Apple's upcoming iPhone 17e will feature Dynamic Island instead of a notch at the top of the display, but unlike the rest of the iPhone 17 series, the display will still refresh at 60Hz, according to a well-known leaker on Weibo.
See also: iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max users report static noise while charging
Apple made significant improvements to the iPhone 17 display last year, introducing ProMotion technology with a refresh rate of up to 120Hz, similar to the recent iPhone Pro models. The maximum 120Hz refresh rates allow for smoother scrolling when viewing web pages and improvements for video, but it seems the iPhone 17e won't get the upgrade to keep costs down.
In a new post on the Chinese social media platform, “Digital Chat Station” reported that the iPhone 17e will retain a 6.1-inch OLED display with a 60Hz refresh rate, but this time it will have Dynamic Island. Dynamic Island will add the interactive area at the top of the screen that displays current activities, integrating the camera and other sensors on the front.
The iPhone 16e features a “notch” at the top of the screen, similar to the iPhone 13 and iPhone 14. This is because the iPhone 16e is based on the design of the 2022 iPhone 14, so it is possible that the iPhone 17e will be based on the 2023 iPhone 15, which gained Dynamic Island and a more rounded frame.
See also: iPhone 17's Ceramic Shield 2 is being overshadowed by screen protectors with anti-reflective coating
Echoing a previous statement, the leaker also said that the second version of Apple's most affordable iPhone will feature the A19 chip, replacing the A18 used in the current iPhone 16e. The A19 chip is based on TSMC's third-generation 3nm process, N3P, and is about 5-10% faster than the A18 chip in terms of raw CPU performance.
Another leaker on Weibo has claimed that Apple will use a downclocked A19 chip in the iPhone 17e. If so, aside from the Neural Engine improvements, it would be roughly comparable to Apple’s A17 Pro chip.
Meanwhile, other rumors claim that the iPhone 17e will get a magnetic ring so that it can connect to MagSafe chargers, which is not possible with the iPhone 16e. To reduce costs, the device may also be equipped with either the older C1 or C1X modem, but without the N1 wireless chip, based on leaked Apple code.
See also: iPhone 17 Pro: Apple removed popular Night mode photo feature
Otherwise, the device is expected to retain a 12-megapixel front-facing camera, Face ID, and a 48-megapixel rear camera. The iPhone 17e could launch as early as February, like the iPhone 16e did last year, but it could come later in the spring. The starting price of $599 is not expected to change.
