Commentary: As someone who has been writing about the iPhone for over a decade, I'm ready to see Apple step it up in this perhaps unexpected way.

The iPhone 17 is reportedly rumored to be announced in September, meaning Californians may be just weeks away from their next upgrade. Last year, Apple introduced its iPhone 16 range on Sept. 9, with the new phones ready for pre-order later that week. In September of 2023, Apple unveiled its iPhone 15, iPhone 15 Plus and iPhone 15 Pro Max.

Most flagship phones, like the OPPO Find X8 Ultra, Sony Xperia 1 VI, and Xiaomi 15 Ultra, offer periscope lenses that max out between 4x and 7x optical zoom.

The base model iPhone 18 might not make its debut until spring 2027, reportedly so Apple can showcase new foldables. Higher-end iPhone 18 models are still on tap for 2026, though.

AppleAAPL stock has been creeping higher recently as the consumer electronics giant prepares to unveil its fall product lineup, including the iPhone 17 family of smartphones.On Aug. 8, Apple stock cleared its 200-day moving average line for the first time since March 10.

The iPhone 17 could have a slightly larger 6.3-inch display, instead of the 6.1-inch one on the iPhone 16, tipster Digital Chat Station said in June. That means it could be the same size as the iPhone 16 Pro, as well as the rumored iPhone 17 Pro, 9to5Mac reported.

Foxconn, the Taiwanese electronics major, has begun production of iPhone 17 at its Bengaluru facility, Economic Times reported, citing sources aware of the development. The unit is the company’s second-largest plant globally outside China and has started operations on a limited scale, according to the ET report.