Apple’s next budget iPhone — the iPhone 17e — will supposedly feature a Dynamic Island. The iPhone 16e currently sports a notch, the only handset in the company’s lineup to do so.
Unfortunately, this could be the iPhone 17e’s only display upgrade, as Apple does not plan to update the panel to a 120Hz one.
iPhone 17e should jump on the Dynamic Island bandwagon
Apple ditched the notch in favor of the Dynamic Island, a pill-shaped cutout near the top of the screen that changes its shape and functionality depending on what apps are being used, with the iPhone 14 Pro in 2022. The next year, it expanded the display technology to its non-Pro iPhones. This year, it shipped all its iPhones with a 120Hz OLED panel, including the regular iPhone 17 and iPhone Air.
Reliable Chinese leaker Digital Chat Station now claims in a Weibo post that Apple will bring the Dynamic Island to iPhone 17e next year. But it won’t get a 120Hz panel, like its other siblings. Instead, it will still sport a 6.1-inch 60Hz OLED panel.
The leaker made a similar claim in August.
Apple typically reuses older components from its iPhones on its budget devices. So, it makes sense for the iPhone 17e to finally get Dynamic Island, as Apple can reuse the same display panels used on the iPhone 15.
The iPhone 16e debuted in mid-February 2025. All rumors point to the iPhone 17e also arriving around the same time in the first quarter of 2026. Besides a display with Dynamic Island, it should feature an A19 chip. The only other notable upgrade could be the switch to Apple’s in-house C1x modem, which promises faster 5G speeds.
iPhone 18 Pro to keep the same rear camera design
The leaker also thinks the iPhone 18 Pro will feature the same rear camera plateau as seen on the iPhone 17 Pro. That’s hardly surprising — Apple rarely makes major design changes in back-to-back iPhone generations.
Digital Chat Station also claims that the iPhone 18 Pro will get a DSLR-like variable aperture for the primary camera.
