Japanese blog Mac Otakara today shared some alleged details about the iPhone 17e and iPad 12, which are expected to be released in the next few months.
In February 2025, Apple discontinued the iPhone SE and released the new entry-level iPhone 16e. The device features a 6.1-inch OLED display, an A18 chip, Apple Intelligence, a single 48-megapixel rear camera, an Action button, a USB-C port, and more. The iPhone 17e would be a follow-up model with superior specifications.
According to the report, which cites “reliable sources,” the iPhone 17e will have a similar overall design to the iPhone 16e. While some previous rumors suggested that the iPhone 17e will have a Dynamic Island, the report says that this information is not true and that the device will continue to have a notch like the iPhone 16e.
The publication expects three key upgrades for the iPhone 17e:
- chip A19: This isn’t a huge surprise, but the iPhone 17e is expected to be powered by Apple’s A19 chip, as opposed to the A18 chip in the iPhone 16e. This upgrade will result in faster performance and improved energy efficiency.
- C1X modem: Apple says its second-generation C1X modem for 5G and LTE is up to twice as fast as its first-generation C1 modem in the iPhone 16e. Apple also says the C1X is the most energy-efficient modem in an iPhone to date.
- chip N1: Like the iPhone Air, the report says the iPhone 17e will feature Apple’s N1 chip for Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and Thread. In the iPhone Air, the N1 chip supports Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6, and Apple says the chip improves the overall performance and reliability of features like Personal Hotspot and AirDrop.
As for the iPad 12, the report says the device will likely have a similar design to the iPad 11, but with a newer A18 chip that supports Apple Intelligence. That means the iPad 12 will have 8GB of RAM, up from 6GB in the iPad 11.
A separate report from Macweltavailable in English at Macworldcites a source who said Apple plans to announce the iPhone 17e with a press release on an unusual date: Thursday, February 19. The publication agreed that the iPhone 17e will not have a Dynamic Island, but they expect the device to include MagSafe, as previously rumored.
- MagSafe: Unlike the iPhone 16e, the iPhone 17e will reportedly feature MagSafe for magnetic wireless charging up to 20W-25W. The iPhone 16e is limited to Qi wireless charging at up to 7.5W. You could also magnetically attach accessories like the Apple MagSafe Wallet to the back of the iPhone 17e.
Macwelt he added that the iPhone 17e will still have a single rear camera.
Apple announced the iPhone 16e on Wednesday, February 19 last year, so the iPhone 17e would be revealed exactly one year later if these rumors are accurate. It’s pretty unusual for Apple to reveal new products on a Thursday, but anything is possible.
No other major changes have been talked about yet, so the overall design and other specifications of the iPhone 17e should be similar to the iPhone 16e. In the US, the iPhone 16e starts at $599, but it’s not yet known how much the iPhone 17e will cost.