The iPhone 17 lineup is headed for a launch next month. Come 2026, an affordable iPhone 17e will be released to join the existing family. It’s too early for the official details to appear, but a leaker has unearthed some key specifications belonging to the iPhone 17e. Here’s everything you need to know.
Apple analyst and supply chain watcher Digital Chat Station recently came across a few details about the iPhone 17e. He wasted no time and shared all his findings on Weibo. It seems the device is not much of an upgrade over the existing iPhone 16e.
DCS found that this new iPhone 17e has a 6.1” low refresh rate 60Hz OLED display, which might look the same as last year’s iPhone 16. That could mean a Dynamic Island will be used on this device. It’s too early to presume anything, but this is an exciting prospect that finally puts an end to Apple’s notch era.
Even if it’s a budget model, Apple won’t shy away from giving it a flagship-grade performance. The same chip used by the vanilla iPhone 17 will be mounted on the iPhone 17e. This newcomer is on track for the Apple A19 silicon, according to Digital Chat Station.
The presumed Dynamic Island on the latest iPhone model will host a 12MP selfie unit and a 3D face scanner, which we all know as Face ID. The older 16e had a single 48MP camera on the rear, and so will its successor. A few changes to the design are possible, but its affordability will be the best part.
iPhone 16e came out in February, as Apple permanently dibanded the SE lineup. It finally got a modern design refresh that everyone was hoping for. Consumer Intelligence Research Partners reported that iPhone 16e had shown impressive sales in the first quarter.
Of all the iPhone sales in the second quarter of 2025, the iPhone 16e accounted for almost 11 percent in the US. So, Apple’s “e” series is definitely here to stay long term. We have our eyes and ears open for any new developments on the iPhone 17e. Keep watching the news for updates.
