A new iPhone 17e could be right around the corner, and rumors suggest Apple’s next budget model will be a sizable jump over last year’s. Expect it to dump the old screen notch as well as boast other enhancements that bring Apple’s budget handset closer to the more premium options.
In short, those looking for a bargain on a new iPhone should keep their eye out for the 17e.
iPhone 17e might be the affordable option you’re waiting for
In 2025, Apple launched an experiment: the iPhone 16e came instead of the expected new iPhone SE version. Rather than a $429 bare-boned model, we got a $699 iOS handset that borrows heavily from the latest flagship devices.
It looks much like the rest of the iPhone 16 series, but with the old screen notch not the new Dynamic Island. Still, the more affordable handset is powered by an A18 chip with support for Apple Intelligence.
iPhone 17e rumors: Big upgrades, budget price
Photo: Apple/Gemini
But Apple stripped many of the features of the premium models out of the 16e to lower the price. That said, rumors indicate that some of these will be included in the iPhone 17e.
Most notably, it will supposedly ditch the screen notch in favor of a Dynamic Island — the pill-spaced cutout that iOS uses for real-time notifications, status of background activities and system alerts.
In addition, rumors say the iPhone 17e will include full support for MagSafe. The current 16e supports wireless charging but lacks the MagSafe magnets. If true, the upcoming version will ensure correct alignment for wireless charging while also enabling access to an array of magnetic accessories: wallets, stands, power banks and more.
Plus, it’ll allegedly use an A19 processor, the same chip that goes into the rest of the iPhone 17 series. This may be “binned” with a slower GPU so it’s not quite as quick as the pricier models, but the budget handset will nevertheless ensure the 17e is up for many years of use before a new model is required.
Not a complete redo
While iPhone 17e rumors point to a number of enhancements, other specifications are not likely to change. That means another 6.1-inch OLED display running at 60Hz, not a ProMotion screen.
And expect another single-lens, 48 MP camera, with the front-facing camera likewise staying at 12MP.
The 16e launched Apple’s C1 cellular modem. It’s not known whether the follow-up will use this chip again or go with the newer C1X.
At this point, we know nothing about 17e color options. Its predecessor comes only in white or black.
Just note that these are all rumors. We won’t know anything for certain about the 17e until it gets announced.
iPhone 17e price and launch date: Stay tuned
That announcement probably sits not too far in the future. iPhone 17e rumors point to an early-2026 launch, possibly in February or perhaps early spring — roughly a year after the 16e debuted.
Expect it to come in at a very similar price as the 16e when it launched: about $599. This is Apple’s more affordable option, and the cost can’t get too close to the iPhone 17 that sells for $799.
Ed Hardy has been writing full-time about tech for 25 years, and using it for much longer than that. His intro to Apple was a Macintosh Classic II (which he still has), but now he uses a 13-inch iPad Pro as his primary computer. He’s written for NotebookReview, TabletPCReview, and Brighthand, as well as other sites.
