Pu says that the combination of Apple Intelligence, the iPhone’s AI initiative, combined with a redesign, additional memory, and upgrades from current iPhone owners will drive a strong cycle starting in 2025. The analyst expects to see the iPhone 17 series attracting interest from current iPhone owners who purchased their current devices sometime between 2021-2023.
The redesign that Pu mentions could be the one expected for the iPhone 18 Pro models and includes under-display Face ID and a smaller Dynamic Island. Those changes might not take place next year. However, in 2025 we could see the iPhone 17 equipped with an Always-On screen and the ProMotion display. That would mean a 120Hz refresh rate for the base model.
The first foldable iPhone is expected to be a clamshell flipper.
The iPhone 17 Slim will have an A19 chipset, not the A19 Pro, which means that despite the pricing, performance-wise the iPhone 17 Slim will be closer to the base model than the Pro models. The iPhone 17 Slim will also have 8GB of RAM while the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max will have 12GB of RAM according to rumors.
In 2026, Pu sees Apple releasing both the foldable iPhone and the iPad/Mac foldable hybrid. The latter will have a 20.3-inch display when open and the former will be a clamshell foldable like the Motorola Razr. Both will be released in the second half of 2026 according to Pu.