Apple will unveil the iPhone 17 at its event on September 9 2025. This new model is on track to hold the top spot in Apple mainline phones for about eighteen months. That span would surpass the long standing record set by the iPhone 4 in 2010 and 2011.
The iPhone 4 became Apple top model in June 2010 and stayed there until October 2011. That run lasted nearly 16 months and it has stood as the benchmark for more than a decade. The iPhone 17 is likely to beat that length if the iPhone 18 does not arrive until spring 2027 as many reports now suggest.
Apple appears to be shifting some of its product timing while it also pursues a multi year update plan for the iPhone family. The company will still release Pro models on an annual cadence. The longer gap applies to the standard mainline model and not to high end Pro or to specialty models. Analysts say the change will affect upgrade choices for many customers and could reshape buying cycles for carriers and retailers.
A major difference now is that buyers have more model choices than in 2010. The Pro series and emerging variants give users fresh options each year even if the mainline model stays longer at the top. Industry observers expect Apple to use this window to prepare larger changes for 2027 that could include new form factors and new chip designs.
After September 9, consumers are advised to monitor Apple announcements and carrier offers. An extended window will help to define Apple mainstream hardware as the iPhone 17. That will make the 2025-2027 the turning point of smartphone customers and the industry that helps them.