Production planning for iPhone 17e reportedly underway, likely to arrive in May next year

Apple launched the iPhone 16e in February as a replacement to the SE series and the new entry-level option. With the change in naming convention, it is suspected that Apple will make the e-models a yearly update unlike the more random SE phone releases. A new leak now suggests that the iPhone 17e is already in the production planning stage with an expected release next year in May. 

The information comes from known leaker Fixed focus digital who shared on Weibo that the iPhone 17e will arrive in May next year as planning for the production line has begun and it is almost in the trial production stage. The trial production stage is when a small-scale version of the production line is set up at Foxconn for producing the phone in small batches. This is a step before full-scale production begins. 

With the iPhone 16e, Apple brought a couple new upgrades like the Apple-designed C1 modem that is said to be more power-efficient and a bigger battery than the iPhone 16. However, it still retains a 60Hz display with lower peak brightness than other models in the iPhone 16 series and only has a single rear camera. 

At this point, it is unclear what upgrades the rumored iPhone 17e will bring or how much it would cost. The iPhone 16e starts at $599 and comes in only black and white color options. It does seem like Apple will make the e-models a yearly upgrade and that they will likely feature a binned version of the SoC present in the base iPhone of the current generation, like with the iPhone 16e.