I think you'd be mad to update to the iPhone 17, for one very good reason

You might read the headline to this article and assume I'm an Apple hater. But it's actually the opposite; I think the iPhone 17 is pretty darned brilliant.

With its latest series, Apple has finally delivered what we've all been screaming for. A 120Hz ProMotion display on the base model. An 18MP Center Stage camera that actually makes group selfies work properly. Dual 48MP rear cameras that excel in low light. And at $799 / £799 with double the storage, it's arguably the best-value iPhone Apple's ever made.

Yet despite all that, I think you'd be absolutely mad to upgrade right now. Not because the iPhone 17 is bad (it's not) but because something far more revolutionary is lurking just around the corner.

Why waiting makes sense

Here's where I'll sound like that friend who always tells you not to buy the current model because "the next one will be better". Except I reckon the next one won't just be better; it'll be transformational.

The reason is, Apple is working on a foldable iPhone. And these aren't the typical made-up rumours; the industry whispers are deafening and all signs point to a foldable phone launching as part of the iPhone 18 series.

So, picture this: you're editing photos on location but, instead of squinting at a 6.3-inch screen, you unfold your iPhone to reveal a tablet-sized display. Suddenly you can see histogram details properly, make precise color adjustments and actually judge whether that architectural shot is level. No more "I'll fix it in post because I can't see properly on this tiny screen."

Or imagine you're reviewing a shoot with your client but instead of everyone huddling around a phone screen like cavemen around a fire, you unfold the device and suddenly you've got a proper presentation display.

I'm also excited by the idea of reviewing RAW files on one screen while updating your shot list on the other. Managing social media posts while keeping your editing app open. Video calls with clients, while your portfolio remains visible. I could go on, but you get the point. The productivity possibilities are staggering.

The workflow revolution

And here's the kicker: I don't believe Apple would halfass a foldable. We're talking about the company that took seven years to perfect Face ID; one that obsesses over millimeter differences in device thickness.

So it stands to reason that when Apple finally releases a foldable, it won't be some clunky proof-of-concept; it'll be the foldable that makes everyone else's look like prototypes.

Okay, I get it. If your current iPhone is running really slow and crashing a lot, you may well have little choice but to upgrade right now. In which case the iPhone 17 represents everything you've been waiting for, for a reasonable price.

But if you can wait a little longer, you can avoid being locked into a two-year (or more) cycle, just as the most significant iPhone innovation since the original launches. Which means you won't have to watch from the sidelines as everyone else experiences the future of mobile photography.

Yes, the iPhone 17 will still be brilliant in a year's time. But the foldable iPhone 18 – if the rumors are true – will make today's devices look as dated as a 2002 Nokia. So my advice is to keep that upgrade urge in check and start saving for what promises to be the most exciting iPhone launch in over a decade. Your future self will thank you.

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