I'm debating getting a new phone

My wife's phone is a sad, 5 year old iPhone SE 2nd Gen. The battery is shot. The camera is terrible. Liquid Glass constantly drags it to a halt.

I have the same phone, and I really like it. Except I have all the same problems and my fingerprint sensor doesn't seem to detect my fingers. I should probably redo all the fingerprints anyway.

She got a new job that requires her to be on her phone for productive stuff more, and her old phone was not going to cut it, so we sprung for an iPhone 17e. Gotta say, Apple's firing on all cylinders when it comes to hardware. It's a sweet device, and every review I've seen lauds it. It's a great phone for someone who doesn't care about bells and whistles.

Do I care about bells and whistles? Is the upgrade to iPhone 17 (ProMotion display, Ultra Wideband chip, Camera Control, way better camera system, Dynamic Island) worth $200? Maybe the better cameras are worth it to me? Or should I get an iPhone 16 for just $100 more to get camera control, Dynamic Island, and somewhat better cameras, but with a worse battery, worse screen protection, worse processor, and less storage space? (Honestly, why does Apple even sell the iPhone 16 anymore?)

Or, do I just keep my current phone, which is still more or less functional, for another 18 months or so until the iPhone 18 comes out?

The fact that I'm asking these questions should tell you that I'm a price sensitive consumer, for better or worse.

I guess the only other question is... which color should I get?