65%
Probable
Such is the relentless cadence of Apple's convoluted product launch cycles that the iPhone 17e has not even reached physical stores just yet, and already Apple has started beating the proverbial drums for the iPhone 18e, which is not expected to debut until the spring of 2027.
Apple has broken ground on the preparatory work for the iPhone 18e
The notable tipster, Fixed Focus Digital, has declared in a new Weibo post (translated below) that Apple has formally commenced development work on the iPhone 18e:
"Confirmed. Although 17E has just been released, 18E has already been finalized."
Do note that Apple unveiled the iPhone 17e just last week sans the rumored Dynamic Island and sporting the now-ancient notch that houses the Face ID module as well as the selfie camera, a Super Retina XDR OLED screen that is capable of delivering up to 1,200 nits of peak brightness, an aluminum frame with a Ceramic Shield 2 front cover that offers up to 3x better scratch resistance and improved anti-glare capabilities.
Apple's iPhone 17e is powered by the A19 chip that sports a 6-core CPU, a 4-core GPU with neural accelerators built into each core, and an upgraded 16-core Neural Engine optimized for LLMs.
Also, the iPhone 17e features the C1X modem that is up to 2x faster than the C1 found in iPhone 16e, and uses 30 percent less energy than the modem in the iPhone 16 Pro. The new modem also brings Apple’s satellite features, including Emergency SOS, Roadside Assistance, Messages, and Find My via satellite.
The budget iPhone features a single 48MP fusion camera at the back, enabling an optical-quality 2x Telephoto experience. Users can shoot sharp photos at up to 48MP resolution, or capture in the 24MP default resolution mode.
Finally, Apple priced the 256GB variant of the iPhone 17e at $599 or 24-month installments of $24.95 each in the US. Pre-orders began on March 04, with in-store availability scheduled for March 11.
Meanwhile, as stated earlier, it is certainly interesting that Apple has commenced the development work on the iPhone 18e even before the iPhone 17e reaches physical stores.
As for its specs, we can reasonably infer that the iPhone 18e will finally jettison the notch for the Dynamic Island and sport the A20 chip. It is also unlikely that Apple would upgrade its modem to the next-gen C2 chip. In any case, we will know a lot more about the next-gen budget iPhone in the weeks and months ahead.
About the author: Writing is my one incontrovertible passion. Over the past six years, he has authored over 2,200 distinct articles on financial and tech-related topics, spanning nearly 1 million words. And he has been a member of Wcctech mobile team since 2025. As an alumnus of the University of Toronto, Rotman Commerce Program, I bring nuance, in-depth knowledge, and a unique perspective to every topic that I cover. When I'm not writing, I'm traveling the world, exploring hidden confectionaries and restaurants as an aspiring food connoisseur.
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