This year’s iPhone 16 is just a stop-gap for the Big One coming in 2025

It’s no secret that the iPhone 16 is coming in just a few weeks, and as always, it’s going to be the biggest release of the fall. But according to a new report, it might just be an appetizer for the main course coming next year.

According to Mark Gurman’s latest Power On newsletter, the iPhone 16 lineup “won’t look meaningfully different than current versions or add major new features.” That’s not a surprise if you’ve been following the rumors over the past 12 months–or bought a new iPhone over the past several generations. Apple hasn’t introduced any huge iPhone design changes since the iPhone 12 way back in 2020.

To recap, here’s what Gurman says is coming this year:

A new A18 chip with 8GB of RAM across the board to make all models ready to run Apple Intelligence.

An Action button for the non-Pro models with the new customizable features of iOS 18.

A new touch-sensitive “camera control” on the side of the Pro models “will operate like a button on a DSLR camera” with the ability to snap a picture, autofocus, and zoom.

Slightly larger 6.3-inch and 6.9-inch screens for the Pro models.

New colors, including “a return of the popular rose gold from a few years ago.”

Altogether, he describes the iPhone 16 as a “nice” upgrade, Gurman doesn’t see “a gold rush of purchases for Apple” when the new phones launch. However, the iPhone 17 coming next year will be. Gurman echoes previous rumors by predicting Apple will launch “a new type of smartphone” separate from the standard, Pro and Pro Max models.

Gurman says the new model will replace the iPhone 16 Plus with “an ‘Air’ version of the iPhone of sorts… (like) the original MacBook Air from over a decade ago.” He explains:

The sales pitch will probably go like this: If you want something snazzier than a standard iPhone–but don’t really need the performance, screen size, or cameras of a Pro model–you can get something that looks much cooler while still having the specifications of a regular iPhone.

Like the iPhone X, Gurman says the new iPhone Air will be the first step toward “something better,” eventually turning over the whole lineup to the new design. Apple is expected to launch the iPhone 16 at an event in early September. Stay tuned to our iPhone 16 superguide for all the latest news and rumors as the big day nears.