The next ‘budget’ iPhone tipped to get a premium feature but with a catch

iPhone 17e may feature Dynamic Island, paired with a toned-down A19 chipset.

iPhone 17e is widely expected to be the successor to the iPhone 16e, which was launched last year in 2025 as the most affordable iPhone in Apple’s current lineup, replacing the SE model. While there have been multiple rumours about it, the latest one brings some really good news if it does indeed turn out to be true, along with some fairly okay news as well.

iPhone 16e features a 48MP single rear camera. (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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iPhone 17e could get Dynamic Island, slightly nerfed Apple A19 chip

According to a rumour coming out of China, as seen in a Weibo post, the iPhone 17e could actually get a premium iPhone feature in the form of the Dynamic Island. This would mean that the old notch could be gone, making way for the Dynamic Island that was first introduced with the iPhone 14 Pro and has since remained exclusive to premium models.

However, the same rumour also suggests that the phone will feature a slightly less powerful version of the Apple A19, which powers the iPhone 17. This was also the case with the iPhone 16e, which featured a slightly modified Apple A18 with fewer GPU cores compared to the standard iPhone 16. The same could hold true for the iPhone 17e, with a slightly downgraded version of the Apple A19 chipset used in the current iPhone 17.

What else do we know?

Reports widely suggest that the iPhone 17e is expected to retain a single-camera setup, which is likely how Apple will continue to differentiate between models in its current lineup. The iPhone 17e is also expected to get MagSafe support, something the iPhone 16e did not offer. Once again, the iPhone 17e is expected to sit as the most affordable phone in the iPhone 17 lineup, although it remains to be seen whether Apple will discontinue the iPhone 16e or not.

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