Apple releases new flagship iPhones every year with a variety of upgrades. But after years of relatively stagnant innovation on the design front, the launch of the iPhone 17 will kick off several years of exciting new innovations that put an end to the recent “boring” iPhone era.
iPhone design innovation has long been stagnant, but that era is over
If you’ve followed Apple long enough, you probably remember the days when new iPhone announcements came with more optimism and excitement.
But recently, while there’s still a lot of hype around the iPhone’s unveiling, there’s also been growing skepticism and apathy from many consumers.
One reason for this seems to be the lack of noteworthy hardware redesigns.
Last year’s iPhone 16 mostly resembles the iPhone 15 and iPhone 14 before it, and so on.
Apple’s less frequent design updates are understandable for a product that’s nearly 20 years old.
But as a result, it’s become harder to answer the question I often get from friends and family: “What’s new in iPhone this year?”
There are a lot of new features every year, but the new design always stands out as more important than the smaller details like the new display technology, another button, etc.
Fortunately, rumors indicate that the latest “boring” iPhone era will end next week.
iPhone 17 Air will usher in years of new design innovations
Apple is expected to launch four iPhone 17 models at its event scheduled for September 9 next week.
Many will be drawn to the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max because of their powerful camera systems, long battery life, and other upgrades.
But the iPhone 17 Air is sure to attract a lot of attention thanks to its new, ultra-thin design.
Apple’s new Air model is said to be just 5.55mm thick, making it the thinnest iPhone ever.
Hands-on impressions with the phantoms were very positive. Unbox Therapy said the Air “feels futuristic” when picked up, and declared that no one would want another model after catching it.
There would undoubtedly be plenty of reasons to ignore the Air model, namely its low battery life and only one rear camera. But it’s kind of an exciting new design that we haven’t seen in years.
Reports indicate that it’s just the beginning for Apple.
Next year, the iPhone Fold, Apple’s first foldable model, will be released.
With consumers becoming increasingly interested in foldable devices, the iPhone Fold could be a hit among users.
Then in 2027, Apple is reportedly preparing a special “iPhone 20” model with a unique all-glass design.
This new model will celebrate the 20th anniversary of the iPhone, and represents a new leap forward similar to what the iPhone X introduced in 2017.
After nearly two decades of the iPhone, we seem to be on the verge of a new wave of design innovations.
Which upcoming iPhone model are you most excited about? Let us know in the comments.
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