Do you want a cheap iPhone 17? Wait for 2026

Apple is preparing to introduce a new cheap iPhone 17, probably the iPhone 17e, in early 2026. As leaks by 9To5Mac and analyst Jeff Pu indicate, the February release date that the iPhone 16e had last year is anticipated to persist as it will offer a classic iPhone experience but with more modern features at a cheaper price. Do you want a cheap iPhone 17? Well! The next iPhone 17e could be the solution in case you need a cheaper alternative experience in the iPhone 17. As rumoured to have the flagship-quality features such as A19 chip, Dynamic Island, and high-quality 18MP Center Stage front camera, it will bring the essentials of the latest technology of Apple at a cheaper price-tag, which will be of great interest to people who want the newest tech with Apple-quality at an affordable price. 

Upgrades in iPhone 17e

Here are the upgrades expected in the iPhone 17e.

Flagship A19 chipset

Apple will use the recently launched A19 chip in the iPhone 17e which will take it to par with the flagship iPhone 17 in terms of its performance. The new CPU is not much better than the previous version, but the new GPU will be especially beneficial to those who are interested in gaming and other AI-related features. The 17e will however only have a 4-core GPU (one less than its flagship sibling) in order to ensure that costs are managed.

Dynamic Island display

The Dynamic Island design improvement is a major shift, as older entry-levels used the older wide notch. This update keeps the 17e visually consistent with newer Apple models and adds such software features as Live Activities and interactive notifications, resulting in a more comfortable and engaging user experience.

Center stage 18MP front camera

Apple is also said to be taking its 18MP Center Stage enabled front camera of the flagship iPhone 17 to the 17e. This camera automatically re-frames and focuses people in video calls, making it more user-friendly in taking group selfies and in day-to-day activities.

iPhone 17e: Pricing and availability

• The iPhone 17e will offer great value to the Indian market by coming at a price range of Rs 60,000 -Rs 65,000, which is still lower than flagship phones but with much more value.

• Apple can also provide 128GB as the default storage option to sustain this competitive pricing as it provides the buyer with the solid storage capacity without increasing the price.

Cheap iPhone 17: The Modern iPhone SE Experience

The positioning of the iPhone 17e makes it a so-called modern generation SE and strives to provide their customers with almost everything a high-end device has, such as the best performance, camera features, and an up-to-date design, at a price that will be accessible to buyers who seek an iPhone experience but not the top-tier premium.

Disclaimer: The information regarding the gadgets/devices listed in the table and article has been sourced from various secondary sources. For detailed product specifications, please refer to the brand sources.