iPhone 17e ‘due imminently’ with three key upgrades, no price change: report
Source: 9to5Mac
Apple’s next iPhone launch is expected to be one of its cheapest. The new iPhone 17e, a follow‑up to last year’s first‑generation iPhone 16e, will add three important upgrades, though the price will stay the same.
iPhone 17e upgrades
In today’s Power On newsletter, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman shared the following details on the iPhone 17e:
- The device will receive the A19 chip that powers the iPhone 17.
- MagSafe charging will be added.
- Apple’s newest in‑house cellular and wireless chips will be used—likely the C1X modem and the new N1 networking chip.
Gurman confirmed that Apple plans to keep the price at $599, positioning the phone as “more features for the same cost.” The upgrade is otherwise straightforward: a new chipset, MagSafe, and improved wireless components. The first Apple modem, C1, debuted in the iPhone 16e; the new N1 networking chip and upgraded C1X modem appeared in the iPhone 17 lineup and iPhone Air, respectively.
Earlier rumors suggested Apple might bring Dynamic Island to its cheapest iPhone, but Gurman made no mention of it. It’s also unclear whether the base storage will increase from 128 GB to 256 GB as seen on other iPhone 17 models.
Wrap up
The iPhone 17e is exactly what you’d expect for a one‑year follow‑up to a budget‑tier Apple product. At $599, it sits between the current lineup:
- iPhone 16e – $599
- iPhone 16 – starting at $699
- iPhone 17 – $799
- iPhone Air – $999
- iPhone 17 Pro – starting at $1,099
If the 17e ships with 256 GB of storage at $599, it would be more compelling than the 128 GB iPhone 16 at $699, though it will lack features such as the ultrawide camera found on the iPhone 16. In practice, the 17e is likely to sell heavily discounted through carrier deals, making the list price less relevant to its success.