iPhone 17e likely to get major design and display upgrade with…

iPhone 17e is rumoured to feature Dynamic Island, replacing the notch for a more interactive experience.

Apple is expected to launch its affordable phone, the iPhone 17e, in the first quarter of 2026. This iPhone will succeed the current iPhone 16e model, which offers powerful performance, Apple Intelligence, and more at a reasonable price range. With the new model, Apple is rumoured to bring a major design and display upgrade that may entice buyers to upgrade. Reportedly, the iPhone 17e could feature a Dynamic Island instead of a display notch. This upgrade could refine the look and user experience of the phone, making it look newer than an older generation model. Here’s everything we know so far about the upcoming iPhone 17e model.

iPhone 17e is rumoured for major design upgrade, here’s everything we know so far. (Aishwarya Panda-HT)

By Aishwarya Panda

Aishwarya Panda is a Senior Content Producer at Hindustan Times Digital Stream with nearly 4 years of experience in tech content writing. She is passionate about writing and exploring her interests in the ever-evolving world of technology. She loves to get her hands on new tech products and gadgets, especially in the space of smartphones.

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iPhone 17e with display upgrade

A Chinese leaker who goes by the name Digital Chat Station (DCS) revealed that the iPhone 17e could come with a Dynamic Island on the display. Dynamic Island is a pill-shaped interactive cutout over the display that showcases live activities of the display. It was first introduced with the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max models, and since that it has been part of every new iPhone model. However, the iPhone 16e is the only latest version without a Dynamic Island, hence it could act as a welcome upgrade.

It was further highlighted that the iPhone 17e could maintain the same 6.1-inch OLED display despite the Dynamic Island addition. This display could offer a 60Hz refresh rate, whereas the flagship iPhone 17 series equips a 120Hz ProMotion display. For performance, the iPhone 17e will likely rely on the A19 chip, but it may have tweaked cores to justify the pricing.

Apart from iPhone 17e, the tipster also backed the leaks surrounding iPhone 18 Pro models having a variable aperture lens in the main camera. This could come as a major photography upgrade for buyers, since it will be the first of its kind for iPhones. However, the iPhone 18 series is not expected until September 2026. Therefore, we may have to wait longer. Whereas the iPhone 17e could debut in March 2026.