This article presents five reasons to purchase an iPhone 17 now rather than waiting for the upcoming iPhone 18 series. Key arguments include the significant price hike expected for the iPhone 18 Pro and foldable models, a new split-launch strategy delaying standard models, and the potential for the base iPhone 18 to be a downgrade.
Less than a month remains till Apple unveils its first foldable and iPhone 18 Pro versions. If you’re seeking to upgrade from an iPhone 16 or earlier series, that could seem like a reason to hold off, but given the impending price increases and Apple’s new split-launch schedule, there’s a good incentive to purchase an iPhone 17 series model at this time. Here are 5 reasons to place your purchase right now.
iPhone 18 Pro Series To See Price Hike
The iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max may start at $1,299 and $1,399, respectively, according to analysts. Rising memory and storage expenses (i.e., the AI buildout) are mostly to account for the $200 increase over their predecessors. In the meanwhile, the foldable iPhone may start at more than $2,000. In Japan, Apple has already raised the cost of every iPhone model. In comparison, the iPhone 17 is still available for purchase in the United States and other countries at the $799 price that Apple established in September of last year. There is currently no assurance that the iPhone 17 series will be exempt from the impending price increases for the next generation devices.
Apple’s New Split-Launch Strategy
Only the foldable and the iPhone 18 Pro versions will be available in September as part of Apple’s anticipated new split-launch strategy. Those looking for the immediate replacement of the standard iPhone 17 will have to wait many months longer than normal because the conventional iPhone 18, the more affordable iPhone 18e, and the iPhone Air 2 are not anticipated until spring 2027.
iPhone 18’s Base Model May Be A ‘Downgrade’
Apple may share more parts with the less expensive iPhone 18e, according to a leaker who has frequently stated that the company will lower the display and CPU specs of the ordinary iPhone 18 in order to minimise costs. Additionally, two new iOS 27 features are supposedly still incompatible with the lower-end devices, despite a rumoured increase to 9GB of RAM. The iPhone 17 or iPhone 17e may be the better-specced choice if Apple is reducing costs for its next basic and more inexpensive models, especially considering the anticipated price gap.
iPhone 18’s Upgrades Not Certain
It’s possible that some of the most intriguing iPhone 18 Pro rumours won’t materialise at launch. The rumoured 24-megapixel under-display camera for the foldable iPhone may not be ready this year, and a truly crease-free folding screen looks more like “nearly crease-free” in practice. An early report that claimed the iPhone 18 Pro would replace the Dynamic Island with a hole-punch camera has completely faded. To put it another way, waiting does not ensure that you will get all of the predictions made by the rumour mill.
Buying New Means A Hole In Your Pocket
The iPhone in your pocket is probably at its highest worth right now because trade-in and resale values for previous models usually decline after a new generation is released. You would have to pay more for the new, more expensive model and receive less for the older one if you waited until September to upgrade, which would be a double-edged sword.
All of this does not imply that the iPhone 18 series from Apple won’t be cost-effective. However, an iPhone 17 series model would still be a better choice if you’re moving from a pre-2025 iPhone and the foldable isn’t something you’re thinking about.