The more affordable Apple iPhone 17e smartphone will be revealed “imminently”, it seems, with a launch even possible today.
Update: It’s official! The iPhone 17e is here – these are the new upgrades.
It seems we are set to get at least one Apple product today, with Tim Cook having confirmed as much last week.
The iPhone 17e is set to have some slight improvements over the excellent iPhone 16e – here’s what the leaks are currently suggesting:
Bloomberg‘s Mark Gurman previously claimed that the new handset will kickstart Apple’s plans to jumpstart 2026 a hardware spree that’ll also include new Mac models.
iPhone 17e rumored specs
| Display | 6.1-inch OLED, 60 Hz refresh (so not 120 Hz or TrueTone) |
| Design | Thinner bezels and it’s possible it will have Dynamic Island replacing the notch |
| Chipset (SoC) | Apple A19 (possibly with a slower clock speed than iPhone 17) |
| RAM | Apple A19 (possible slower clock speed) |
| Storage options | From 256 GB |
| Rear camera | Single 48 MP wide camera |
| Front camera | Rumored from 12–18 MP (this should be upgraded) |
| MagSafe | Yes (an upgrade from 16e) |
| Other specs | Apple C1X 5G modem (same as iPhone Air) and N1 wireless chip |
According to Gurman, writing in his weekly Power On newsletter, the iPhone 17e won’t be getting a price bump. It’ll be available for $599, Gurman says. That means we’d likely see the same starting price of £599 in the UK too.
That’s good news considering Apple is also planning to bring key upgrades to the second generation ‘e’ series phone. The four key updates will include what were thought to be omissions from the first generation model. For starters, there’ll be MagSafe connectivity. It’s also set to boast the latest A19 processor Apple uses for the base iPhone 17 handset revealed in September.
The iPhone 17e will include the C1X 5G modem Apple uses in its flagship phones and it should also have the N1 chip that handles Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and Thread connectivity.
Some rumors suggest the 17e may finally have Dynamic Island instead of a notch, but the verdict on this is decidedly mixed, with others saying it will retain the notch to cut costs.
The iPhone 16e was considered a successful release for Apple. It was the company’s first sub-flagship since the iPhone 5c all those years ago. Our reviewer said it made her “realise what you actually need for a good smartphone.” She praised the lightweight and updated design, the superb battery life and performance, and a great single-lens camera.
She concluded: A lightweight design, solid performance, consistent camera and brilliant battery make the iPhone 16e a great value option for those wanting a (slightly) less expensive iPhone.”
