The iPhone 17e may not be as highly effective as we hoped

The iPhone 17e, one in every of Apple’s most extremely anticipated merchandise for 2026, may arrive in lower than every week. However the announcement is unlikely to carry many surprises, as a result of the leaks at the moment are coming thick and quick.

Take the tech specs. We’re moderately assured that the 17e will function most or all the following: an A19 processor, 8GB of RAM, 256GB of beginning storage (up from 128GB), a C1X modem, the identical single 48MP rear-facing digicam as on the 16e (though the selfie digicam may get an improve), a 60Hz 6.1-inch display, assist for MagSafe, and a beginning worth of $599. These theories have all been pretty constant for a while.

Even when these theories are all right, nevertheless, there’s nonetheless room for nuance. Such because the A19 processor. Will Apple give the 17e the identical A19 as on the iPhone 17, or a model that’s barely much less highly effective?

Final yr’s iPhone 16e has the A18, but it surely’s a “binned” model of the one within the iPhone 16; meaning Apple takes the chips with minor manufacturing defects (fewer CPU or GPU cores) and makes use of these in its cheaper merchandise. That is all completed in an open and clear method (the iPhone 16e is listed as having simply 4 GPU cores in comparison with the iPhone 16’s 5 for exactly this cause) however does imply what appears on first look to be the identical processor can range in its precise efficiency.

Till now it’s not been clear whether or not Apple supposed to make use of the identical binned-chip technique with the iPhone 17e. However a new video from the controversial YouTuber Jon Prosser makes the assured prediction (confidence being one in every of Prosser’s principal traits) that it’s going to.

“Inside iPhone 17e you’re getting a barely binned A19 chip,” he says. “Belief me, the folks shopping for this cellphone aren’t going to note.”

The second sentence would possibly find yourself being a self-fulfilling prophecy, after all… or a self-solving downside. As a result of the tech-savvier patrons who would have a difficulty with binned-chip efficiency will pay attention to it and easily not get an iPhone 17e.

In most different respects, Prosser merely corroborates these extensively accepted theories talked about earlier. He agrees that we will count on 8GB of RAM, a non-ProMotion display, a $599 beginning price ticket, and so forth.

However there are a couple of different attention-grabbing titbits. Prosser ascribes, firstly, to the speculation that the 17e will improve from the notch on the 16e to the Dynamic Island. He isn’t the primary pundit to recommend this, but it surely’s a prediction with far much less consensus behind it than the remaining. He admits that he’s not as assured about this prediction because the A19, however notes Apple needs to be “embarrassed” if the iPhone 17e sticks with the notch for one more yr.)

The rear digicam will get improved low-light efficiency, he claims. He expects the baseline storage to remain at 128GB for $599 (that’s assuming I accurately interpreted his “For 600 bucks? Uh-uh!”). Oh, and he thinks there will likely be a 3rd coloration choice past black and white, that may be lavender, which was apparently in testing some months in the past.

This newest batch of leaks is unlikely to make Apple really feel any higher disposed in direction of Prosser, whom the corporate is at present suing over what it claims to be a coordinated scheme to steal and revenue from its secrets and techniques. He denies the accusation.

For all the most recent information and rumors as we get nearer to the launch, bookmark our recurrently up to date iPhone 17e information.