Will the iPhone 16's price drop when the iPhone 17 launches? Here's my prediction as a phones expert

Date:
Wed, 27 Aug 2025 20:00:00 +0000

Description:
I expect the iPhone 16s price to drop we the iPhone 17 arrives, but the
iPhone 16e could complicate things.

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As a veteran of covering Apples iPhone launches, I can rather confidently say that the iPhone 16 will drop in price when the so-called iPhone 17 is
launched and subsequently released.

Judging by previous iPhone launches, my educated prediction is that the
iPhone 16 will stick around as Apples cheaper alternative to the new phones, with its price likely to be some $100 / 100/ AU$150 cheaper than at launch.

Such a price drop isnt huge, but its not bad either, given the rumors arent pointing towards a significant generational upgrade for the iPhone 17. The much-rumored iPhone 17 Air could shake things up if it replaces the standard iPhone and its Plus stablemate, but Im not so sure thatll happen.

While I bemoan the lack of a 120Hz display, the current iPhone 16 is still a great phone for most people and has the performance needed for Apple Intelligence and most phone-centric tasks, all slotted neatly into Apples ecosystem.

So presuming Apple keeps it in its line-up, itll be a good potential purchase if youre after one of the best phones for a lower price. Expect prices to go from $799 / 799 / AU$1,399 to $699 / 699 / AU$1,249. Up in the air

Equally, theres the wrinkle of the iPhone 16e. This is already a cheaper take on the iPhone 16, so if it drops in price, it could become a more compelling affordable iPhone than it was at launch; see our iPhone 16e review for Lance Ulanoffs critique.

As such, theres scope for Apple to discontinue all the iPhone 16 and keep the e variant at its mid-range phone.

Speaking of discontinuation, the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max will
very likely be retired; Apple has done this in the past and will surely want to push people who want to go pro to opt for the iPhone 17 Pro .

However, that doesnt mean its game over for finding a cheaper iPhone 16 Pro model, as third-party retailers like Amazon, Best Buy, and Currys will very likely have such iPhones in stock and will want to clear their shelves of the phones to make space for newer models.

So, I predict that youll be able to find a cheaper iPhone 16 Pro come the end of September and going into the Black Friday period, which now lasts weeks rather than a day. And Id say the same applies to all iPhone 16 models sold outside of Apple, with deals likely to pop up on them as the Holiday season draws closer.

All of this is why I suggest you dont by an iPhone until the next Apple event , scheduled for September 9 has come and gone, as even if the new iPhones
dont appeal to you, youre sure to find a cheaper older iPhone as a result.

As it happens, I head up TechRadar's Deals team along with the phones and tablets division, so my crack crew of bargain-seekers will be keeping an eye out for impressive iPhone deals , among other stuff, to flag to you. So keep
a weather eye on TechRadar in the coming weeks.

If you have any questions about the upcoming iPhones, feel free to drop me a line or comment below if you have some burning thoughts on what Apple could
do next with its smartphones. So thats that right? Well, not entirely. You might also like 5 things I want from the iPhone 17 or Im out and back to Android Apples iPhone 17 invite analyzed what it tells us plus 3 things you shouldn't expect to see at the show Why won't AirPods Max 2 be at the newly announced September Apple Event yet again? A report says they're 'too
popular' to kill and 'not popular enough' to prioritize



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Link to news story: https://www.techradar.com/phones/iphone/will-the-iphone-16s-price-drop-when-th e-iphone-17-launches-heres-my-prediction-as-a-phones-expert


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