design over its own internal solution to ensure mass production of the foldable iPhone in the second half of 2026.
The display metal plate is one of the key components for achieving a creaseless design. The main cause of creases in foldable displays stems from stress concentration due to repeated bending, which leads to material fatigue and permanent deformation. Metal plates help distribute and manage the stress generated during bending, reducing the risk of exceeding the material's elastic limit and thereby minimizing crease formation.
This is promising news, to be sure. As intriguing as Samsung's foldable smartphones are, they suffer from visible creasing after heavy use. Some Samsung users have even noticed a crease forming after just a few weeks.
Specs wise, little is known about the rumored iPhone Fold, save for rumblings that it will feature a 7.8-inch display. As for a release date, there are now reports pointing to a 2026 launch. It's also possible that it may ship in 2027 to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the original iPhone. Note that Apple typically tries to release new products to commemorate big anniversary dates. The two most notable examples include the 20th anniversary Mac released in 1997 and the redesigned iPhone X released in 2017 to mark 10 years of the iPhone.
iPhone 17 Air to arrive before the iPhone Fold
Before the iPhone Fold arrives, we can look forward to the iPhone 17 Air. Set for release later this year, Apple's rumored iPhone 17 Air will reportedly be the thinnest iPhone ever. It will reportedly be 5.5mm thick. This would make it drastically thinner than the iPhone 6, which was 6.9mm thick.
What's more, the iPhone 17 Air will be impressively light. Rumor has it that the device will weigh just 145 grams. To compare, note that this is even less than the iPhone SE 2, which weighs 148 grams. Other specs include a 6.6-inch 120Hz ProMotion display, a titanium-aluminum hybrid frame, Apple's latest A19 processor, and 12GB of RAM. Put differently, the iPhone 17 Air will be closer to an iPhone Pro than to the entry-level model. One other rumor we've seen suggests that Apple's ultra-thin iPhone will ship with the company's C1 modem. Recall that the C1 modem is an Apple-designed modem that made its debut on the recently released iPhone 16e.
A video alleging to show what the iPhone 17 Air form factor looks like can be seen below:
The removal of the Dynamic Island
Last but not least, we have rumors that future iPhone models will completely eliminate the Dynamic Island. Specifically, all of the sensors, including the camera, will reportedly be embedded beneath the display. The end result is an all-screen iPhone.
According to reports, we may see this type of device as soon as 2027. And who knows, perhaps it will be the defining feature of the aforementioned iPhone Fold. Or, perhaps it will simply be a core feature of the regular iPhone 19 lineup.
Either way, it's clear that the current iPhone design won't be around forever. All told, with the iPhone Fold, the iPhone Air, and the removal of the Dynamic Island, Apple's iPhone roadmap is incredibly strong and intriguing. If you've been bored by recent iPhone releases, the next few years will seemingly be much more exciting.
More Top Deals
Memorial Day security camera deals: Reolink's unbeatable sale has prices from $29.98
See the
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
CNN
17 minutes ago
- CNN
Apple back-to-school deals on iPads, AirPods and Apple Watches
Back-to-school season is here, and so are the Apple deals. Whether you're just looking to cash in on these seasonal price cuts for yourself or outfit the student in your life with a new MacBook, some of the best discounts of the year are up for the taking. I've searched the web and found 26 of the most notable offers on the company's latest and best-tested products, from MacBooks and iPads to AirPods and accessories. That includes all-time low pricing on the recent MacBook Air M4, hundreds off the latest Apple Watches and more. Apple itself is also getting in on the savings. Available for students, their parents and even teachers, buying a new MacBook or iPad will score you a free accessory, including your choice between a pair of AirPods and more. That comes in addition to the year-round discount Apple offers on items sold through the Apple Store for Education. Just shop through the brand's education portal before the promotion ends on Sept. 30. Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) With USB-C AirPods first came out when I was in college, and I wish that the original pair had the same kind of noise cancellation features that the new AirPods Pro 2 have. This new, improved pair has USB-C atop all the perks that make these a favorite among CNN editors. Today's offer takes $80 off, landing it at the third-best price of the our review Apple AirPods Max With USB-C in Starlight Enjoy the same top-notch active noise canceling found on Apple's Pro earbuds in an over-ear design, while the AirPods Max are $99 off. This is one of the better prices I've tracked, as the Starlight model drops to $450. It's one of the best over-ear headphones on the market, especially if you'll be rocking a Mac or iPad to our review Apple AirPods 4 Within $10 of the all-time low, Amazon's back-to-school deal makes the AirPods 4 a notable value for those shopping on a tighter budget. These are ideal for anyone who doesn't need the pro features of higher-end models like