Key Takeaways
- The company once sold just one flagship phone model, but now sells four.
- Apple has long struggled to make a fourth iPhone a success.
- Rumors are that we could see an iPhone 16 Ultra, iPhone 17 Slim, iPhone 17 Air, and an iPhone Flip or Fold in the future.
My former Apple Store teammates and I often talk about how we miss the idea of ​​Apple selling one flagship iPhone. A holdover from the Steve Jobs era, Apple would launch one new iPhone model while continuing to sell the previous year’s model at a discount. One of Apple’s greatest accomplishments under CEO Tim Cook was the ability to expand the company’s product lineup to fit a wider range of price points and feature requirements, such as screen sizes.
In 2014, Apple introduced the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus, two identical phones with different display sizes. In 2017, it introduced three more phones: the iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus, and iPhone X. In 2020, it expanded the lineup again with the iPhone 12, iPhone 12 mini, iPhone 12 Pro, and iPhone 12 Pro Max. Then in 2022, Apple replaced the mini model with the Plus model in its iPhone 14 lineup.
Needless to say, Apple has experimented and expanded its iPhone product line over the past few years. Reportedly, the iPhone 12 and 13 mini sold poorly and were replaced by the iPhone 14 and 15 Plus, which also sold poorly. Now, rumors are circulating that Apple is preparing to release the iPhone 16 Ultra. At the same time, the company is reportedly developing the iPhone 17 Slim or iPhone 17 Air, as well as the iPhone Flip or iPhone Fold, which are scheduled for release in 2026 or later. Let’s take a quick look at each of these future iPhones and whether they have the potential to entice iPhone buyers.
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iPhone 16 Ultra
Release date: September 2024
To go along with the Apple Watch Ultra and M2 Ultra chip, the iPhone 16 Ultra is rumored to be positioned as an even more premium iPhone than the iPhone 16 Pro Max. This iPhone is rumored to have an even larger 6.9-inch display, making it the largest ever. The iPhone 16 Ultra may also have a new, more powerful A18 Pro chip, along with a storage tier of up to 2TB. It’s also not wrong to guess that the phone will have one of the best cameras we’ve ever seen on an iPhone. If a phone like this launches this fall, rest assured, I’ll be handing my credit card to Apple again.
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iPhone 17 Slim
Release date: September 2025
It’s still a bit unclear what to expect from the iPhone 17 Slim. That’s not surprising, since the iPhone 16 lineup hasn’t even been released yet. What we’re hoping for is for Apple to release a new, significantly thinner and also significantly lighter iPhone. This rumored iPhone 17 Slim will likely feature a 6.6-inch display, A19 processor, and flagship camera at launch. Still, the focus of this device will be on thinness, lightness, and battery life, which could serve as an even more premium option than the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max.
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iPhone 17 Air
Release date: September 2025
Recently, rumors have started to surface that Apple is working on an iPhone 17 Air instead of an iPhone 17 Slim. Rumors are just that – rumors – and they always change as new information emerges. The iPhone 17 Slim was or was expected to be a more premium iPhone that prioritizes thinness, lightness, and battery life, commanding a higher price point, but new leaks suggest that a more affordable model will be coming instead.
Rumors about the phone’s hardware remain largely the same, with it sporting a 6.6-inch display and an A19 processor. There are still questions about the case material, which could indicate whether it will be a premium Slim model or a more budget-oriented Air model. Apple executives have previously said that Air-branded devices are intended to incorporate professional-level features at a more affordable price point; presumably the existing base-level iPhones already do that.
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Fold your iPhone
Scheduled release date: September 2026 or later
It’s unclear whether Apple will go for the iPhone Fold or iPhone Flip, but the tech giant is expected to release a foldable device by 2026 at the earliest (more likely 2027 or later). Apple is reportedly internally exploring foldable Macs, iPads, and iPhones, so a separate product may be released before the foldable phone. Arguably, a foldable tablet would make much more sense than a foldable phone from a functionality and portability standpoint. However, the actual use case for foldables remains one of cautious curiosity for me.
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