New iPhone could launch next year with major upgrade on popular feature
Following Apple's September release of the iPhone 17, it won't be long before we see the next generation budget line-up.
Earlier this year in February, Apple released the iPhone 16e. Users quickly noticed that it was completely different from the iPhone SE, though that was the phone it replaced.
The iPhone 16e became the most affordable iPhone to offer Apple Intelligence features, whilst introducing an OLED screen and the same processor as the iPhone 16.
Now, after the successful rollout of the iPhone 17 models, Apple's next entry-level iPhone is anticipated to be the iPhone 17e.
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It's expected to arrive in spring 2026 and may include a very welcome upgrade in the form of a significantly improved front-facing camera.
Typically, budget iPhone buyers have to give up several features compared to flagship models like the iPhone 17 - that's the trade-off for a lower price tag. However, if rumours prove accurate, the iPhone 17e could help reduce the feature gap.
GF Securities analyst Jeff Pu said that the iPhone 17e will launch in 'mid 1Q26,' which would be exactly one year after the iPhone 16e release.
According to a separate report by Pu, covered by MacRumors, Apple plans to launch the iPhone 17e alongside the 12th-generation iPad and a new MacBook with an A-series chip in early 2026. The tech giant will equip the iPhone 17e with the A19 processor, the same chipset found in the standard iPhone 17, Pu reported.
The phone is also expected to feature the same Apple C1 modem as the iPhone 16e.
Perhaps the most notable feature is the massive camera upgrade to the iPhone 17e, with reports suggesting the phone will feature an 18MP Centre Stage front-facing camera, matching the regular iPhone 17 series. This new square-shaped sensor design automatically captures from a different portion of the sensor, allowing users to take landscape selfies without rotating the phone.
However, the iPhone 17e could still come with a single camera setup on the back, like the iPhone 16e.
Meanwhile, a new design change could see the iPhone 17e move away from the notch at the top of the display to the Dynamic Island interface currently seen on higher-end iPhones.
Finally, it appears Apple will continue its strategy of including cutting-edge processors in its affordable models, so the iPhone 17e will almost certainly feature the A19 chip found in the iPhone 17.
Hopefully, the iPhone 17e will keep the same $600 basic price as the iPhone 16e, but we won't know more until the new year.