ANC or silicone ear tips. Read our review Apple EarPods With Lightning Connector Even though Apple has been improving the battery life of its wireless earbuds, there's still something to be said about the ease of use for corded headphones. There's no need to worry about battery life when you can plug this pair into your iPhone with its Lightning connector plugs. Apple AirTag My colleague (and tech wizard) Mike Andronico just took a closer look at why AirTags are the ultimate back-to-school gadget. Useful for keeping tabs on backpacks and more, these Apple item finders offer extra peace of mind for everything from bags and keys to our review Apple AirTag, 4-Pack Save even more when you pick up a four-pack of AirTags instead. The bundle is $19 off, dropping the price of each tracker to $20. That means you can stash one in your luggage, parked car, handbag and wallet for less than buying them individually. Today's price cut comes within $15 of the best offer I have tracked on the our review Tenergy 3V CR2032 Batteries, 10-Pack If you already have an aging AirTag in your everyday carry (or worse, one that has long since run out of power), you can swap the battery for extended usage with this pack discounted at 44% off. Apple 13-Inch MacBook Air M4 It's not every day that Apple's newest device is also its best value, but that's exactly the case with the MacBook Air M4. Apple launched its latest MacBook Air earlier in the spring, instantly earning the praise of CNN Underscored editors and readers alike. It now comes at a cheaper price, with Amazon taking $200 off. Read our review Apple iMac M4 Apple's newest iMac is an updated version of the all-in-one desktop computer that I use every day. It comes with an improved M4 chip that allows this entry-level model to deliver higher-end performance. This one comes in three discounted styles and includes new USB-C versions of its mouse, keyboard and our review Apple Mac Mini M4 If your dorm room already has a monitor you love, but you'd still like to upgrade to a desktop, Apple's most powerful chip also comes packed into a computer that fits in the palm of your hand. When our editors tried it out for themselves, they found that Apple's newest Mac Mini is just as capable as it is compact. This week, it's down to the third-best price since shipping last fall at $50 off or our review Apple 14-Inch MacBook Pro M4 This upgraded MacBook Pro M4 is up to $300 off for those who need extra performance from their laptops. It has a larger screen than the MacBook Air that topped the list, while also offering better GPU performance and an upgraded 512GB SSD. Today's offer is also an extra $100 below the previous offer I our review Apple 14-Inch MacBook Pro M4 Pro If you're looking to use the MacBook I swear by, you can currently save on an upgraded version of the laptop I use every single day. The 14-inch MacBook Pro features the latest Pro chip from Apple and adds that extra performance to my preferred tool of the deals editing trade for years now. Apple 16-Inch MacBook Pro M4 Pro If only the very best will do the trick for you, the MacBook with the largest screen and the top performance in Apple's lineup just went on sale. Take $270 off with its second-best discount of the year. It's also one of the first chances in 2025 to save on this version of the M4 Pro. Apple iPad (11th Gen) Apple's newest iPad also happens to be at its most affordable with this discount. Just in time for the back-to-school season, this 11th-generation iPad was just nominated as our pick for the best iPad and is down to the second-best price ever for $50 off. Apple 11-Inch iPad Air M3 If you're serious about using an iPad as your main computer this fall semester, Apple's new Air M3 packs all the performance you'll need for taking notes, whipping up presentations and enjoying that study break Netflix session. Plus, it's still hundreds of dollars less than the iPad our review Apple 13-Inch iPad Air M3 If an 11-inch screen just isn't enough for your multitasking needs, Amazon is ensuring you can go with the larger of the two new iPad Air M3 sizes without paying full price. This 13-inch model has landed at $74 off to make our best splurge tablet an even better buy ahead of the fall semester. Read our review Apple 11-Inch iPad Pro M4 Aspiring graphic designers and other creatives will appreciate all the extra features that go into making Apple's iPad Pro the ultimate workstation. Amazon takes nearly $100 off the most powerful iPad in Apple's collection, complete with an 11-inch Ultra Retina XDR Display, P3 wide color support, M4 chip and Thunderbolt our review Apple Pencil Pro Apple's best stylus is currently $30 off to go alongside either of the iPad Air or iPad Pro tablets it is meant to pair with. It includes premium features like the new Squeeze gesture that opens the palette menu alongside other notable inclusions like magnetic charging support. This back-to-school sale couldn't have landed at a better time to outfit the art student in your life. Apple 13-Inch iPad Pro M4 The larger M4 iPad Pro is also going on sale alongside the rest of these Apple back-to-school deals. It's also one of the better prices to date on this high-end machine. Read our review Apple USB-C Pencil It may only be a $10 discount, but this basic USB-C Apple Pencil will get the job done for taking notes in the classroom this fall. If you're going to be going the digital route for your notes, you might as well save, and this model is