Will Apple Release an iPhone 17e? Here's What We Know

Apple's February motorboat of the iPhone 16e, which replaced the iPhone SE line, marked a strategical displacement successful the company's flagship smartphone lineup. Starting astatine $599, the iPhone 16e offers a 6.1-inch OLED display, Face ID, an A18 chip, and a USB-C port, positioning it arsenic a much affordable alternate wrong the iPhone 16 family. Does that mean we should expect an iPhone 17e to beryllium added to the upcoming iPhone 17 series?


Apple's iPhone 17 lineup is expected to diagnostic 4 models: iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, iPhone 17 Pro Max, and a caller ultra-thin iPhone 17 Air that replaces the existing Plus model. The iPhone 17 Air is rumored to person a importantly thinner plan with an aluminum chassis and a 6.6-inch display, aiming to connection a equilibrium betwixt portability and performance.

Given this lineup, it's earthy to question whether Apple volition proceed the "e" bid with an iPhone 17e, since the instauration of the iPhone 17 Air could perchance correspond Apple's attack to providing a mid-tier option, replacing the request for an "e" variant. However, Apple is apt to marketplace the caller ultra-thin Plus-replacing instrumentality arsenic a desirable premium enactment contempt its azygous camera and deficiency of different features, truthful we bash not expect it to merchantability for little than $899, which is the existent terms for the iPhone 16 Plus. At $899, the iPhone 17 Air would beryllium much costly than the iPhone 17, but little costly than the iPhone 17 Pro.

A stronger anticipation is that Apple releases an iPhone 17e adjacent twelvemonth astir the aforesaid February window, utilizing the model's motorboat arsenic a mode to reinvigorate its flagship lineup mid-cycle. Apple could take to bash this each year. It's a much breathtaking strategy than simply offering caller iPhone colors successful the spring, which Apple has done successful the past.

Indeed, 1 rumor successful April suggested Apple's next-generation iPhone 17e was already nearing the proceedings accumulation stage, though the leaker down the assertion suggested a May 2026 merchandise for the instrumentality alternatively than February. In addition, respected manufacture expert Ming-Chi Kuo ha since predicted that Apple volition motorboat a second-generation iPhone 17e successful the archetypal fractional of adjacent year. And it is not expected to beryllium the past of its kind.

Looking further ahead, Kuo says a third-generation "e" instrumentality volition reportedly beryllium released alongside the modular iPhone 18 successful the archetypal fractional of 2027. That's due to the fact that Apple is present said to beryllium launching the modular iPhone 18 and iPhone 18e successful the outpouring – a afloat six months aft the iPhone 18 Pro models – arsenic portion of its power to a divided iPhone yearly motorboat strategy.

If the claims turned retired to beryllium inaccurate, Apple could ever opt to merchandise "e" bid iPhone models based connected a non-linear roadmap, akin to the iPhone SE. The first-generation iPhone SE was released connected March 2016, portion the second-generation exemplary arrived successful April 2020, and the third-generation iPhone SE came successful March 2022.

As Apple continues to germinate its iPhone strategy, the occurrence of the iPhone 16e successful the coming months whitethorn yet find whether we'll spot aboriginal "e" variants alongside the main iPhone lineup. In that sense, iPhone 16e income figures and idiosyncratic feedback whitethorn beryllium the champion gauge arsenic to wherever Apple mightiness caput next. And aboriginal reports suggest the instrumentality is doing well: caller information from Consumer Intelligence Research Partners (CIRP) suggests Apple's iPhone 16e is disconnected to a beardown start, capturing 7% of U.S. iPhone sales successful its archetypal partial 4th of availability.
This article, "Will Apple Release an iPhone 17e? Here's What We Know" archetypal appeared connected MacRumors.com

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