Will there be an iPhone 17e? Here’s why Apple might refresh “e” iPhones every year
The latest iPhone 16e won’t be the only “e” model because evidence suggests Apple is already working on an iPhone 17e for an early 2026 launch.
Consumer Intelligence Research Partners (CIRP) claims the the newly announced iPhone 16e, which arrives in stores tomorrow, will be on an annual upgrade cycle like other models in the flagship lineup. Also, new evidence has emerged suggesting Apple’s component suppliers are already gearing up for an iPhone 17e.
“It appears that ‘e’ phones may be part of the program going forward,” CIRP explains. “Following the core iPhone 17 model launches in September, we expect Apple to announce an iPhone 17e around this time next year.”
Is the iPhone 16e a one-off or a yearly occurrence?
CIRP thinks Apple will unveil an iPhone 17e in February 2026, similar to how Google introduces “a” models in its Pixel line months after launching its flagship models. An annual refresh cycle for “e” iPhone models would contrast the three generations of the iPhone SE that were released in 2016, 2020 and 2022.
MacRumors reports that the Chinese leaker Fixed Focus Digital has unearthed evidence of a “new project codename” from Apple’s supply chain, saying it most likely relates to an iPhone 17e. The leaker has a proved track record, having correctly predicted the “iPhone 16e” name back in December 2024 when everyone expected Apple’s next smartphone launch would be an iPhone SE-branded model.
When the iPhone 16e arrived as a successor to the iPhone SE, many people wondered whether it was a one-off product or a device that Apple could update every couple of years, similar to the discontinued iPhone SE. Some even speculated that the phone could be updated annually. Apple’s announcement pitched the iPhone 16e as “a powerful new member of the iPhone 16 family” and “the most affordable member of the iPhone 16 family.”
Apple will almost certainly continue iterating the iPhone 16e every year because the handset repackages many iPhone 16 features with trade-offs to achieve its $200 lower starting price ($600) than the base iPhone 16 ($800). The iPhone 16e will be outdated by the time the iPhone 17 lineup arrives next year unless Apple refreshes it, which is logical, or lowers its price, which doesn’t sound likely.
Apple has reshuffled its iPhone offering and now sells only current and previous-generation models (iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus). So when the iPhone 17 family arrives, Apple will probably discontinue the iPhone 16 Pros and offer the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus for $100 less. In that case, the $600 iPhone 16e will no longer be a great buy unless it’s a) updated or b) discounted by $100.
Source link: https://www.idownloadblog.com/2025/02/27/apple-iphone-17e-annual-refresh-cycle-evidence/
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