iPhone 17e: Is Apple working on a new ‘budget’ model for 2026? Here's what we expect

iPhone 17e could be the successor to the iPhone 16e, launching next year, but Apple has reportedly yet to finalise plans on whether it wants to make it.

iPhone 16e launched in February earlier this year and has since proven to be a popular model among those who do not wish to splurge on a vanilla iPhone 16. It costs ₹20,000 less (costs ₹59,900) than the iPhone 16, which is priced at ₹79,900.

iPhone 16e launched recently and serves as the entry level model in Apple's lineup. (Aishwarya Panda-HT)

By Shaurya Sharma

Shaurya Sharma is the Technology Editor at Hindustan Times Digital Streams, where he oversees technology coverage across digital and social platforms. With over eight years of experience across editorial, video production, and digital media, his work focuses on smartphones, AI, consumer gadgets, and shaping audience-first content strategies for modern tech consumers.

He began his career in 2018 as a fashion cinematographer before turning his lifelong passion for technology into a profession. From spending his childhood immersed in tech magazines, video games, and the latest gadgets to covering the global consumer tech industry today, technology has remained a constant throughout his journey.

Over the years, Shaurya has worked with some of India’s leading media organisations, including CNN-News18, Sportskeeda, and Guiding Tech, where he led video initiatives that combined strong editorial storytelling with engaging visual and social-first execution.

A graduate in Journalism and Mass Communication from Manipal University, Shaurya has reviewed hundreds of products across categories including smartphones, laptops, gaming consoles, cameras, and wearables. Beyond work, he is passionate about animal welfare, environmental causes, and automobiles, particularly turbo-petrol cars

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It is essentially similar to the iPhone 16 but comes with some trade-offs, including the lack of a Dynamic Island and the missing ultrawide camera. However, the core experience remains the same, featuring the Apple A18 chipset and Apple Intelligence features.

By offering this device at a much lower price point, Apple may have given users hope that an iPhone 17e could also arrive next year, following the launch of the iPhone 17 series later this year in September.

iPhone 17e: Details

Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, in his latest PowerOn newsletter, mentioned that the big question lies in whether Apple will update this new line annually going forward. He states that Apple has not made a final decision regarding the iPhone 17e, and that the company is still “months away from needing to do so.”

Gurman also says on the iPhone 16e, saying that the use of the “e” name instead of “SE” was a marketing move, as it adds more appeal and certainly makes it more attractive to consumers in countries like China.

When could the potential iPhone 17e launch?

Considering that Apple launched the iPhone 16e earlier this year during springtime, it would not be out of the ordinary to see a potential iPhone 17e launch during the same timeframe next year, creating a full year’s gap between the two models.

That said, it must be noted Apple has not confirmed the existence of the iPhone 17e, and no reports currently point definitively towards its launch. If it does come out, Apple will have to make a decision soon.