iPhone 17e to feature Dynamic Island with 60 Hz OLED display

Apple is preparing a significant update for its more affordable smartphone lineup. According to Chinese insiders, the iPhone 17e will finally feature Dynamic Island instead of the familiar notch, but the display will still maintain a 60 Hz refresh rate. This means the model will visually align with pricier iPhones, while keeping a key screen limitation to reduce costs.

Digital Chat Station reports that the iPhone 17e will come with a 6.1-inch OLED display, similar in size to the current generation. Dynamic Island will add an interactive area at the top of the screen for background tasks, navigation, and notifications. In practice, this shift moves from the iPhone 14 design, which the iPhone 16e is based on, toward the more rounded styling of the iPhone 15.

Internally, the smartphone will also see a slight performance boost. The iPhone 17e is expected to get the A19 processor, built on TSMC's 3-nm process. Performance gains over the A18 are estimated at 5–10%, though rumors suggest Apple might use a version with reduced clock speeds to further differentiate it from flagship models. In that case, its capabilities would be close to the A17 Pro, especially considering improvements to the neural engine.

Other anticipated changes include MagSafe support thanks to the addition of a magnetic ring, which was absent in the iPhone 16e. However, Apple will likely continue to save on wireless components by installing an older C1 or C1X modem. Cameras, Face ID, and the overall feature set will remain familiar: a 12 MP front module and a 48 MP main camera without major hardware changes.

For the release timeline, Apple might follow last year's scenario and unveil the iPhone 17e as early as February, or delay the launch until spring. The starting price is expected to stay around $599, positioning the iPhone 17e as a compromise between modern design and limited, yet predictable, specifications.