iPhone 17e launching in February with 3 key updates, report reveals

iPhone 16e

• iPhone 17e may launch in February with A19 chip and MagSafe support
• Priced at $599, it offers more features than the previous iPhone 16e
• New wireless and cellular chips aim to improve connectivity

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Apple appears to be getting ready for another budget-friendly iPhone launch, and if a new report is anything to go by, the iPhone 17e could arrive as early as February. According to details shared by Mark Gurman in his Power On newsletter for Bloomberg, the upcoming iPhone 17e will bring three meaningful upgrades while keeping its price unchanged.

The iPhone 17e is expected to replace last year’s iPhone 16e and continue Apple’s newer “e” lineup, which sits below the main numbered iPhones. Gurman says the phone will be priced at $599, the same as its predecessor, with Apple leaning into a simple message: more features for the same price.

So what’s new this time? The biggest upgrade is the processor. The iPhone 17e is said to get Apple’s latest A19 chip, the same one expected to power the standard iPhone 17 lineup. That should translate into better performance and improved efficiency compared to the 16e, even if the rest of the phone remains fairly modest.

Another notable addition is MagSafe support. This is something the iPhone 16e lacked and its absence was widely criticised. With MagSafe coming to the iPhone 17e, users will be able to use Apple’s magnetic chargers and accessories, bringing the phone closer to the rest of the iPhone ecosystem.

The third upgrade is under the hood but still important. Apple is reportedly moving the iPhone 17e to its newest in-house wireless and cellular chips. This likely includes the updated C1X modem and the new N1 networking chip, both of which debuted in higher-end iPhone models. These changes should improve connectivity and reduce Apple’s reliance on third-party suppliers.

What isn’t changing, however, is the overall positioning of the phone. Gurman describes the iPhone 17e as a “no-frills” update, which means expectations should be kept in check. Earlier rumours had suggested that Apple might bring Dynamic Island to its cheapest iPhone, but there’s no confirmation of that so far. It’s also unclear whether Apple will bump the base storage from 128GB to 256GB, something it has already done for other iPhone 17 models.

At $599, the iPhone 17e still sits in an interesting spot within Apple’s lineup. It’s $100 cheaper than the standard iPhone 16, which offers extra features like an ultrawide camera. That said, pricing on paper may not matter much. Historically, phones like the iPhone 17e tend to sell heavily through carrier deals and discounts, which could ultimately decide its success more than the sticker price.