01 iPhone17e configuration exposed

Recently, rumors about the iPhone 17e have been circulating.

In particular, regarding the iPhone 17e, considered a more affordable model, a lot of information has been circulating from the supply chain.

According to a digital product blogger with over 4 million followers, the iPhone 17e may feature the same screen as the iPhone 16 and support the Smart Island feature. The rear camera will continue to be a single 48-megapixel camera, powered by the A19 processor.

Based on these rumors, the iPhone 17e’s specifications are likely to be the same as the iPhone 16e.

It is expected to have one fewer CPU core than the standard iPhone 17 and two fewer CPU cores than the iPhone 17 Pro, maintaining a strict hierarchy.

However, compared to the iPhone 16e, the iPhone 17e finally abandons the notch design and no longer uses the Smart Island as a distinguishing feature.

02 iPhone17e’s design exposed

Some digital bloggers believe that Apple, having tasted success in its “market experiment” with the iPhone 16e, is “generously” releasing the Smart Island feature to attract more users.

Before the iPhone 16e’s release, most people assumed this single-camera, notch-screen phone would be named the iPhone SE4, and even assumed the body module would inherit the iPhone XR design and feature the same LCD screen.

Surprisingly, the new phone was ultimately named iPhone 16e and features a completely new mold.

Why do people think the iPhone 16e might be named iPhone SE4? Because, as is customary, Apple’s flagship phone series, which focuses on value, is named SE.

The full name of the SE series is “Special Edition,” and its most prominent feature is “putting new wine in old bottles.”

This is because the first generation used the iPhone 5s body and the same A9 chip as the iPhone 6s, while the third generation used the iPhone 8 body and the same A15 Bionic chip as the iPhone 13.

Because the use of the old body and modules significantly reduces costs, the SE series has always been known to consumers as the “cheapest iPhone.”

Therefore, when the iPhone 16e’s specifications began to leak, it was mistakenly believed to be the iPhone SE4.

This is clearly not the case.

03 Market Positioning of Apple’s e-Series

The iPhone’s e-series is positioned differently from the SE series. Some digital bloggers believe that Apple’s e-series is equivalent to the Lite version, reflecting Apple’s “precisely low-price marketing strategy.”

By reducing the chip, screen, and camera specs while increasing battery capacity, the e-series maintains its premium quality while retaining a good basic experience. This also serves as a continuation of its “cheapest iPhone” positioning.

However, many digital bloggers believe that the iPhone 16e is Apple’s foray into the mid-range market.

Like the previously released Plus version, it attempted to attract users with a large screen and standard specifications.

But the iPhone 17 series’s decision to drop the Plus version clearly proves that this market experiment has failed.

Therefore, if the e-series fails to generate the expected returns for Apple, it could be replaced by other product lines at any time.

For now, the launch of the e-series is not only intended to fill the price-performance gap in the product line, but also to become the preferred choice for users of older models who want to upgrade.

04

Apple launched the e-series hoping it could fulfill a crucial mission: retaining users of older iPhone models!

This is also a key reason for the launch of the iPhone 17e.

The number of older, still-useful Apple phones is vast, far exceeding our imagination.

For example, the iPhone XR, released in 2018, is still in active use by a significant number of users today.

These older model users, perhaps motivated by a love for iOS or unable to upgrade due to financial constraints, are often overlooked, yet their number is substantial.

Apple itself is clearly aware of this.

05

Apple’s precise marketing for the iPhone 16e has indeed helped the iPhone 16e achieve sales targets.

The latest report from market research firm CIRP shows that the iPhone 16e will account for 11% of US iPhone sales in June 2025.

The SE3, which previously held a similar market position, only had a 5% market share during the same period; its global sales have also exceeded 7.15 million units.

This significant increase demonstrates the viability of the e-series strategy.

PickOnes also collected user experiences of the iPhone 16e on Reddit and found that most owners chose it for its large battery capacity, slim design, and lack of high camera requirements.

Some users even stated that even though many reviewers criticized the iPhone 16e for its lack of MagSafe and mediocre specifications, it did not affect actual users’ decision to buy it.

