In brief: Apple updated its entry-level iPhone last February for the first time in three years, marking a brand shift and a new annual release schedule. Rumors suggest that the next model, the iPhone 17e, is set for an imminent launch with several new features previously exclusive to higher-priced models.
Macworld reports that Apple is set to launch the iPhone 17e this spring, possibly as soon as late February. Likely keeping its predecessor's $599 starting price, the entry-level phone is expected to be a cut-down version of the iPhone 17, with several upgrades over the iPhone 16e.
Support for MagSafe wireless charging will likely be the most significant iPhone 17e addition. The lack of MagSafe was one of the iPhone 16e's most regularly cited shortcomings, but outlets began reporting that Apple would add the feature to the successor in December.
The iPhone 17e is also expected to feature the same A19 SoC as its standard-priced counterpart. However, Apple appears to be establishing a pattern where e-series phones include only four GPU cores while higher-priced variants feature five or six.
Like prior entry-level iPhones, the 17e will likely feature a single-lens 48MP camera. Apple may upgrade the front-facing camera from 12 to 18MP and include a square sensor, enabling users to switch camera orientations without rotating the phone.
The company is expected to retain the 16e's 6.1-inch OLED panel but might include the Dynamic Island for the first time on an entry-level model. It remains unclear whether Apple will upgrade the iPhone 17e's cellular modem to its new, faster C1X. Its predecessor introduced the C1, the company's first in-house cellular chip.
The iPhone 17e is set to follow a record-setting quarter for Apple's iPhone business. At the end of 2025, the company reported $86 billion in sales, representing an unprecedented 69 percent share of the US smartphone market.
Apple's next flagship model, the iPhone 18 Pro, is expected to emerge this September with numerous significant upgrades. These include a variable-aperture lens, the company's new A20 Pro processor, a redesigned under-display Face ID authenticator with a camera located in the top-left corner of the display, and the C2 cellular modem. The chip could enable Apple to integrate 5G and satellite connectivity.
Prior reports indicate that the Cupertino giant will also introduce Mac devices with high-end M5 chips this year.