Kuo: iPhone 17e Still on Apple's 2026 Roadmap

Apple will launch an iPhone 17e in the first half of next year, according to respected industry analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.

Corroborating a recent report that Apple will switch to a split iPhone launch strategy, Kuo on Monday offered his own interpretation of Apple's roadmap for the next two years:

• 2H25: iPhone 17 Pro Max, iPhone 17 Pro, iPhone 17 Slim, iPhone 17
• 1H26: iPhone 17e
• 2H26: iPhone Foldable, iPhone 18 Pro Max, iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Slim
• 1H27: iPhone 18, iPhone 18e
• 2H27: iPhone Foldable 2 (already kicked off), iPhone 19 Pro Max, iPhone 19 Pro, iPhone 19 Slim (with a larger display vs. 18 Slim)

Earlier this year, Apple launched the iPhone 16e, a more affordable iPhone 16 model that starts at $599 in the United States and replaces the entry-level iPhone SE line. Over the weekend, The Information outlined a long list of iPhone models that Apple plans to release in 2025, 2026, and 2027, including an iPhone 18e in the spring of 2027, but there was no mention of an iPhone 17e coming next year.

Kuo's roadmap for upcoming iPhone releases shows Apple planning to split its launch cadence with models arriving in both the first half (1H) and second half (2H) of the year beginning in 2026. The schedule includes the iPhone 18 Pro models and a new foldable iPhone in late 2026, with standard iPhone 18 models following in early 2027.

The analyst cites two key factors driving this strategy shift. First, Apple's competitors typically release new flagship phones in the first half of the year, creating a "marketing gap" that Apple aims to close. Second, Apple's expanding iPhone lineup risks "diluting marketing efforts" if all models launch simultaneously.

Chinese smartphone manufacturers including Xiaomi, Huawei, OPPO, and Vivo have been steadily eroding Apple's market share in China with their competitive flagship devices typically launched in the first half of the year. Huawei's recent resurgence in the premium smartphone segment has posed a particular challenge to Apple's position.

Apple's shift to a split cycle roadmap would be the first time Apple has deliberately separated its flagship iPhone lineup releases since establishing its fall launch pattern with the iPhone 4S in 2011.