Marcio Jose Sanchez/AP
Apple CEO Tim Cook shows an iPhone 7 to performer Maddie Ziegler during an event to announce new products, Wednesday, Sept. 7, 2016, in San Francisco.
The phones' features, particularly the removal of the traditional earphone jack in place of wireless AirPods, had been leaked and widely covered before the unveiling.
Apple also launched the Apple Watch Series 2, which includes built-in GPS and faster processors.
Still, several analysts who cover the company had various reasons for why there could be strong demand for upgrades, and users won't wait for the iPhone 8 next year that's expected to get a design overhaul.
Here's some of the commentary: