Should you buy the iPhone 16 or wait for the iPhone 17? Here's the advice I gave my own dad

Tom's Guide

15 hours ago

The three certainties in life are death, taxes and acting as tech support for your parents. This applies extra if you're a tech journalist, as even more people in your life will gravitate toward you with misbehaving devices or questions about what to buy.
But these questions are often ones that'll help out other people, too. That's why I'm going to share a conversation I recently had with my dad about upgrading his iPhone — something I imagine lots of people are considering at any given moment.
The iPhone 16 series is currently the latest set of iPhones available, and they're all universally good — the best iPhones Apple has ever released, arguably. But with the iPhone 17 rumored to be coming soon, my dad wanted to know if he should upgrade now or wait for the next models arriving in a few months.
If you're curious about my answer, or know other people with this question, allow me to break things down for you.
Some key context: my dad's currently using an iPhone 14 Pro, which has now lost enough battery capacity to become a liability during heavy use days. I knew swapping to an Android phone was out of the question, although you should never write them off entirely — you get a lot more choice when it comes to pricing and specs if you're willing to leave Apple Land.
Being a responsible tech journalist, I first suggested that my dad not upgrade, but instead take his iPhone into an Apple Store or phone repair shop for a battery swap. Apple will replace iPhone batteries once they're below 80% of their original capacity (something you can check in the Settings menu), and conveniently, dad's iPhone is now at 80%.
But he turned this option down. I might have pushed harder with the average person asking me this question, since keeping older-but-still-functional tech going for longer is good for one's wallet and for the planet as a whole.
But I was talking to the man whose love of gadgets and new shiny gizmos is in no small part responsible for my being a tech journalist. So I was not surprised an upgrade was more to his taste.
The iPhone 14 series, including the iPhone 14 Pro, will turn three years old this September. Two or three generations is now the minimum amount of time I'd recommend anyone wait before upgrading their phone, although that window is increasing in size as manufacturers offer longer and longer software upgrade promises.
iPhones still get around five to six years of support, so the iPhone 14 Pro will likely still be getting updates until 2027. So there was no need to gently suggest dad wait another 12 months before thinking about upgrading.
The difference between an iPhone 16 Pro and an iPhone 14 Pro — the model my dad would want to buy and the model he has right now — is pretty significant. The newer Pro model has a larger display, lighter titanium sides instead of steel ones, a better chipset with more RAM, 5x telephoto zoom rather than 3x, a larger battery with faster charging, a USB-C port for more convenient connectivity and Apple Intelligence compatability.
The iPhone 17 Pro would likely have all this and more, but dad would definitely notice the upgrade from his iPhone 14 Pro if he made the switch to a 16 Pro now.
However, knowing that new iPhones normally arrive every September, I decided that it would be best to advise my dad wait for the launch of the iPhone 17 before making any decision.
The regular iPhone 17 is tipped to to get a larger 6.3-inch display with ProMotion support for a 120Hz refresh rate. And it's also expected to feature an upgraded front camera.
In addition, a new iPhone 17 Air model is rumored that should be the thinnest iPhone possibly ever. However, that device may feature only a single rear camera and a smaller battery.
On the pro side, the iPhone 17 Pro is expected to get a redesigned camera system with a 48MP telephoto lens, a more scratch-resistant display and faster A19 Pro chip.
Getting any of those three models would require him to hold on for just a few more months. Then he could see what the iPhone 17 lineup offered, eliminating any risk of buyer's remorse if he upgraded now.
Plus, waiting would give him a potentially bigger discount on an iPhone 16 model once it's no longer Apple's latest and greatest.
But there was one final complication to account for: how much money he could save with a trade-in.
Recently, Apple briefly increased the trade-in value it would pay out for all iPhone models. The boost varied between specific models, but the rate for an iPhone 14 Pro in good condition is now $420, up from $400.
For us here in the U.K., the offer went up to £435 rather than £425. (This offer has now unfortunately ended, but it was still ongoing when my father and I had our conversation.)
Trade-ins are a great way to reduce the amount of e-waste hanging around your home not serving any purpose. Sending your old phone back to Apple or another retailer allows it to dispose of or recycle the parts, or even refurbish the phone to sell it again to another owner.
I'd always recommend finding a new home for any device you're putting out to pasture, and while you can arguably get more value by selling your old phone or passing it on to a friend or family member, trade-ins are a reliable option.
However, getting maximum value should not be a high priority. So while the increased trade-in value would be a big pull factor in upgrading in a vacuum, an extra twenty bucks or ten quid in your pocket doesn't matter if you trade in now and then decide the upcoming iPhone 17 Pro was the smarter upgrade.
And so, my final advice to my dad was to continue to hold off on upgrading. I don't think this is the answer he really wanted, given how much his current iPhone's battery is bugging him. But that can be the mark of truly good advice — it's not the answer you hoped for, but it's one you know is given based on sound knowledge and expertise.
Whether you agree with my take on this particular iPhone upgrade question, hopefully you now know some important factors to consider next time you or someone else is considering making a switch.
Perhaps you too can become your family's tech knowledge source, although if you need more help, TG will still be here to help you with the latest iPhone 17 rumors or a list of the best phones for you to suggest.