iPhone 17e is said to run on an underclocked version of the A19 chip.
iPhone 16e is equipped with an A18 chip
iPhone 16e was released in February last year, and now rumours about the iPhone 17e have already surfaced online. A new leak on Weibo, the Chinese microblogging platform, suggests that the upcoming affordable iPhone model is set to enter mass production soon. Apple is said to equip the iPhone 17e with its Dynamic Island, replacing the larger notch design seen on the iPhone 16e. The purported iPhone 17e is tipped to come with a 6.1-inch display, which is the same size as its predecessor.
Tipster Smart Pikachu (translated from Chinese) on Weibo claimed that Apple will begin mass production of the iPhone 17e shortly after CES 2026, which runs from January 6 to January 9 in Las Vegas. The upcoming handset is said to be positioned to compete with "lower-priced flagship" smartphones.
Photo Credit: Weibo
Further, the iPhone 17e is tipped to come with a 6.1-inch display with a "slim island", suggesting the inclusion of the Dynamic Island. This would be a notable design upgrade over the iPhone 16e, which has the notch design. The panel in the new model is likely to retain the same 60Hz refresh rate as its predecessor.
The iPhone 17e will run on an A19 chip, according to the tipster, and this claim has already surfaced online in the past. Apple has used the same chipset in the vanilla iPhone 17, but the affordable model is expected to have an underclocked version.
Past rumours indicated that the iPhone 17e may break cover in May this year. It is speculated to feature a single 48-megapixel rear camera and a 12-megapixel front-facing camera. It is expected to debut as the cheapest model in the iPhone 17 family.
Apple released the iPhone 16e in February last year with a price tag of Rs. 59,900 for the base model with 128GB of storage. It boasts a 6.1-inch OLED screen with a 60Hz refresh rate and is equipped with an A18 chip. The phone has Apple's custom C1 modem and an IP68-rated build for dust and water resistance. It supports 18W wired charging and 7.5W wireless charging.
Catch the latest from the Consumer Electronics Show on Gadgets 360, at our CES 2026 hub.