The iPhone 15 series may be one of Apple's biggest sellers ever, suggests Dan Ives of investment firm Wedbush Securities, because of the number of users due for an upgrade.
Ives gave a rosy forecast for Apple's stock prices on CNBC in part because there are 250 million iPhone units that are more than four years old still in use, so we will therefore likely see a big wave of upgrades once the iPhone 15 series arrives, presumably this September as per Apple's regular schedule.
Ives was also bullish about Apple's future fortunes because of the newly-announced Apple Vision Pro AR headset. While it's not going on sale until next year (unlike the iPhone 15), and is listed at an eye-watering $3,500, this first for Apple has nonetheless created quite a buzz.
But how much need is there to upgrade?
Looking again at Ives' iPhone data more closely, these 250 million devices would consist of models at least as old as the iPhone 11. We've just seen iOS 17 announced at WWDC 2023, and Apple's confirmed that iOS 17 compatible devices go all the way back to the iPhone XS and iPhone XR, launched the year before the iPhone 11 series. This could mean many devices in the group will still get full software support for at least another year, which could convince some users to skip upgrading for another year.
Apple's new hardware may prove more convincing. We're hearing that all iPhone 15 models could be equipped with Dynamic Island notches, a powerful A16 chipset, and more convenient USB-C charging.
The Pro and Pro Max versions will also feature more advanced A17 chips, with the Pro Max supposedly also receiving a new periscope telephoto camera. All of these features, plus those from the current iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Pro like 48MP main cameras and 120Hz displays, could be tempting reasons to upgrade to the iPhone 15 this September.
If you're an old iPhone owner, and want more detail on what to expect from the next generation of Apple's phones, take a look at our iPhone 15, iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max for all the latest rumored information. Hopefully we can help you figure out whether you'll be upgrading this year, whether you're part of the 250 million vintage iPhone users or not.
