What to Expect from the iPhone 17e Launch in March 2026
We’re just over a week away from Apple’s “Special Experience” on March 4, and we expect to see the iPhone 17e announced during the week of the event. The iPhone 17e will be the first update to the new, cheaper iPhone 16e that Apple introduced in February 2025.
Design
The iPhone 17e will look very similar to the iPhone 16e, with the same 6.1-inch display size, single-lens rear camera, and black and white color options.
Show
The iPhone 17e is expected to feature the same display panel as the iPhone 16e, meaning it will be limited to a 60Hz refresh rate. Apple brought 120Hz ProMotion refresh rates to the standard iPhone 17 in 2025, but the same technology is not expected in the affordable iPhone 17e.
The iPhone 17e will continue to be the only new iPhone released by Apple without 120Hz support.
Refresh rates of 120Hz provide enhanced video and smooth scrolling when viewing web pages.
The iPhone 16e doesn’t have always-on technology, and that won’t change with the iPhone 17e. To support always-on, the iPhone 17e will need an OLED display with a minimum brightness of 1-nit, which is limited to Apple’s most expensive iPhones. HDR and brightness are also lacking compared to Apple’s flagship range.
Dynamic Island
The iPhone 16e uses a notch that Apple has removed from its new iPhones, but the iPhone 17e may do away with it. Some rumors suggest that the iPhone 17e will have a Dynamic Island instead of a notch, giving it an updated look.
The Dynamic Island is a pill-shaped cutout in the iPhone’s display that houses the TrueDepth camera system and the front-facing camera. It takes up less display space than the notch, and is better integrated into the iPhone.
Although some rumors indicate that we may get Dynamic Island, other rumors suggest that the iPhone 17e will continue to use the notch, so the development of Dynamic Island is not a guarantee.
A19 chip
The iPhone 17e will use the Apple A19 chip, which is the same chip in the iPhone 17. The A19 chip is built on the advanced N3P 3-nanometer process, which offers a 5 to 10 percent performance improvement over the A18 chip.
Apple may be planning to use a downgraded version of the A19 chip in the iPhone 17e, and if so, its performance will not be the same as the iPhone 17’s performance.
The A18 chip used by Apple in the iPhone 16e had a 4-core GPU instead of a 5-core GPU like the version from the iPhone 16, so that the iPhone 17e gets the same GPU reduction.
Besides the improved CPU and GPU, the A19 has an updated display engine, image signal processor, and Neural Engine for improved AI performance. All GPU cores include a Neural Accelerator to improve the performance of local AI models.
We expect the iPhone 17e to continue packing 8GB of RAM like the iPhone 16e. Some Apple models have 12GB.
MagSafe Compatibility
The iPhone 16e lacks the magnetic ring for MagSafe charging, but the iPhone 17e is expected to get the MagSafe upgrade.
Apple’s iPhones have used MagSafe since the iPhone 12, so there are plenty of MagSafe cases and accessories. The iPhone 16e is not compatible with these services, which is a major limitation.
Lacking MagSafe, the iPhone 16e has a wireless charging speed limit of 7.5W. MagSafe can boost that to at least 15W. Current iPhone 17 models can charge at 25W over MagSafe, although the iPhone Air is limited to 20W.
Camera
The iPhone 17e is expected to have a single 48-megapixel Wide Angle camera on the back, despite rumors of an upgrade. The iPhone 16e doesn’t have a Camera Control button, and there’s no indication that Apple plans to bring it to the iPhone 17e, either.
The iPhone 17 models received an improved 18-megapixel Center Stage front-facing camera, but rumors suggest that the iPhone 17e will continue to use the same 12-megapixel front-facing camera as the iPhone 16e.
Modem
The iPhone 17e will use Apple’s C1X modem, a modem chip that Apple first released in the iPhone Air. The C1X modem is faster and more efficient than the C1 modem that Apple used in the iPhone 16e.
Apple claims the C1X modem is up to 2x faster than the C1, and more powerful than the Qualcomm modem.
The N1 Chip
Apple can update iPhone 17 models with Apple’s Wi-Fi and Bluetooth “N1” network chip, bringing speed and efficiency to development, as well as Tread support. Apple’s leaked code suggests that the chip will not be included in the iPhone 17e to keep costs down, but recent rumors indicate that Apple plans to include it.
The price
The iPhone 16e is priced starting at $599, and no price changes are expected for the iPhone 17e.
Effective Date
Apple is holding a “Special Experience” event on March 4, and we expect the iPhone 17e to be unveiled that week.
