60%
Plausible
The iPhone 16e will eventually be succeeded by the iPhone 17e early next year, as Apple intends to keep the ball rolling for its low-cost handsets with a newer model that is expected to share several similarities with its predecessor. According to the latest report, BOE will be the primary OLED supplier for the device, and based on the number of units Apple is estimated to ship in 2026, we won’t count on the iPhone 17e to be a ‘home run’ product when comparing it to other members of the iPhone 17 series.
Apple is estimated to ship 8 million iPhone 17e units and is not expected to feature any notable changes over the iPhone 16e, except for a chipset upgrade
A report from The Elec states that Samsung and LG will also supply LTPS OLED panels for the iPhone 17e, with BOE taking up the majority of the shipment orders. The launch is expected to happen in the first half of 2026, but with only 8 million units expected to come out from the supply line, it is clear that Apple doesn’t intend its low-cost iPhone to generate sufficient sales momentum like the higher-end iPhone 17 models.
When discussing hardware specifications, the iPhone 17e would not offer a compelling upgrade either, unless you consider its A19 SoC to offer a substantial gain over the iPhone 16e’s A18, which, by the way, is a binned version with four GPU cores instead of five. It is possible that due to the lower shipments target, Apple will attempt to save on component costs and outfit the iPhone 17e with a C1 5G modem instead of the more advanced C1X found in the iPhone Air.
However, given that the upcoming low-cost model will reportedly rely on a single rear camera configuration, it should have adequate space for a larger battery. With the iPhone 16e, Apple touted the latter as having the highest endurance for a 6.1-inch model, so perhaps we might witness something similar in the coming months.
News Source: The Elec
About the author: Omar Sohail is a reporter and analyst for Wccftech's mobile section, specializing in the technology and business of the mobile industry. His expertise lies in the intricate hardware supply chain, covering developments in semiconductor manufacturing, chip lithography, and camera sensor technology.
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