iPhone 17e: All the Rumors So Far

[MacRumors]

Earlier this year, Apple released the $599 iPhone 16e – a budget-friendly late addition to its iPhone 16 series and a replacement for its long-running entry-level iPhone SE line. Given the iPhone 17 lineup has now launched, can we expect an iPhone 17e anytime soon?

If you're holding out for a more affordable device with the 17 moniker attached, here's everything we know so far about the next-generation iPhone 17e.

Release Schedule

Several reports from reputable sources have indicated that Apple will launch a next-generation iPhone 17e model in 2026. Industry analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said in May that Apple would release an iPhone 17e in the first half of next year as part of a switch to an annual update strategy for its entry-level ‌iPhone‌. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman has also reported that an iPhone 17e is coming early next year.

An earlier rumor from April suggested Apple's next-generation ‌iPhone‌ 17e was already nearing the trial production stage, though the leaker behind the claim suggested a May 2026 release for the device rather than February, which was when the iPhone 16e launched.

Display

Korean outlet The Elec in July said Apple plans to launch a second-generation ‌iPhone‌ 17e that will use the same OLED panel as that found in the ‌iPhone 16e‌ – a panel that originally debuted in the ‌iPhone‌ 14 – as part of its efforts to use lower-cost components based on established production lines.

The iPhone 16e has an OLED Super Retina XDR display with a 2,000,000:1 contrast ratio for blacker blacks and brighter whites, along with 800 nit typical max brightness and up to 1200 nits peak brightness for HDR photos, videos, TV shows, and movies. It has a resolution of 2532 by 1170 with 460 pixels per inch, and is a slightly lower resolution than the 2556 by 1179 resolution of the iPhone 16 display.

Processor

According to Gurman, the new phone will include the same A19 chip as the iPhone 17. The A19 is built on an upgraded 3-nanometer process. It features a 6-core CPU with two performance cores and four efficiency cores. There's a 5-core GPU, offering performance and efficiency improvements over the A18.

There's an updated display engine, image signal processor, and 16-core Apple Neural Engine. Each GPU core includes a Neural Accelerator that boosts daily workflows and the performance of local AI models, like on-device Siri. Meanwhile, hardware-accelerated ray tracing enables console-quality gaming with improved frame rates and visual effects. The A19's efficiency improvements bring a significant battery life boost.

Dynamic Island or Notch?

According to the leaker known as "Digital Chat Station," the iPhone 17e will feature a Dynamic Island and a "new design." For context, the iPhone 16e features a "notch" at the top of the display, similar to the ‌iPhone‌ 13 and ‌iPhone‌ 14.

The ‌iPhone 16e‌ is based on the design of 2022's ‌iPhone‌ 14, so it's possible that the ‌iPhone‌ 17e could be based on 2023's ‌iPhone‌ 15, which gained the ‌Dynamic Island‌ and a noticeably more rounded frame. However, this would seem to go against reports that the device will use the same OLED panel as the iPhone 16e, so there's reason to be skeptical.

Looking Ahead

Looking further ahead, Kuo says a third-generation "e" device will be released alongside the standard iPhone 18 in the first half of 2027. That's because Apple is now said to be launching the standard ‌iPhone 18‌ and ‌iPhone‌ 18e in the spring – a full six months after the ‌iPhone 18‌ Pro models – as part of its switch to a split ‌iPhone‌ yearly launch strategy.

Article Link: iPhone 17e: All the Rumors So Far

 

[MacUserFella]

Let’s all just hope the price is reasonable this time

 

[FSMBP]

I just don't see this happening...they typically kept their budget phones around for 2 - 3 years before updating them. Especially since they just released the 16e this year, this rumor has little merit.

 

[UliBaer]

The 16e is probably a main seller for company businesses. Companies don't buy new phones for their employees on a yearly basis - more on a 3-year basis. So I think we don't get a 17e next year.

 

[jdavid_rp]

Why would they release another “SE” this fast? If it’s a low budget iPhone I don’t think its market target needs another one this early.

 

[JokoWidodo]

Possible lower starting price since the base 17 now has more value

 

[TinyMito]

Sometime feels like a company presented too many variations of the same phone feels anti-consumer / confused. That's just my opinion. I like company keeps things simple.

 

[iZac]

I just had an ‘interesting’ thought about Apple retaining the $799 price for the iPhone 17 - this phone won’t be upgraded until Spring 2027. So whilst everyone is justifiably lauding the great value, it has to last a one-off 18 month cycle compared to all the other phones in Apples lineup.

In other words, imagine if Apple priced it at $899 like everyone feared and it was still $899 next September without being updated. People would be livid!

 

[Mac Fly (film)]

Lens should be flush. Should have Qi2. But probably shouldn't exist.

