The release date for the iPhone 6S and iPhone 7 has become a hot topic, even though the iPhone 6 just launched this past weekend. The reason is simple: not everyone on carriers like Verizon and AT&T is eligible to upgrade yet. The nation’s two largest carriers have both moved to a nearly two-year upgrade cycle for most customers, meaning anyone who bought an iPhone 5S or a Galaxy S4 last year and is now eyeing the iPhone 6 will have to wait awhile. Based on everything we know from Apple’s history and patterns, here’s a look at when the iPhone 6S and 7 are most likely to arrive.
Apple’s longtime pattern has been to launch a completely redesigned iPhone model every other year, and then release an “S” model in the in-between years. Pressure from competitors like Samsung has led some in the industry to believe that Apple will ditch that pattern in favor of releasing a newly redesigned model every year. That means Apple could decide to skip the iPhone 6S and move straight to what it’ll refer to as the iPhone 7. But with the iPhone 5S having remained the number one selling smartphone worldwide for its entire twelve month reign despite the fact that it was an “S” model, there may not be as much pressure on Apple to skip the iPhone 6S as some might think.
Additionally, Apple’s reason for doing the S-model in the interim years is so that those on two-year upgrade cycles can have their crack at each model; if they have the iPhone 5S and aren’t eligible for the iPhone 6, they can get the iPhone 6S the following year. So our educated guess is that the iPhone 6S will arrive in 2015, not the iPhone 7. And because the iPhone 6 is setting sales records in its earliest days, there’s little reason to believe Apple will be in any rush. So look for the iPhone 6 release date in September or October of 2015. Those who can’t wait that long can always pay the early-upgrade fee to get the iPhone 6 now, though that won’t come cheap. Verizon is also offering the option to trade in an existing iPhone for the iPhone 6 for zero down through its EDGE program, however additional monthly payments will apply. As for the iPhone 7, think 2016 unless something changes in the market landscape.
Phil Moore
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