compatible with most modern iPads. Apple Watch SE (2nd Gen) I bought the first Apple Watch back in my sophomore year of college and immediately appreciated its stand reminders for taking breaks from those midterm exam cramming sessions. Now you can find out why so many CNN Underscored editors rely on Apple's fitness-tracking guidance to stay in shape and lead healthier lives with the most affordable wearable from the brand that's an even better value at $80 our review Apple Watch Series 10 As the fitness tracker I currently rely on, the Apple Watch Series 10 improves on everything I've grown to love from a decade of use with Apple's smartwatch series. When I upgraded on launch day last fall, I opted for the shiny Jet Black aluminum design, but several other colors are also cashing in on the savings at $100 off. Read our review Apple Watch Ultra 2 If you're going back to school as a student athlete, the Ultra 2 from Apple steps up its fitness tracking capabilities to handle just about anything. Several colors are now $150 off at Amazon and deliver prolonged battery life, an extra-large screen and everything else we praised in our evaluation. Read our review Beats Powerbeats Pro 2 The newest Beats buds have dropped to their best price yet. A sequel years in the making to some of the most beloved workout earbuds on the market, the Powerbeats Pro 2 are $50 off for the first time. Andronico's glowing review is convincing me to ditch the Bose Ultra Open buds I use when working out in favor of these newer buds. Beats Studio Pro For under $200, the Beats Studio Pro are some of the best values on the headphone market. And I should know, I've tried more than my fair share of over-ears. Today's offer comes within just $10 of the Amazon Prime Day price and is nearly 50% off, so you can enjoy impressive sound quality and noise cancellation features for less this semester. Read our review Beats Solo 4 If you can live with on-ear Beats headphones, the Solo 4 offers solid performance without as immersive a design as the Studio Pro pair above. Today's $70 discount makes them easier to recommend too. Read our review CNN Underscored's deals experts are constantly shopping for the best discounts on the web. Outside of holiday weekends, we cover weekly guides to the best price cuts from specific retailers. While these back-to-school deals might not quite be down to all-time low prices, many of them are nearing those record lows. And with the fall semester around the corner, buying a new device for a recent graduate or yourself means you can save on a classroom essential. I'm constantly tracking price cuts across multiple online storefronts to ensure the deals are as good as the retailers say. The rest of the deals team and I dive into the price history of each product while cross-referencing reviews and guides from other CNN Underscored editors to determine if it's worth your cash. Quite simply, our goal here at Underscored is to save you money. Our senior deals editor Rikka Altland has been doing just that for nearly a decade, and that kind of experience extends to the rest of our deals team. Being an advocate for buyers to make sure we're only recommending the best prices on the best products is what we're all about, and that focus comes across in our work.
CNET
an hour ago
- CNET
Walmart Deals of the Day: Grab Apple's Top Earbuds While They're $80 Off
You don't have to wait until the next major sale to start saving. Walmart offers thousands of deals year-round, but they rotate constantly so you'll have to act fast if you don't want to miss out on a specific offer. To help you take advantage of some of today's best bargains, we've rounded up some top picks below. For Tuesday, August 5, that includes an $80 discount on the second-gen AirPods Pro, $100 off a top-rated Anker robot vacuum and 38% off a 40V Greenworks electric lawn mower. These excellent Apple earbuds have had a top spot on our list of the overall best headphones since they first hit shelves in 2022. In his original review, CNET's audio expert David Carnoy called them the "best lightweight earbuds you can buy" thanks to their great sound, top-notch noise-canceling capabilities and convenient features for iPhone users. You can often find them on sale for around $200, but it's pretty rare to see them at this price. Note that Walmart has them listed for $10 less than the actual price, so this deal actually saves you $80. The Eufy 25C is already our favorite affordable robot vacuum of 2025, and this $100 discount makes this deal hard to beat. It lacks the more efficient high-tech laser navigation found on pricier models, but performed well on both hardwood floors and carpets in our tests. It boasts 1,500Pa of suction power, a 100-minute runtime and a 0.6-liter dustbin. It's also compatible with both Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant for hands-free voice control. If you're only after the basics, this a great bargain. Greenworks makes some of the best electric lawnmowers on the market, and this 40V model is great for most yards. It has a simple push button start, a 21-inch cutting path and seven different height settings. It also comes with a 5.0 mAh battery with a 45-minute runtime, and it fully recharges in about 150 minutes. Plus, the handle folds down and you can store it vertically to help save space in your garage or shed.
Washington Post
an hour ago
- Washington Post
Do you want an orange iPhone or a smartphone ‘adorned' with crystals?
