Apple iPhone 17e: What is known so far
At the beginning of the year, the €699/$599 Apple iPhone 16e was launched as an affordable addition to the 16 series and successor to the iPhone SE is coming to market. The iPhone 17 models are now out, so can we expect an Apple iPhone 17e soon? Here are all the leaks and rumors so far.
When will the Apple iPhone 17e be released?
Several reports from reputable sources indicate that Apple will launch a next-generation iPhone 17e model in 2026. Industry analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said in May that Apple’s iPhone 17e will arrive in the first half of next year, as part of its move 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 that the Apple iPhone 17e was already close to the test production phase, although the leaker behind the claim suggested a May 2026 release, not February, when the iPhone 16e launched.
Display
The Korean website The Elec, however, said in July that the Apple iPhone 17e would use the same OLED display as the iPhone 16e will use. This panel was originally used in the iPhone 14. It is now part of an effort to use more cost-effective components based on established production lines.
The iPhone 16e features an OLED Super Retina XDR display with a 2,000,000:1 contrast ratio for blacker blacks and brighter whites, as well as a typical maximum brightness of 800 nits and a peak brightness of up to 1200 nits for HDR-quality photos and videos. The resolution is 2,532 x 1,170 pixels at 460 pixels per inch, slightly lower than the 2,556 x 1,179 pixel resolution of the iPhone 16 display.
Processor
According to Gurman, the new Apple iPhone 17e will feature the same A19 chipset as the iPhone 17. The A19 is based on an improved 3-nanometer process. It features a 6-core CPU with two performance cores and four efficiency cores. The 5-core GPU offers performance and efficiency improvements over the A18.
There’s an updated display engine, an image signal processor, and a 16-core Apple Neural Engine. Each GPU core contains a neural accelerator that improves daily workflows and the performance of local AI models, such as on-device Siri. Hardware-accelerated ray tracing enables console-quality gaming with improved frame rates and visual effects. The A19’s efficiency improvements ensure significantly longer battery life.
Dynamic Island or Notch?
According to well-known Chinese tipster Digital Chat Station, the Apple iPhone 17e will feature a dynamic island and a new design. For comparison: The iPhone 16e also has a notch at the top of the display, similar to the iPhone 13 and iPhone 14.
Outlook
Looking ahead, Kuo says that, alongside the standard iPhone 18, an iPhone 18e will also be launched in the first half of 2027. This is because, as part of its move to two iPhone releases per year, Apple will now reportedly launch the standard iPhone 18 and iPhone 18e models in the spring—a full six months after the iPhone 18 Pro models.
