Besides getting rid of the headphone jack, other changes in the new iPhone device might include more storage (the low-end model may start with 32GB instead of 16GB), a better camera and better water-resistance. Those features may be enough for people to upgrade from a current iPhone and for people who want the newest iPhone. But for others, who now have to buy their phones outright for about $649, or for those who are fine holding on to older models for more than the typical two years, Apple's iPhone 7 may be a tough sell.
"We believe the new features...and minor design changes are unlikely to either drive enough existing users to upgrade sooner or attract more switchers than before from Android devices," Oppenheimer analyst Andrew Uerkwitz noted.
Apple declined to comment ahead of its event.