Apple iPhone 17e expected to receive two design upgrades

The successor to the Apple iPhone 16e is expected to launch in spring 2026. If Apple follows the same schedule as this year, the announcement can be expected in February. According to the latest information from The Elec, Apple's panel suppliers BOE, Samsung Display and LG Display are already preparing to ship 8 million displays for the first half of 2026, which are intended for the iPhone 17e.

Apple is reportedly once again using a panel with specifications similar to those of the iPhone 14 screen. The "cheap iPhone" is thus expected to have an OLED panel with a screen diagonal of 6.1 inches, a resolution of 2,532 x 1,170 and a peak brightness of 1,200 nits, but continue to keep the 60 Hz refresh rate. On the other hand, the iPhone 17e's panel is expected to have thinner screen bezels, which should give the smartphone a slightly more modern look and make the dimensions of the case slightly smaller.

Rumors suggest that the iPhone 17e could also receive an upgrade to Dynamic Island, which would replace the large, old-fashioned notch of the iPhone 16e. Apart from the display changes, the next-generation base model iPhone is expected to be equipped with the Apple A19 ARM chip from the iPhone 17. It is still unclear whether the iPhone 17e will feature the new 18 MP front camera with square sensor used in the iPhone 17. It is also conceivable that Apple's next-generation low-cost iPhone will support MagSafe.