Sales data also confirms that the iPhone 16e is a popular product.

At the same time, some users who purchased the iPhone 16e had previously used older models such as the iPhone 12, which also confirms the above point of view: this phone is indeed a gift from Apple to old users.

06

However, iPhone 16e sales in China fell short of Apple’s expectations, reaching only 171,000 units, less than 3% of global sales.

Why is there such a significant sales gap between China and internationally for models with identical specifications?

The blogger believes the following are the main reasons:

China offers a wide selection of models in the same price range.

Chinese Android models of the same price perform better.

Chinese phone manufacturers are gradually adapting to the Apple ecosystem.

Apple currently does not support AI features.

07

Since June of this year, even after receiving 10 billion yuan in subsidies, the 128GB version of the iPhone 16e still costs over $520 in China, even after applying all coupons.

This price falls squarely within the standard range of flagship Android phones offered by Chinese manufacturers—a price point where competition is fiercest among Chinese manufacturers, and with a relatively wider range of models available.

Ever since Chinese phones began supporting Live Photos, Chinese manufacturers have been gradually infiltrating the Apple ecosystem.

Vivo, a renowned Chinese mobile phone manufacturer, touted its Vivo X200S as the “strongest Apple alternative” when it released the Vivo X200S.

The Vivo X200S can directly receive messages and even calls from an iPhone, supports one-touch data transfer, connects to an Apple Watch and AirPods, and displays battery life directly on the phone.

The HyperOS 2.0 update enables fast file transfer and screen mirroring between Xiaomi phones and Macs.

Xiaomi has even replicated AirDrop through its Connected Services app, achieving even higher transfer efficiency. A recent update even allows Macs to directly access the Xiaomi phone’s screen.

Similarly, ColorOS 15 now supports the iPhone’s one-touch transfer feature.

It can be said that Chinese phone manufacturers are aggressively trying to seize the iPhone’s position within the Apple ecosystem.

Some digital bloggers believe that Chinese mobile phone manufacturers are being very smart by actively supporting their own devices in integrating Apple features.

In its previous ecosystem development, Apple tightly tied tablets, laptops, consoles, headphones, and other smart devices to the iPhone, forcing users of these devices to choose only the iPhone. Replacing all of these devices was clearly unrealistic.

As a result, Chinese mobile phone manufacturers have adopted a strategy of overtaking the iPhone as the “controller” of the ecosystem through hardware superiority and software adaptation, while also offering greater price concessions. This has enabled many iPhone users to seamlessly switch devices.

This is a key reason for the sluggish sales of the iPhone 16e in China.

Additionally, the delay in the implementation of Apple’s AI technology in China has made it difficult for Apple to play its last card.

Originally, the iPhone 16e, as a cost-effective model, should have been the most affordable entry point to Apple’s AI capabilities, but delays have prevented this from happening.

Furthermore, the AI ​​experience on Chinese mobile phones has rapidly developed. Improved features like one-touch screen recognition, AI photo albums, and AI assistants have instilled in users an irreplaceable habit of using their phones.

The iPhone 16e, whose hardware cannot keep up and software does not have an advantage, naturally became the “victim” in the market competition.

08

Can the iPhone 17e turn things around in the Chinese market?

What about the iPhone 17e?

Many Chinese digital bloggers are pessimistic about the sales of this model in China.

According to leaks, the standard iPhone 17 already supports a 120Hz refresh rate screen, while the iPhone 17e, as a “lower-level” model, will likely still feature a 60Hz screen, subject to product tier categorization. The processor and imaging specs will also be downgraded.

Although the price has been reduced, making the iPhone 17e the most affordable iPhone available, even a formidable competitor like Apple will struggle to carve out a share of the Chinese mid-range market, facing competition from Chinese phone manufacturers.

However, if Apple’s AI technology truly takes off in China, it might attract some users to buy the iPhone 17e as a gateway to experiencing Apple’s AI ecosystem.

By then, AI features in Chinese-made phones may have fully extended across all product lines.

Faced with these unfavorable factors, will Apple change its strategy?

How will the iPhone E series gain a foothold in the domestic market?

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