Technologies

About to Buy a New iPhone? Here’s Why You Should Definitely Wait

Apple’s next phone launch is just around the corner.

If you’re ready to upgrade your iPhone, you might want to hang tight.

Apple’s fall event is happening on Tuesday, during which it’s expected to debut the iPhone 17 lineup. So if you wait just a bit longer, you can either score the latest device or get a discount on previous models.

Preorders for new iPhones typically open up the Friday after they’re announced, meaning you’ll likely be able to place an order for the iPhone 17 starting Sept. 12. The phones usually ship a week later.

Newer iPhones tend to include camera and processor upgrades, as well as new features to make them more enticing. For instance, the iPhone 14 Pro models introduced Dynamic Island, the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max debuted the Action button and the iPhone 16 series added the Camera Control button and Apple Intelligence across the full lineup, rather than on just the Pro models.

According to leaks and reports, the iPhone 17 lineup, which Apple technically has yet to confirm, could have a fresh camera setup and new color options and, perhaps most notably, could include a slimmer version of the iPhone to compete with similar offerings such as Samsung’s Galaxy S25 Edge. It’ll likely arrive with the recently announced iOS 26, which features Apple’s biggest software design shakeup in more than a decade.

You can check out our iPhone 17 rumor roundup for more on what might be coming in the fall.

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Will waiting for the iPhone 17 be worth it?

Overall, iPhone upgrades in the past several years have been relatively modest. And it’s likely, based on rumors, that the iPhone 17 lineup will generally follow that mold.

But even with more moderate changes, now’s not a good time to buy a new iPhone, if you can help it. We’re just a couple days away from the anticipated launch of Apple’s next smartphone. So if you hold on a little longer, you can snag that flashy new device when it drops.

If you buy a new iPhone 16 now, you’ll probably pay full price for something that in just a few days’ time will technically be outdated (the harsh reality of the annual phone release cycle). And even if you get a good deal through your carrier now, if you stick it out just a bit longer, you could potentially get an even more lucrative deal once the iPhone 17 drops and carriers ramp up their promotions.

If anything, waiting to see what the iPhone 17 has in store could at least help you confirm whether going with the newest device or an older one like the iPhone 16 or 15 is worth it. After all, if the differences are minimal, you might as well save a couple of hundred dollars by choosing a previous model. And chances are — if the iPhone 17 is anything like the last several iPhones — no one will even be able to tell.

But what about tariffs?

One big unknown is whether tariffs will affect the price of the iPhone 17, which could sway your purchasing decisions. While smartphones and computers were given an exemption from President Donald Trump’s more extensive tariffs, he recently said Apple will still have to pay a 25% tariff on iPhones made outside the US. This would almost certainly lead to a price hike.

But even without tariffs, the iPhone is due for a markup, according to CNET’s Patrick Holland. «The iPhone hasn’t had a price hike in five years and is due for one,» he writes. «Historically, that’s the longest stretch of time the company has gone without an increase.» (You can check out more of his thoughts here.)

So, is it still worth waiting for the iPhone 17? It depends. If you were already planning on purchasing a new iPhone and can’t wait much longer, I can understand panic-buying now. But bear in mind you’ll still likely pay full price for an iPhone 16 model that will be worth less the moment the iPhone 17 drops. So, you might be coughing up more for an iPhone 17, but at least you’ll get more bang for your buck.

So, when’s the best time to buy a new iPhone?

There’s not necessarily a «best» time to buy a new iPhone, because prices are pretty consistent throughout the year, but the fall is an enticing option. That’s when Apple introduces its latest slate of iPhones, and when carriers are eager to attract new customers with abundant trade-in deals and promotions. And again, even if you don’t want the latest and greatest iPhone, you can at least snag an older version at a discount right after the iPhone 17 drops.

In general, we recommend upgrading to a new phone if your existing one is more than two generations old. You can typically wring more life out of your device, but if you want to stay on top of the latest features like Apple Intelligence, leveling up is the way to go. And with just a couple more days left before the anticipated drop of the iPhone 17, you might as well see what fresh capabilities Apple has up its sleeve.

