iPhone 17e is getting closer to launch by the day. We are keeping track of the device’s every single move through the pipeline. There’s a new rumor in circulation that claims a non-notch modern display on the iPhone 17e and slightly lower performance from its A19 chip.
The leak spree on the iPhone 17e’s display has been a roller coaster ride so far. It was reported earlier that the phone may have a Dynamic Island. Apple would finally let go of its ugly notch. But the wind started to shift last month with contradicting news.
A prominent leaker and supply chain analyst advised that the iPhone 17e’s display is the same as the iPhone 16e, and nothing has really changed in that department. There’s a new report on the subject today from SmartPikachu in China, who has been keeping an eye on all CES 2026 announcements. Here you can also find the latest iPhone prices, technical specifications, and key design differences to help you compare them.
The leaker has learned from his sources that iPhone 17e’s announcement plans are in motion, and that it’s a low-price flagship (translating from Chinese). The Weibo leak says this is a 6.1” display handset with Dynamic Island.
It’s also reported by SmartPikachu that the A19 chip is downgraded, which we assume is a hint at a missing GPU core or lower clock speed. That’s how it usually goes with these budget iPhones. The SE models from the past had one less GPU core than the standard iPhone siblings of the same generation.
It wouldn’t be out of character for Apple if they did strip a GPU core from the A19 chip (for iPhone 17e). The leaker also revealed no high refresh rate on 17e’s display, which is also a fair assumption. We have seen other rumors in the past that agree with this theory.
Besides all this, there is some good news as well. iPhone 16e didn’t have MagSafe support last time, but that’s changing, if we believe the hearsay. iPhone 17e will connect to all MagSafe accessories with support. A Dynamic Island will help with appearance, so it no longer looks like a relic from the past. We’ll get back to you once we have more details. Keep watching the news.
