Why you are best advised not to buy an iPhone right now

By Nicole Nguyen

The latest and greatest crop of new devices typically comes out in ­September, which means it’s a bad time to buy an Apple gadget right now. If you can hold off for just a couple of months, better trade-in deals and price drops await. Like most modern gadgets, iPhones have expiration dates. The newer the model, the longer you’ll be able to get software updates.

Apple never says much publicly about coming products, but The Wall Street Journal has reported that a slimmer iPhone model is on the horizon. And updates are due for the Apple Watch, AirTags and other accessories.

Now, this year’s big question: What about tariffs? The situation is constantly changing. Smartphones and other tech products were initially exempt, but Donald Trump threatened new fees for gadget imports in May and then said Apple needed to make a US iPhone. So far, Apple has absorbed additional costs, but The Australian reported that month that Deloitte Australian lead partner of telecommunications, media and technology Peter Corbett said if Apple did not diversify is supply chain away from China, iPhone prices could rise steeply.

Prices for the standard iPhone and iPhone Pro models have remained steady since at least 2020. The most significant update to this year’s Apple gadgets may be to the price tag.

So, what do we expect from the next iPhone? And the rest of Apple’s line-up? Here are the ­devices that get my green, yellow and red light for safe winter shopping.

iPhone 16 Pro

A new iPhone 16? Not now. Apple’s smartphone, released in September, gets a big red stop sign, since the next generation of models is imminent.

I hear your groan. The past few years of iPhone updates haven’t been that exciting. A “dynamic island”. A USB-C port. One more button. This coming fall, however, we may see a different form factor, says Gil Luria, senior technology analyst at DA Davidson. He points to whispers of a super-thin iPhone 17 Air and a Pro Max with an even bigger screen.

Still, “we’re talking a couple of millimetres”, Luria said.

If you’ve been waiting for a flipping and folding iPhone, don’t hold your breath. That likely won’t come until next year, according to reports. Before springing for a new device, first download the upcoming operating system, iOS 26, which also will land sometime soon. An update can breathe new life – and functionality – into your old phone. Expect a fresh coat of Liquid Glass paint, improved group chats and a spam call auto-responder. It also includes some AI upgrades, but the previously announced Siri overhaul is still missing in action.

Apple Watch Series 10

The Apple Watch, similarly, has seen only incremental improvements over the past few generations: double tap, a slightly thinner and larger screen, and Temperature (I was actually quite excited about that last one).

Apple will continue to push health services in its next wearable, according to Francisco Jeronimo, vice-president of data and analytics at IDC. The Wall Street Journal reported that Apple is developing a wrist-based blood pressure measurement tool. The feature could debut this year.

Jeronimo also notes that the high-end Ultra model continues to sell well, but Apple needs to add features to the adventure smartwatch, such as the emergency ­satellite connectivity found in newer iPhones.

AirTags

Apple hasn’t updated its popular tracker since 2021. And Ming-Chi Kuo, analyst at TF International Securities, says the company will launch a second-generation AirTag this year.

The new tracker could include the longer-range second-generation Ultra Wideband chip found in newer iPhone and Apple Watch models.

Second-generation ­AirPods Pro

Should you wait for new AirPods? Reports are mixed. The AirPods Pro, last updated three years ago, are due for a refresh. The earbuds have new software tricks, such as a hearing-aid mode. In the upcoming iOS 26, you can press the AirPods stem to remotely trigger the camera.

Kuo, a longtime source on all things happening in Apple, says we might not see significant changes to the Pros until next year. He predicts we won’t see updates to the over-ear AirPods Max until 2027. Meanwhile, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman reports that the Pro premium earbuds will see a new design and chip this year.

Apple has been studying AirPods as a health device, and the company’s recent Powerbeats Pro 2 earbuds include heart-rate monitoring.

The fourth-generation AirPods landed last year with active noise cancellation, so you should be safe getting new regular Pods.

iPads

The basic iPad or step-up iPad Air models, which we recommend for most people, are safe to buy now. Both have new 2025 chips. The ­exception? A new top-of-the-line iPad Pro could be imminent. The latest Pro models are from May last year, and a new version could come with the new M5 chip.

I’m hoping for an iPad−speaker−display combo, a la Amazon’s Echo Show, but that’s far off.

Mac

The popular MacBook Air is safe. It has a faster chip, improved webcam and double the RAM of just a few months ago. Apple updated the Mac Studio, a desktop machine aimed at pros, this year, too.

The most-recent MacBook Pros, iMac, and Mac Mini releases were chip updates in October 2024. It’s possible that they get M5 upgrades this year, but it would be a minor specifications bump.

This article appeared in The Australian.