Technologies

The Apple Watch Series 11 Brings High Blood Pressure Alerts

Apple’s newest flagship watch can detect possible signs of hypertension.

The Apple Watch Series 11 made its debut at Apple’s «awe dropping» event in Cupertino, California, on Tuesday, vying for a spot on your wrist with a mix of fresh updates including new hypertension notifications, sleep score analysis, 5G connectivity and increased battery life.

With a decade of upgrades and refinements, the Series 11 represents a big move for Apple as it leans further into its health and fitness features across its Apple Watch lineup. Alongside the Series 11, Apple also unveiled the Apple Watch Ultra 3 and Apple Watch SE 3, along with the new iPhone 17 lineup (including the brand new iPhone Air), and the latest generation of AirPods (Pro 3).

Both the Series 11 and the new Ultra 3 will ship with WatchOS 26, which Apple previewed at the Worldwide Developers Conference in June. The update brings a cleaner «liquid glass» UI, live translation for text messages, a redesigned Notes app for your wrist and Workout Buddy; Apple’s new AI-powered companion that offers real-time motivation based on your personal metrics during certain workouts.

Pricing and availability

The Apple Watch Series 11 is available for preorder now and will hit stores on September 19. Pricing starts at $399 (£369, AU$679) for the 42mm aluminum Wi-Fi model, while the LTE version of the same watch runs $499. The titanium LTE version of the 42mm model is priced at $699.

New health features

The biggest addition is a feature that can notify you when you’re showing signs of hypertension or high blood pressure. The Apple Watch will send alerts if it notices consistent patterns over a 30-day period that could warrant a follow-up with a doctor, and then allow users to log their blood pressure on the Health app (from a cuff) to confirm.

Another health upgrade is the new Sleep Score, which grades your sleep session on a scale of 1 to 100 or low to excellent. The watch doesn’t just hand you a number with no context; it breaks down your score and shows you factors that may be contributing like bedtime, sleep interruptions and duration, highlighting specific factors that may have impacted your sleep.

Design updates

Visually, the Series 11 looks much like the Series 10, with the same thin profile and edge-to-edge display. But there’s a subtle, practical upgrade: the aluminum model now uses stronger, more scratch-resistant glass, making it more durable for everyday wear.

Connectivity and battery

For the first time, the LTE model of the Series 11 supports 5G connectivity, which Apple says is not only faster but also more efficient at conserving battery life when in use.

Battery life has also received a bump. The Series 11 now promises up to 24 hours on a charge, compared to the 18 hours of the Series 10. Apple tends to be conservative with its battery claims. In real-world use, we may see it stretch beyond the official promise as I’ve consistently been able to stretch out the Series 10 claim to almost 30 hours.

This is a developing story. Follow all of CNET’s 2025 Apple Event coverage for live updates, hands-on impressions, and more announcements as they’re revealed.

Technologies

More Than 4.4 Million Exposed in Credit Bureau TransUnion Breach: What to Know

The breach appears related to a wave of attacks on companies’ Salesforce databases.

Sensitive personal information belonging to 4.4 million customers, including their names and Social Security numbers, was exposed in a data breach on credit bureau TransUnion, in what is believed to be the latest in a string of attacks targeting companies’ Salesforce databases.

The data breach, which occurred on July 28, was identified and contained within hours, a TransUnion spokesperson told CNET. TransUnion is one of three credit bureaus — along with Equifax and Experian — that compile your financial activity into credit reports that are then used to create your credit scores. The credit bureau said it’s notifying people who may have been affected and sharing the actions the company is taking.

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Two separate state filings shed more details on the situation. A court filing in Maine shows that TransUnion acknowledged unauthorized access from a third-party application that stored personal customer data. While the notice to consumers says that no credit information was accessed, «limited personal information» was exposed. However, another filing from Texas states that names of individuals, Social Security numbers and birthdates were exposed in the breach.

