According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman in the latest Power On newsletter, the iPhone 17e is “due imminently” and will bring three notable upgrades while keeping the same $599 starting price.
So yes, more features, same cost, that’s the pitch.
The three key upgrades
Here’s what’s reportedly changing with the iPhone 17e:
1. A19 chip
The 17e is expected to get the same A19 chip found in the standard iPhone 17 lineup. That’s a meaningful jump for a budget-tier device and should deliver better performance and efficiency across the board.
2. MagSafe support
MagSafe is reportedly coming to the 17e. That’s a big quality-of-life upgrade, unlocking magnetic accessories, improved wireless charging alignment, and better compatibility with Apple’s ecosystem.
3. New in-house wireless chips
The device will shift to Apple’s latest custom connectivity silicon. Gurman says it will use Apple’s newer cellular and wireless chips, likely the upgraded C1X modem and the N1 networking chip that debuted in the iPhone 17 family and iPhone Air.
For a so-called “no thrills” refresh, those are actually pretty meaningful internal upgrades.
What’s not changing: the price
Apple is reportedly keeping the iPhone 17e at $599.
That sets up a very clean marketing message: you get a faster chip, MagSafe, and improved connectivity for the same price as last year’s model.
However, the pricing still creates an interesting lineup:
- iPhone 17e: $599
- iPhone 16: $699
- iPhone 17: $799
- iPhone Air: $999
- iPhone 17 Pro: $1099
At just $100 more, the iPhone 16 offers features the 17e likely will not, including an ultrawide camera and other extras. That overlap could make the decision a little awkward for buyers.
If Apple bumps base storage to 256GB, like it did with the rest of the iPhone 17 lineup, the 17e becomes much more compelling. But Gurman did not confirm any storage increase.
What about Dynamic Island?
Previous rumors suggested Apple might bring Dynamic Island to its cheapest iPhone. Gurman does not mention it in this report.
That does not mean it is ruled out. But its absence here is worth noting.
The bigger picture
The iPhone 17e sounds exactly like what you would expect from a one-year follow-up to a budget iPhone:
- Modern chip
- Better connectivity
- MagSafe finally added
- No price increase
For buyers who skipped the iPhone 16e because it felt underpowered or missing key ecosystem features, the 17e might hit the sweet spot. The only real question is whether it feels compelling enough next to the iPhone 16 at just $100 more.