There are two kinds of people in the world, according to science.* There are people who debate whether to get the Titanium Jadegreen or Titanium Silverblue Samsung phone or who trade hot rumors of an ORANGE (!!!) iPhone coming soon. And there are those of us who are lazily uninterested in the color of our smartphones. I had to pop my phone out of its case to remind myself that it's black — sorry, Stormy Black, as the manufacturer dubbed it. For years, your color choices in computing were beige or beige — as in, the boring boxy beige personal computer. Now the same industry is trotting out smartphones in an unimaginable array of ever-changing colors and other eye-catching design elements. Motorola on Tuesday announced a Razr smartphone 'adorned with crystals by Swarovski.' Samsung brags that almost half of the earliest buyers of a $2,000 smartphone opted for the Blue Shadow color. When Apple came out with a yellow iPhone in 2023, it was a hot search term on Google and hundreds of news articles mentioned it (including one by me). With smartphone store shelves looking like Willy Wonka's fever dreams, it raises a question: Are these dazzling colors motivated by an industry desperate to sell you stuff — or by your desire, even if you can't admit it, for a pop of personality in your smartphone? *NOTE: This is absolutely not according to any science. I assumed black would be the runaway winner, but I didn't find much hard evidence. The research firm IDC, which tracks minutiae about smartphone sales, said it didn't have formal data about the most commonly purchased colors. Smartphone manufacturers wouldn't cough up sales numbers by color. Nabila Popal, an IDC senior research director, did venture to say that black — sorry, Black Titanium — was a favorite color for iPhone 16 Pro models. Popal thinks that buyers assume black is broadly accepted and their device will be easy to resell later. For phone protective cases, the pollster YouGov found last year that black crushed all other color contenders. YouGov says it doesn't have color popularity polls about smartphone devices, but available data does suggest that we don't care much about their color. When Americans are asked about important features in picking a smartphone, by far the most common response is battery life, cited by three-quarters of respondents, according to YouGov. Only about 23 percent of people cite 'device design/appearance' as an important feature. If it's not important to most of us, why are manufacturers pitching you vegan leather finishes, Pantone-inspired Mocha Mousse hues, or iPhone colors that pop up mid-year to juice sales? It could be that mired in a years-long sales slump, smartphone companies are trying to excite you with new colors or whatever. Most smartphone companies didn't answer my questions about this. But a spokesman for Google Pixel phones said the company's research shows that 'offering unique and thoughtful color choices is a significant factor for many customers.' A 'significant portion' of Pixel phone customers gravitate to a colorful device over a 'classic, neutral" tone, he said. It might be that we're liars, and we care more about the color and style of our smartphones than we're willing to tell pollsters like YouGov or admit to ourselves. I say that I don't care about smartphone colors, but I also remember carefully selecting a green iPhone a few years ago. Marcie Cooperman, a color theory specialist at the New School's Parsons School of Design, said that a phone color serves a similar purpose to the color you pick for your bedroom walls or your shirt. 'We like some colors, love others, and hate some more,' she said. 'We use some colors to express who we are.' Cooperman knows that others may be oblivious to color and design. 'I just wouldn't marry one of those people 😊,' she said by email. Jane Boddy, creative director of the Pantone Color Institute, described the feelings spurred by various phone colors. Soft greens and lilacs may feel calming. Bold berry colors express joy and energy. Earthy tones and matte metal finishes can make devices feel grounded and rooted in emotion, she said. You can turn up your nose at people who care about this stuff, but technology history shows the power of color in our imaginations and device sales. Starting in the late 1990s, Apple helped revive the company's fortunes with semitranslucent iMac computers in peppy colors. Apple also made its white iPod headphones an iconic visual feature and status symbol, and later did the same with its bold iPod colors. On the flip side of cool, Microsoft's Zune portable music player, released in 2006, seemed doomed when it came in a dark brown color that people compared to dog doo. After my conversations, I was convinced that even people like me who consider smartphones to be utilitarian tools really do have color preferences. If we're going to stare at this dumb slab of circuits all day, it doesn't hurt to pick a color we like. But Michael Ernst, a brand and product designer who proudly owns a black smartphone, tossed in the wrinkle of protective phone cases and phone wallet covers. (About 85 percent of us own a smartphone with a case, YouGov told my colleague Andrew Van Dam.) Those accessories often hide the expressive smartphone color that you might have thought so hard about. Ernst said that makes smartphone colors like the choice of underwear hues. 'While personal to us, our rose gold skivvies get covered up,' he said. 'Dropping new, vibrant colors may be just a marketing ploy.' Okay, let's hear it: Do you have a favorite phone color? Do you care about the color at all? Are you one of those monsters who uses a slippery, $1,000 smartphone without a case? Drop me a line!
