iPhone 17e: Everything you need to know

Macworld

iPhone 17e: Summary

Upgraded A19 processor

New display design with Dynamic Island instead of notch

Single rear camera with similar specs

Spring 2026 release

Apple released the iPhone 16e in February 2025 to replace the iPhone SE. While that phone was updated on an irregular schedule, Apple is expected to update the iPhone “e” series phones annually, so the 17e is expected to arrive in early 2026.

If you’re considering an iPhone 17e, this is the place to keep up to date on its development. We’ll keep track of the latest reports and provide our analysis to help you decide if the iPhone 17e is the right phone for you.

At a glance: What to expect from iPhone 17e

 6.1-inch OLED display with Dynamic Island

A19 chip

Single 48MP back camera; 12MP front camera

C1 cellular modem

Black or white color options






Like the iPhone 16e, the iPhone 17e will likely have a single back camera.Foundry | Alex Walker-Todd

iPhone 17e: Design and features

Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman reported that the iPhone 17e will have an A19 chip. The standard iPhone is expected to have an A19 chip as well, but Apple uses binned chips in the “e” series. The A18 in the iPhone 16e has one fewer GPU core than the A18 in the standard iPhone 16; the A19 in the iPhone 17e will likely have one fewer GPU core than the iPhone 17.

In August 2025, a leaker named Digital Chat Station also reported that the iPhone 17e will have an A19 chip.

The iPhone 17e will likely sport a 6.1-inch OLED display with a 60Hz refresh rate, the same as the iPhone 16e.  This was reported by Digital Chat Station in August, who also said that the display will have a Dynamic Island, which would be a change from the notch on the iPhone 16e.

The iPhone 17e will likely continue to have a single 48MP camera on the back and a 12MP camera on the front, just like the iPhone 16e. This was reported by Digital Chat Station in August.

The iPhone 16e is missing a few iPhone 16 features, such as Camera Control and MagSafe. The iPhone 17e will likely continue not to have these features in order to provide the customer an incentive to buy the higher-end iPhone 17 and 17 Pro.

While Apple’s C1 modem first appeared in the iPhone 16e, rumors suggest the iPhone 17e will use the same modem. Rather, the C2 is said to debut in the iPhone 18 line in the fall of 2026.






The notch may be replaced by the Dynamic Island in the iPhone 17e.Foundry | Alex Walker-Todd

iPhone 17e: Colors

While reports of the iPhone 17e’s colors have yet to be made, Apple has a tradition of offering its most affordable phone in a limited selection. The iPhone 16e is available in black or white, and we expect the same for the iPhone 17e.



iPhone 17e: Release date

Like the SE, Apple started shipping the iPhone 16e in early 2025, several months after the rest of the iPhone 16 line. According to reports, the iPhone 17e has entered test production runs to prepare it for a spring 2026 release.



iPhone 17e: Price

The iPhone 16e starts at $599, and Apple is expected to price the iPhone 17e at $599 as well, though no reports have been made so far. Tariffs and production cost increases may affect the price, but since the “e” series is considered Apple’s lowest-priced iPhone, the price would not exceed that of the iPhone 17. It’s possible that