The usual advice is to buy the previous generation once the new one is out. Apple's September 2026 price rise broke that rule. Today the iPhone 16 costs $799 for 128 GB, the same as on its launch day in September 2024, while the iPhone 17 costs $899 for 256 GB. In France it is €1,019 against €1,119.
| Spec | iPhone 17 | iPhone 16 |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Most people: the full screen and camera set for the least money | Nobody at this price: the 17e costs less and has more storage |
| Price from (US) | $899 | $799 |
| UK | £899 | £799 |
| France | €1,119 | €1,019 |
| Screen | 6.3-inch OLED, ProMotion up to 120 Hz, always-on | 6.1-inch OLED |
| Chip | A19 | A18 |
| Rear cameras | 48 MP main + 48 MP ultra wide | 48 MP main + 12 MP ultra wide |
| Video playback | Up to 30 hours | Up to 22 hours |
| Weight | 177 g | 170 g |
| Storage | 256 or 512 GB | 128 GB |
| Released | September 2025 | September 2024 |
$100 more for a much better phone
For an extra $100 (or €100 in France), the 17 gives you:
- Twice the storage: 256 GB against 128 GB. On its own, the next storage step usually costs more than $100.
- A 120 Hz always-on screen, slightly larger at 6.3 inches against 6.1.
- A 48 MP ultra wide camera instead of a 12 MP one, and an 18 MP front camera instead of 12 MP.
- Eight more hours of battery in Apple's video test: 30 against 22.
- A newer chip, the A19 against the A18.
There is no spec on which the 16 wins, apart from weighing 7 g less.
And against the 17e?
It gets worse for the 16. The iPhone 17e costs $699, $100 less than the 16, and comes with 256 GB, a newer A19 chip and 26 hours of battery. The 16 keeps only its second camera (the 12 MP ultra wide) and its Camera Control button as arguments.
When the 16 does make sense: refurbished
The picture changes on the refurbished market. In October 2026, Apple's US refurbished store sold an iPhone 16 with 256 GB for $739, with a new battery, a new outer shell and the same one-year warranty as a new phone. That is $160 less than a new 17 with the same storage, for a phone that is one generation older. If the 120 Hz screen and the extra battery do not matter to you, it is a reasonable deal. Retail prices of the 16 also tend to drift below Apple's; for the French market, see the iPhone 16 price since launch.
Which one to buy
The iPhone 17, new, if you are buying at Apple's list prices. At $799, the new iPhone 16 is the worst value in the range.
A refurbished iPhone 16 (256 GB) if you want to spend less than $800 and like the dual-camera system more than the 17e's single camera.
Quick answers
Should I buy the iPhone 16 or 17 in 2026?
The iPhone 17. At Apple, it costs only $100 more than the 16 but has twice the storage, a 120 Hz screen, a better ultra wide camera and eight more hours of battery.
Did the iPhone 16 get cheaper when the 17 came out?
Yes, then no. Apple cut it to $699 in September 2025, and raised it back to $799 on September 9, 2026.
