When Apple retired its longstanding iPhone SE model in favor of the iPhone 16e earlier this 12 months, it was greater than only a new title. The selection to take advantage of reasonably priced iPhone a part of the iPhone 16 household additionally hinted at a shift to a a lot shorter launch cycle — presumably even a everlasting third-tier entry within the lineup.
In any case, whereas the iPhone SE largely adopted a four-year launch cycle, it could be fairly awkward for Apple to nonetheless be promoting the iPhone 16e when the iPhone 20 debuts. Plus, Apple has grow to be an outlier in a contemporary smartphone world the place its two largest Android opponents — Google and Samsung — all supply three smartphone tiers. Samsung’s annual Galaxy S-series options the Extremely, a pair of normal fashions in several sizes, and a finances FE “Fan Version” that comes later. Google retains issues a bit extra simple with the Pixel and Pixel Professional arriving collectively and a mid-cycle A-series finances mannequin often about half a 12 months later.
In that mild, Apple’s new “e-series” iPhones match proper in. Ever because the iPhone 16e grew to become official, we’ve suspected that it could be the start of such a pattern, and early studies from leakers and analysts hinted on the risk. A few of that was hypothesis, but it surely undoubtedly wasn’t a stretch.
Now, Fastened Focus Digital, the leaker that first predicted the iPhone 16e title in December, claims to have affirmation that the iPhone 17e is already within the trial manufacturing stage, with an anticipated launch date of Could 2026.
Though Fastened Focus Digital has had a combined monitor report for leaks previously, it was spot-on with the iPhone 16e title. The leaker was additionally the primary to share the existence of an inside Apple undertaking that pointed to a attainable iPhone 17e in February.
The leaker means that Apple’s Could timing may very well be meant to let it go head-to-head with Chinese language rivals corresponding to Xiaomi. Nevertheless, this might additionally put it in the identical launch cycle as Google’s Pixel A-series.
The Pixel 7a and Pixel 8a have been launched in Could 2022 and 2023, respectively. The Pixel 9a got here a bit earlier; it was introduced in March however didn’t start transport till mid-April. Nevertheless, Google launched its Pixel 9 and Pixel 9 Professional in August final 12 months, which can have shifted the whole cycle again. It’s anticipated to comply with the identical schedule this 12 months, which can even be bolstered by an earlier launch of Android 16.
If an iPhone 17e is certainly coming, it’s nearly assured to see an early 2026 launch. Nevertheless, the particular date could not even be nailed down by Apple but, a lot much less out there to leakers. If the brand new mannequin is in trial manufacturing now, it’s actually attainable it may very well be prepared earlier within the 12 months. Apple’s iPhone SE fashions all the time launched in March or April. The iPhone 16e got here in February, however that could be an aberration spurred on by the shortage of any reasonably priced iPhones within the European Union after the brand new USB-C guidelines got here into impact. Apple had a void to fill there that received’t exist subsequent 12 months.
Sadly, it’s too early to say what we should always count on from subsequent 12 months’s iPhone 17e. The present iPhone 16e has some odd and seemingly synthetic limitations, corresponding to omitting MagSafe and UWB help. That helps Apple minimize prices and set it additional other than the mainstream iPhone 16, however as I wrote in February, there’s hope the iPhone 16e may assist to raise the remainder of the lineup. If Apple pushes the iPhone 17 (and iPhone 17 Air) ahead in some important methods, corresponding to lastly including 120Hz shows, it offers the corporate extra room to advance its lower-end e-series fashions with out slicing into the remainder of the lineup.
We additionally wouldn’t but wager on this changing into an indefinite annual replace cycle. The iPhone 16e remains to be very a lot an experiment for Apple at this level, and it might nonetheless go the best way of the iPhone mini.
[The information provided in this article has NOT been confirmed by Apple and may be speculation. Provided details may not be factual. Take all rumors, tech or otherwise, with a grain of salt.]