 

[ZiBart]

The 16e doesn't need any hardware updates for its target market. It needs a price drop instead. Same with the 16. Only because the 17 is such a great value this year and starts at 256GB storage, whereas the others still start at 128gb.

17 / 256: $799
16 / 128: should be $649
16e / 128: should be $499

 

[techspin]

We already have it. It's the iPhone Air 🥲

 

[The Game 161]

with how good 17 is it needs to be priced at 499

 

[zarmanto]

... Companies don't buy new phones for their employees on a yearly basis - more on a 3-year basis. ...

True -- but just like the rest of us, not all corporations are buying on precisely the same schedule as every other corporation, year after year; some are ready to buy this year while others are budgeting to make that purchase next year. Likewise like us, corporate buyers do still want to get the best bang for their buck; that means they'll be looking for either a price drop for a year-old handset, or a new model in the year that they've budgeted for handset purchases.

So as I see it, it simplifies things: a consistently predictable new low-end handset each year means that corporations can make their purchases at any point without having to decipher things like multi-year product cycles.

 

[WarmWinterHat]

True -- but just like the rest of us, not all corporations are buying on precisely the same schedule as every other corporation, year after year; some are ready to buy this year while others are budgeting to make that purchase next year. Likewise like us, corporate buyers do still want to get the best bang for their buck; that means they'll be looking for either a price drop for a year-old handset, or a new model in the year that they've budgeted for handset purchases.

So as I see it, it simplifies things: a consistently predictable new low-end handset each year means that corporations can make their purchases at any point without having to decipher things like multi-year product cycles.

Yep! My company only offers the 16e, and they buy whatever the newest budget phone is...before this, it was the SE 2022, which I what I have. We are eligible for an update after three years, but I've had mine for two so, not yet.

Everyone is on their own schedule, and they don't buy the phone until it's needed.

 

[kppolich]

Just make a smaller phone with a flat back for the love of GOD

 

[SmOgER]

I don’t get it what’s the point..? It’s gonna be like regular 16 only 1 less camera.

 

[zarmanto]

I don’t get it what’s the point..? It’s gonna be like regular 16 only 1 less camera.

The entire point is the lower price.

 

[SmOgER]

The entire point is the lower price.

Just lower the price on 16 huh

 

[Big_D]

I'm glad I continued reading, I read it uses the same screen as the iPhone 14, so Notch, so I was about to stop reading, but skimmed the rest and saw that it might have dynamic island...

My iPhone 14 comes up for replacement early next year (company contract, we get the previous years model (or SE or E) for 2 years) and going from notch to notch wasn't particularly looking forward to 16e or 17e with notch...

 

[Moukee]

I just don't see this happening...they typically kept their budget phones around for 2 - 3 years before updating them. Especially since they just released the 16e this year, this rumor has little merit.

Considering the current model has a number in it, I could see them updating it every generation, just like Google does with their Pixel "a" series.

 

[tomtad]

Very easy to predict what this will be. Will be the same design, with the new processor and the dynamic island. Visually from the front it will look like an iPhone 16 with the thicker bezels compared to the 17, 60Hz refresh rate. The iPhone 16 will be discontinued at launch and the 17e will be using some of it's parts basically.

Fast forward to next September which will then see new Pros and Air with a smaller dynamic island to set them apart.

 

[SBlue1]

Sometime feels like a company presented too many variations of the same phone feels anti-consumer / confused. That's just my opinion. I like company keeps things simple.

I think the iPhone lineup is pretty simple. Just like the Apple Watch lineup. The iPads on the other hand...

 

[gagaliya]

I just don't see this happening...they typically kept their budget phones around for 2 - 3 years before updating them. Especially since they just released the 16e this year, this rumor has little merit.

they have to, in order to make sure all phone series work fine with latest on device ai stuff being released. The whole execution is a complete mess internally, I think they starting to realize even the recent 16e isn't sufficient to do on-device. The Neural Accelerator on gpu cores was just mentioned as a side note but it's a significant boost to the new on device stuff they coming out with.

 

[zarmanto]

Just lower the price on 16 huh

That's a good point, and forces a qualifier to my previous statement; the point is actually two pronged: 1) provide a "lowest" price point, and 2) reassure buyers that they're not being relegated to "last year's model" just to get that lowest price point. IMHO, buyers -- particularly corporate customers -- are more likely to chafe at an option which is simply "old" than they are to protest "missing premium features," because they don't care about those premium features nearly as much as they do about longevity and product support lifecycles.

 

[SBlue1]

The 16e doesn't need any hardware updates for its target market. It needs a price drop instead. Same with the 16. Only because the 17 is such a great value this year and starts at 256GB storage, whereas the others still start at 128gb.

17 / 256: $799
16 / 128: should be $649
16e / 128: should be $499

If my iPhone 16e gets stolen I would surely appreciate better hardware on the 17e. And I don't care about the official price anyway, Amazon sold me the phone for 150 Euros less!