Apple's iPhone 17e may cut costs with old OLED tech

A new report from The Elec claims that Apple is planning to launch an iPhone 17e in the spring, a successor to the iPhone 16e, which will reportedly use the same OLED panel as part of the effort to keep costs low. 

The iPhone 16e is somewhat one of a kind type of iPhone right now. Initially rumored as a next-generation iPhone SE, the iPhone actually took a spot (somewhat) as a part of the iPhone 16 series, despite being released later. This, plus its name, 'iPhone 16e' (not iPhone SE 4), prompted people to believe that releasing a 'more affordable' iPhone would become a yearly thing for Apple. 


According to the report, BOE and Samsung would be supplying the display panels. It's also likely that LG Display may also be involved. The iPhone 16e rocks a 6.1-inch OLED display with Face ID. The phone is powered by Apple's A18 chip and is a more affordable alternative to the iPhone 16 family. 



In April, there were claims that the iPhone 17e was nearing the trial production stage. Back then, it was reported that the device was tentatively scheduled for a May release next year. Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo is vaguely positioning the iPhone 17e's release timeframe in the first half of next year. 

And apparently, the e-branded model of iPhone won't be a one-off (or two-off) thing. Kuo also claimed a third generation of the 'affordable' iPhone will reportedly be released in the first half of 2027.

The iPhone 16e is considered an upper mid-ranger, starting at $599. It's competing against phones like the Pixel 9a, Galaxy S24 FE, OnePlus 13R, and others. 

I personally find the iPhone 16e sports just the right amount of power, without all the fancy stuff a regular user won't necessarily be interested in having on their iPhone. The phone covers the basics and does it with flying colors. And as such, I think it's a great idea for this option to continue existing in Apple's portfolio. So yep, I'm delighted a successor is reportedly in the works. 

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