This might seem like a well time to corrupt a fresh iPhone . Apple ’s gotboosted business deal - in valuesfor the next couple of weeks , and there are plenty of spring carrier wave tidy sum still blend in on . Plus hearsay about theiPhone 16coming this downfall make it sound like a comparatively minor rise , while theiPhone 17late in 2025 seems more like the handsome overhaul we ’ve been wait for — perhaps even a seismic sack , iPhone X - style .
But if you want our advice , we retrieve you should still hold back . WWDCis Monday and it ’s almost certain to provide critical information that informs your iPhone buying conclusion .
iOS 18 may change more than usual
Every year when Apple takes the wraps off its fresh iOS at WWDC , we learn of a lot of nerveless new feature coming to our iPhones in the drop . But when you read the o.k. print , you ’ll see some of the nerveless fresh features do n’t work with older iPhones . WithiOS 16 , for example , you demand a earphone with an A12 Bionic central processor or newer to use features likelifting subjects from photos , selecting text edition in images , and most of the topically - processed Siri feature article .
iOS 16 need an iPhone XS or after to use some of its skilful feature .
Foundry
iOS 16 required an iPhone XS or later to use some of its best features.
We expect a lot of braggy changes iniOS 18 , include interface improvement and several telling new feature film , but the big focus is work to be on AI . Typically , any iPhone made in the last few year will get all the young iOS features , with only the oldest earphone missing out . But the get-up-and-go to more AI may deepen all that , as AI features can have some pretty steep hardware requirement . It ’s probable that Apple bound some features to very new model — and possible that the in effect features will only mold on the iPhone 16 .
In fact , a report this week claimsthat the AI features will be confine to the iPhone 15 Pro example and later , which means you could be buying an outdated speech sound even if you get a unexampled iPhone 15 . And that ’s a great reason to wait to buy an iPhone until we experience which cool new AI feature film get to iOS 18 will work on which iPhones . You do n’t want to purchase an iPhone 14 or SE only to learn that some really cool feature require an A17 Pro central processor .
AI hardware requirements are steep
Apple has been shipping AI ironware in its iPhones for years . The Neural Engine first appeared in the A11 Bionic chip , way back in 2017 ( iPhone 8 and iPhone X ) , even though it could “ only ” do 600 billion operations per second and did n’t really do much . But it ’s gotten a mess more powerful and necessary over the years .
It took a big leap to 5 trillion operations per second ( TOPS ) in the A12 . The next heavy leap was to 11 top in the A14 , then over 15 top in A15 , and now 35 TOPS in the A17 Pro . But the A17 Pro is only found in the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max . The iPhone 15 has the A16 , whose Neural Engine is only one-half as fast , according to Apple .
The A17 Pro is only in the iPhone 15 Pro models , which means some AI feature film might not be available on phones less than a class old .
iOS 16 required an iPhone XS or later to use some of its best features.
Apple
Then there ’s the subject of RAM . Generative AI models like enceinte linguistic communication good example ( LLMs ) and diffusion models are notoriously immense and use a muckle of RAM . Most iPhones do n’t have a lot of RAM to start with , and you want to have enough go out over for applications even when an AI theoretical account is being used .
Every iPhone that will support iOS 18 up to and including the iPhone 13 , has only 4 GB of RAM . The iPhone 13 Pro , iPhone 14 ( regular and Pro ) , and iPhone 15 have 6 GB of RAM . Only the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max have 8 GB of RAM . So , it ’s quite possible that there will be some iOS 18 characteristic that only work on iPhones with a faster Neural Engine or 6 GB of RAM , and there may be some that involve the iPhone 15 Pro just because it ’s pay back 8 GB of RAM and a much faster Neural Engine .
The A17 Pro is only in the iPhone 15 Pro models, which means some AI features might not be available on phones less than a year old.
If you ’re depend to get a new iPhone that will last you a few years , that ’s a vast circumstance . You may not wish to spend hundreds more on the latest Pro model , but buy a less expensive model today and there ’s a good chance you ’ll be shut out of the cool new AI features amount this fall .
So it ’s best to wait until at leastWWDC on Mondaywhen Apple takes the wraps off iOS 18 and all its new features . Then we can plunge into the o.k. print that enjoin us which iPhones support which features , and you may make an informed choice about how much you need to spend to get the features you desire .
