The iPhone 16e was launched last spring and it seems to be here to stay. According to various rumors, Apple plans to regularly update this entry-level model, unlike the SE models. The iPhone 17e is expected in the spring of 2026.
Apple’s upcoming iPhone 17e will, according to recent rumorswill likely get thinner screen bezels as the main design update. However, it is still unclear whether the model will get the popular Dynamic Island, a feature that many iPhone users desire but may not be available for this budget model.
Thinner screen bezels attached
According to one report from The Elec Apple is working on thinner bezels for the iPhone 17’s screen. This would improve the look of Apple’s cheaper iPhones. The suppliers BOE, Samsung Display and LG Display are involved in the production of the screens, with BOE as the main partner. The thinner edges are technically feasible without much additional cost.
Apple can reduce the bezels by adjusting the frame and the way the screen fits into the case. This upgrade provides a nice design improvement without significantly increasing production costs – exactly what Apple wants for its budget models.
The iPhone 17e will likely retain the same 6.1-inch OLED panel as the current iPhone 16e – the same technology based on the iPhone 14. This panel will remain at 60Hz refresh rate, without ProMotion. This reuse of components is the key to the low price.
Dynamic Island: probably not coming to iPhone 17e
Despite previous rumors that the iPhone 17e would have the Dynamic Island, the latest information points in a different direction. The Elec report explicitly states that the iPhone 17e will have this feature not will have.
This marks a breaking point with previous speculation. In August 2025, the well-known Weibo leaker Digital Chat Station suggested that the iPhone 17e would have both the Dynamic Island and the A19 chip. However, this information contrasts with what we know about Apple’s e-series cost-cutting strategy.
Why not Dynamic Island?
Technically, adding the Dynamic Island is much more complicated than reducing borders. The Dynamic Island requires:
- A completely reworked TrueDepth camera setup
- Custom sensor placement
- Changed display masking
- New tools and components
This would go directly against the cost-cutting strategy that defines Apple’s ‘e’ line. For the iPhone 17e, this would mean that Apple would have to move away from the components and efficiencies that keep the budget model cheap.
Spring 2026
The iPhone 17e is expected in the first half of 2026, probably around late February or March – about a year after the launch of the iPhone 16e. The current e-model has a suggested retail price of €719, but is quickly dropping in price around €600.