Apple’s mainline iPhone 17 series is expected to launch in a few short weeks, and all four models will be fairly expensive. But if you wait a few months, the budget-friendly iPhone 17e should launch next spring with several welcome upgrades.
Rumors indicate that Apple plans to make the “e” series of iPhones an annual release beginning with this year’s iPhone 16e. This week regular leaker Digital Chat Station posted on Weibo about the iPhone 17e revealing a number of specs.
Some are familiar but three upgrades stuck out to us:
- A19 chip
- Design change
- Dynamic Island
When the iPhone SE became the ‘e’ series, it breathed new life into a model that was several years out of date. If Apple moves to an annual release schedule, it needs to justify regular upgrades.
So, the A19 chip isn’t too surprising. The iPhone 17e needs to keep up with Apple Intelligence upgrades and iOS changes from generation to generation, so a more powerful chip is welcome and necessary.
The A19 is rumored to be the first 2nm TSMC chip to feature in any phone, and should bring major performance and power efficiency upgrades over the A18 chip powering the iPhone 16e
The 16e also features a notch instead of Dynamic Island, so losing it would make the 17e feel more like a modern iPhone.
DCS mentions that the industrial design has “changed significantly.” It’s not clear what they mean by this, and it’s not elucidated in responses to comments under the post. Presumably, this isn’t about the Dynamic Island, but it’s something to keep an eye out for.
Expect the iPhone 17e to look a lot like its predecessor
Some other iPhone 17e specs reported by DCS include things that are currently available in the iPhone 16e. Those include a 6.1-inch OLED display and the same 60Hz refresh rate. It will also have a 48MP single rear camera, 12MP front-facing camera and Face ID.
Current rumors have the iPhone 17e launching in May of 2026, a few months later than the late February release of the iPhone 16e.
What we don’t know right now is how much cheaper the iPhone 17e will be than the flagship iPhone 17 line. With the ongoing rollercoaster that is President Trump’s tariffs, the price next year could be the same $599 as the 16e or significantly higher.
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