Apple took the wraps off its mid-range smartphone, the iPhone 16e, a few weeks ago. It is the successor to Apple iPhone SE (3rd-gen), which launched back in 2022. Apple confirmed that the naming change from SE to 16e, was done in order to position the iPhone 16e as a part of the iPhone 16 family. While Apple did manage to achieve that, it raised questions about whether the company will follow up with its successor the next year.
It appears that Apple might just do that. A couple of leaks have popped up online, suggesting that Apple is likely to follow up the iPhone 16e with the iPhone 17e next year around the same time. First up, according to Consumer Intelligence Research Partners (CIRP), the iPhone 16e is the first phone in the annual cycle in the "e" models, and Apple intends to release a successor—the iPhone 17e—in February 2026.
As per the report, "It appears that “e” phones may be part of the program going forward. Following the core iPhone 17 model launches in September, we expect Apple to announce an iPhone 17e around this time next year. That would mimic Google's introduction of “a” models in its Pixel line months after the annual Spring launch of their flagship and Pro models in recent years."
Another piece of evidence about the existence of the iPhone 17e comes from the Chinese leaker, Fixed Focus Digital. The leaker claims that they have learned about a new "e-model"—hinting at the iPhone 17e—in Apple's supply chain. For now, these are merely speculations, and we don't know who the "sources" are behind these rumors. So, we would advise you to take this information with a pinch of salt.
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