iPhone 17e tipped for February 2026 launch: Apple targets budget buyers in 2026

The iPhone 17e is expected to be Apple’s next entry-level smartphone aimed at emerging and price-sensitive markets. The entry-level version of the iPhone 16e, known as the iPhone 17e, is apparently set to release soon to herald the 2026 release of the iPhone hardware range. In his recent Power On newsletter, Bloomberg journalist Mark Gurman describes three big upgrades, aiming at the emerging markets and businesses with increased performance at the same price. According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, the Apple iPhone 17e will focus on higher performance without a price hike.

iPhone 17e launch and pricing (expected)

Leaks suggest the iPhone 17e launch date could fall on February 19, 2026, one year after the iPhone 16e debut. There are unofficial and potential rumours of a February 19 release, one year after the iPhone 16e, and probably through an online press release instead of a full event. Prices remain at $599 (about Rs54,000) with the entry model, the same as the previous generation, and the storage has not increased to 256GB so far.

The iPhone 17e price in India is expected to start around Rs 54,000, in line with the current iPhone 16e pricing.Apple seeks to sell it as having more features at the same price, where it competes in price-sensitive markets with weaker Google/Samsung competition.

iPhone 17e features: Three hardware upgrades

Key iPhone 17e features include a faster A19 chip, a new in-house modem and MagSafe wireless charging. The iPhone 17e packs significant boosts:

• A19 Chipset: Powered by the Apple A19 chip, the iPhone 17e is said to offer up to 40 percent faster CPU performance.

• C1X Modem:  The newest in-house cellular chip (introduced on iPhone Air) is Apple, which boasts twice the networking speeds and improved performance over C1 on iPhone 16e, combined with N1 wireless chip to cover Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and Thread.

• MagSafe Wireless Charging: For the first time in this segment, MagSafe charging on iPhone will support 25W wireless output on the iPhone 17e.

These features are solutions to major weaknesses of iPhone 16e at a reasonable cost.

iPhone 17e design and market focus

Apple is positioning the iPhone 17e as its most powerful entry-level iPhone yet. Design/Display Design and display will probably resemble the iPhone 16e (6.1-inch, 60Hz, 600nits Dynamic Island possible), which focuses on affordability rather than ProMotion or better cameras. Apple targets the 17e at new markets and business clients, including reliability, AI performance, and integration with the ecosystem.

The Mark Gurman iPhone leak highlights Apple’s strategy to boost performance without increasing prices. The iPhone 17e is aggressive to set the tone with a busy 2026 (new iPads, Macs) ahead. It is yet to be officially corroborated by Apple, but supply chain leaks are consistent with the insights of Gurman.

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.