We’re just one week away from Apple’s expected launch of its very first (major) new products for this year. As previously reported, Apple will kick off next week by announcing several new devices back-to-back, so as we’re counting down the days, let’s begin our roundup and roll call on what we can expect for the upcoming devices that we expect to see next week, starting with the iPhone 17e.
Design/Display
Initial rumors suggested that the iPhone 17e would finally feature the Dynamic Island that we first saw with the iPhone 14 Pro; however, recent rumors suggested otherwise, which meant that the iPhone 17e could still retain the notch. Furthermore, while the regular iPhone 17 brings ProMotion and Always-On capabilities, I shouldn’t expect the iPhone 17e to receive the same treatment. Instead, the iPhone 17e should continue to use the exact same display (down to the specs) as that of the current iPhone 16e, which would give more incentive for customers to opt for the regular iPhone 17 if they care about 120Hz, always-on, and other improved display specs.
Therefore, the iPhone 17e could continue to use the same design that was based on the iPhone 14 with its flat edges and notch. This would make sense to keep costs low by reusing parts, so to speak.
Chip
Since the regular iPhone 17 features the A19 chip, it’s more than likely that the iPhone 17e will have the A19 chip as well. However, the current iPhone 16e uses a binned variant of the A18 chip. I would expect the A19 chip on the iPhone 17e to be a binned variant as well, again to save costs by repurposing chips.
Camera
The current iPhone 16e has one single rear camera, so I wouldn’t expect any major upgrades in the camera system on the iPhone 17e, but two upgrades that I could see coming are: the improved rear camera to match that of the regular iPhone 17’s wide camera, and the improved 18 Center Stage front camera for selfies with improved quality.
MagSafe
One of the biggest, glaring omissions on the iPhone 16e is the lack of MagSafe, which limits the iPhone 16e to just slower Qi charging speeds. But recent rumors suggested that would change as the iPhone 17e will feature MagSafe for faster wireless charging speeds and added convenience to work with other MagSafe-certified accessories.
Wireless, Cellular, and others
With the introduction of the iPhone 17 lineup and the iPhone Air, Apple introduced the N1 wireless networking chip, which consolidates Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6, and Thread networking for improved reliability in using wireless-related features such as Personal Hotspot and AirDrop. We also see the C1X modem on the iPhone Air and M5 iPad Pro, which is Apple’s second-generation cellular modem. It’s likely that Apple will bring both the N1 chip and the C1X cellular modem to the iPhone 17e to modernize Apple’s entry-level phone.
If anything, I don’t expect the iPhone 17e to feature any Ultra Wideband chip for spatial awareness-related features such as Precision Finding. The Ultra Wideband technology continues to be exclusive on its main flagship iPhone/Apple Watch models. In other words, the iPhone SE models, the iPhone 16e, and the Apple Watch SE models never feature any Ultra Wideband. Even the non-Pro AirPods model lacks Ultra Wideband technology, whereas the current AirPods Pro models have that feature.
The iPhone 16e lacks the Camera Control button that some people either like/dislike, so I wouldn’t be surprised if that feature will still be omitted in the iPhone 17e.
Price
The current iPhone 16e starts at $599 with 128GB of storage. The regular iPhone 17 made a bold move in bumping the default storage from 128GB to 256GB at the same starting price of $799 (or $829 if purchased unlocked). Apple continues to make 256GB the new base storage option on many of its products, so I hope the iPhone 17e will start at 256GB at the same starting price, so that it will be a better value than before, while not cannibalizing the regular iPhone 17. Since the regular iPhone 17 is offered in both 256GB and 512GB capacities, I’d expect the iPhone 17e to be offered no more than 512GB.
All in all, this iPhone 17e is going to be such a solid upgrade over the iPhone 16e by bringing spec improvements across the board.
