One of the questions raised by the iPhone 16e naming is whether it points to an annual update to the entry-level iPhone, with an iPhone 17e following next year.
A leaker who got early wind of the the iPhone 16e name says there are already signs that this may be the case, with a codename believed to reference next year’s model …
The iPhone SE was an occasional update
Apple’s previous entry-level phone, the iPhone SE, wasn’t updated on a fixed schedule. The original model launched in 2016, with a four-year wait for the 2nd-gen in 2020. That was followed by the 3rd-gen model two years later.
Having a completely separate naming convention for the budget model meant that Apple was free to launch new models as and when it wanted, without the name growing dated.
But the iPhone 16e could signal a change
But that’s changed with the iPhone 16e. Right now, the name suggests a current model, sitting alongside the existing flagship line-up. But come the September launch of the iPhone 17, the name will already identify it as a previous-generation device.
That’s led to speculation that Apple now plans to update the phone annually, with an iPhone 17e launching next year, and annual updates continuing beyond that.
This idea seems to have gained traction with a Weibo post by Fixed Focus Digital, one of the first to point to the iPhone 16e name ahead of Apple’s announcement.
A source shared a little information: “e model” is likely to be available in the next generation. At present, a new project code has been seen, which is suspected to be 17e.
9to5Mac’s Take
The new naming convention does provide some basis for anticipating annual updates, though it should be noted that Apple has previously continued to sell earlier models, so the company wouldn’t necessarily be concerned about a visibly-outdated name.
The evidence provided here is relatively weak: a codename which is believed to refer to an iPhone 17e. But on balance, I do believe this is Apple’s current plan.
I use that phrase advisedly, however. As I argued earlier in the month, this is an experiment by Apple. As with the Plus and the mini models, Apple won’t hesitate to ditch its latest experiment if sales fail to meet expectations.
Photo: 9to5Mac collage of images from Apple and Matthew McBrayer on Unsplash
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