The iPhone 16e may not be the most advanced iPhone on the market, but it certainly offers some excellent specs (I’ve said a few). This year, Apple will improve its affordable handset with a number of significant upgrades, giving it a modern look and making it as fast as the iPhone 17.
Digital Chat Station, a Chinese tipster, claims in a Weibo post that the iPhone 17e “will be launched in the first half of the year.” While that could be any time between January and June, the iPhone 16e’s launch schedule could help shorten the launch window.
A familiar launch window for the iPhone 17e
Last year, Apple began accepting pre-orders for the iPhone 16e on February 19th, and nine days later, on February 28th, the phone went on sale. Nevertheless, there are rumors that the iPhone 17e will appear in early 2026.
Therefore, I expect that the iPhone 17e could become unavailable in either February or March, depending on last-minute changes due to logistical issues in making the phone available in different regions. Keep in mind that Apple often announces new products on Tuesdays or Wednesdays.
The tipster also writes about the key specs of the iPhone 17e, the most important of which is the Dynamic Island, which replaces the ugly notch on the iPhone 16e. This means that the handset should also have Face ID facial recognition.
Apple’s cheapest iPhone 2026 is also said to have a 6.1-inch 60Hz LTPS OLED screen, which could be carried over from the iPhone 15 (as it was the first non-Pro iPhone with Dynamic Island). If that’s the case, you can expect the iPhone 17e’s screen to be significantly brighter than the previous model.
Under the hood, the iPhone 17e could feature the same processor as the iPhone 17 – Apple’s A19 chip – giving it a slight boost in performance, enough to support Gemini models on the device that power the new, improved Siri.
While these are the details shared by the tipster, we have also heard rumors that the iPhone 17e will come with the Center Stage front camera that Apple debuted with the iPhone 17 series.
