iPhone 17e will be really cheap, not as "fragrant" as 16e

When the iPhone 17 series is launched, many people are also expecting a low-cost iPhone version called the iPhone 17e, which is said to launch in early 2026.

Remember, the iPhone 16e of course still has shortcomings compared to the standard iPhone 16 version. However, when put on the scale of price, it makes the iPhone 16 a bad guy.

This directly causes the iPhone 16e in the international market (except Vietnam) to always be out of stock, on the contrary, the standard iPhone 16 is unsold.

Apple has learned a valuable lesson from that, an internal source said, they will minimize features and hardware so that the iPhone 17e is truly a cheap product.

The iPhone 16e is good enough to make the standard version unsold, Apple doesn't like this. Photo: Mac Rumos

This directly caused the sales of the low-cost version to skyrocket. It was always sold out while the standard iPhone 16 dropped sharply. Of course, Apple was not happy with that, they considered this a valuable lesson.

Apple will try to change that next year. According to Apple insider Mark Gurman in the Power On newsletter, this low-cost product will not be as attractive as its predecessor. Or rather, it will not make users feel like they are getting a "bargain" by skipping the iPhone 17.

According to Gurman, the iPhone 17e will be...clearly cheaper than the base iPhone 17 model. This will help the company's product line become much more homogeneous for consumers, especially newcomers.

Those with limited finances who can only choose the iPhone 17e will have to experience the feeling that it is a cheap model. It seems that, with Apple's familiar and criticized sales style, they do not want users to enjoy this little joy.

There will no longer be a case of the cheap version being more sought after than the standard version.

Previous leaks have also suggested that the iPhone 17e won't be great, but it's still passable. This year's base iPhone 17 model has some great upgrades, especially the ProMotion display. Meanwhile, the iPhone 17e will still have a 60Hz display and will also use the same camera as the iPhone 16e.

That doesn't mean the 17e will be a complete redesign. The phone will likely use the new A19 chip and will also have an upgraded look.

While the iPhone 16e looks like the iPhone 14 on the front, with the notch, the iPhone 17e is said to look like the base version of the iPhone 16. That means it will have the Dynamic Island interface.

With the iPhone 17 Pro and its controversial redesign, along with some of the issues the iPhone 17 series is facing, the iPhone 17e might be the right choice if you need a new iPhone.

It's worth noting, however, that the iPhone 17e's biggest selling point appears to be that it will be the most affordable new iPhone model in 2026.