Summary
- Apple is reportedly prepping the iPhone 17e to launch with Dynamic Island for key iPhone alerts.
- It will reportedly feature the upcoming A19 processor same as that of the iPhone 17.
- Leaks hint at an early 2026 launch window for the iPhone 17e.
The iPhone 17e is already part of the rumour mill and is shaping up to be an interesting offering next year. Apple revamped its budget iPhone lineup in 2025 with the launch of the iPhone 16e. Now, it looks like the brand will carry forward this rebranded affordable iPhone strategy in 2026 with one big upgrade.
As per tipster Digital Chat Station (DCS), Apple is reportedly looking to equip the iPhone 17e with Dynamic Island support. In a comment made in response to a user's query, DCS has said that the 2026 budget iPhone will use a "60 Hz Dynamic Island screen".
So, while the big addition this time seems to be the inclusion of the Dynamic Island module, the iPhone 17e will not be too different than the iPhone 16e. For instance, an earlier iPhone 17e leak from DCS revealed that the phone will feature the same 6.1-inch 60 Hz Super Retina XDR OLED display that we saw with the 16e.
Other than that, the smartphone could still bring the same 48 MP single rear camera and a 12 MP selfie camera with Face ID support.
The iPhone 17e could be powered by the Apple A19 chipset
Apart from the Dynamic Island, another key highlight with the iPhone 17e could be the addition of the Apple A19 processor. For context, it is the same chipset that the base iPhone 17 is using this year. However, if we go by what we saw with the iPhone 16e, the next model might also miss out on a GPU core. So, instead of 5 cores, the 17e could only offer a 4-core GPU architecture.
That said, Apple is expected to launch the iPhone 17e in February 2026, just like the iPhone 16e. So, we will only have to wait for a few more months before the next affordable iPhone is officially announced. So, expect more details to surface in the coming days.