The TransUnion spokesperson further clarified that the breach involved a third-party application serving its US consumer support operations but did not include its core credit database or credit reports. The bureau has engaged third-party cybersecurity experts for an independent forensics review.

The breach came after Google reported in June that hackers were using a modified version of a Salesforce-related app to steal vast stores of data, infiltrate other cloud systems and extort compromised companies. The same report named the cybercriminal hacking group ShinyHunters, which it said was linked to extortion demands to employees of the victim organizations.

Several global organizations have already been caught in a wave of Salesforce-linked attacks, according to BleepingComputer, including Google, Farmers Insurance, Allianz Life, Workday, Pandora, Cisco, Chanel and Qantas. Salesforce said social engineering, and not its platform, were to blame for the attacks.

«The Salesforce platform has not been compromised, and this issue is not due to any known vulnerability in our technology,» Salesforce said in a statement in August, adding that customers can mitigate the risk by enabling multi-factor authentication and closley managing connected applications.

Consumer rights law firm Wolf Haldenstein issued an alert on the breach and encouraged those who have received a notice and spot unusual activity on their credit report to reach out.

If you’re not sure if your private data was leaked or you haven’t received any communication from TransUnion, you can check by calling its Fraud Victim Assistance Department at 800-680-7289.

Even if you haven’t received a notice, if you’ve experienced unusual activity on your credit report, you can always freeze your credit for free, enable two-factor authentication or add a security key to your accounts.

Technologies

Will the iPhone 17 Be Able to Run GTA 6?

The new iPhone Air and iPhone Pro promise big performance from Apple’s new A19 Pro chips.

Apple held its big annual iPhone event Tuesday, showing off the upcoming ultrathin iPhone Air, iPhone 17 Pro, AirPods Pro 3, Apple Watch Series 11, the Apple Watch SE 3 and the Apple Watch Ultra 3. There were a few mentions of video games during the show, but in one sequence showing off the new camera for the iPhone 17, it was hard to ignore that this particular shot looked like something out of the upcoming Grand Theft Auto 6.

Megan Nash, product manager for iPhone, spoke during the event about the iPhone 17’s new 48-megapixel main camera that Apple calls Dual Fusion, which can take sharp photos at full resolution or take 2x crop-zoomed images at 24 megapixels. Behind her was an iconic backdrop of a strip from Miami that made some GTA fans wonder if maybe Apple was going to announce a deal with Rockstar Games.

A thread on the GTA subreddit titled Did Apple just tease GTA VI on iPhone? appeared shortly after Nash’s sequence in the iPhone event. Most posters on the thread joked and reminded everyone that the fictional Vice City is based on the real Miami. The upcoming GTA 6 takes place in the fictional state of Leonida, a parody of Florida, with one of the cities players can visit being Vice City.

CNET did reach out to Apple and Rockstar Games just in case. Neither company immediately responded to a request for comment.

GTA 6 was slated to come out this year, but Rockstar Games announced in May that it was delayed. The new date is currently set for May 26, 2026. This would mean that if there were an iOS version of the game, it would be playable on an iPhone 17. Even though the new iPhone 17 will come with an A19 chip’s five-core GPU that can improve gaming, it’s unlikely it could run the next GTA game without some modifications.

On the other hand, the iPhone Air, iPhone Pro and Pro Max have A19 Pro chips with a more powerful six-core GPU (at least for the latter two), which Apple said has «MacBook Pro levels of compute … perfect for GPU-intensive AI workloads.» If Apple is comparing the A19 Pro’s performance to that of a MacBook Pro (though which MacBook Pro, specifically, we don’t know), it’s possible GTA 6 could be playable.

GTA 6 is arguably the most anticipated game coming for the current generation of consoles, and there has been speculation that it could be priced at $100. This is much higher than the current price tag of $70 for most games, although Nintendo did start releasing new games for $80 on its Switch 2.

Preorders for the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, iPhone 17 Pro Max and iPhone 17 Air will start at 5 a.m. PT on Friday, Sept. 12.