iPhone 17e could make it even harder to choose which iPhone to get

If you think it's hard to choose the right iPhone for you at the moment, buckle up, because things are about to get even tougher. Right now, the distinction between models can be a little hard to decipher, with a lot of similarities across price points.

That's about to get even tougher, according to the latest reports, as the successor to the iPhone 16e is said to include a major upgrade. The news comes from Digital Chat Station on Weibo – a well-regarded tech insider, who has a great track record with this kind of thing.

The post itself references changes coming to the successor to the iPhone 17 Pro. However, when asked in the comments about devices being launched in the first half of 2026, the account replied, "[iPhone 17e] reuses 60Hz dynamic island screen."

That's a big deal. The current model is the only one left in the iPhone lineup which still uses the older notch design, with everything else having moved onto the Dynamic Island design.

It does suggest that the panel won't be as well-spec'd as the current iPhone 17. That model finally got the 120Hz ProMotion display, so there's at least one difference there.

Beyond that, though, it could be quite a tough decision for most people. Assuming that the remainder of the spec sheet sits quite close to the base model – and the price difference remains broadly similar to last time – the two devices could end up looking too similar for most people to differentiate.

That's something which is only going to be harder in the future. Rumours suggest that Apple will hold off on launching its base model iPhone next year, instead unveiling it in the spring alongside the 'e' variant.

If that does happen, the differences between the two models will need to be more marked, or the two will start to homogenize even more.