Apple announced its first e-series smartphone quite recently. The device in question is the iPhone 16e, and reviews have started to pour in. That being said, the ‘iPhone e’ launch could end up becoming an annual affair for Apple.
The ‘iPhone e’ launch events could become an annual affair for Apple
This information is based on information from a research firm. To be more accurate, it comes from CIRP (Consumer Intelligence Research Partners), who claim that the iPhone 17e is coming in a year.
The source said the following: “It appears that “e” phones may be part of the program going forward. Following the core iPhone 17 model launches in September, we expect Apple to announce an iPhone 17e around this time next year. That would mimic Google’s introduction of “a” models in its Pixel line months after the annual Spring launch of their flagship and Pro models in recent years.”
So, Apple is seemingly planning to adopt the same philosophy as for its main line of smartphones. Those devices come once a year, in September, while the e-series phones will do the same but in February, or close to it.
This surely won’t be a one-off announcement
In case you thought the iPhone 16e will be a one-off announcement, that won’t be the case. Apple also has no plans to skip years when it comes to ‘iPhone e’ series announcements, as it did with the iPhone SE.
Even the phone’s name suggests this will be an annual affair. Apple used the iPhone 16 branding here, instead of using the iPhone SE branding. So, this analysis from CIRP does make sense.
The iPhone 16e is more expensive than expected, though, as it costs $599. It’s still considerably more affordable than the iPhone 16, but it comes with a number of tradeoffs. This is also the very first iPhone to have Apple’s in-house 5G modem.