As iPhone 16e goes on sale, some suggest iPhone 17e could come sooner than expected

After launching earlier this month, today is the day the iPhone 16e will officially go on sale. The device marks a fairly significant moment in Apple's history, as it finally brings its cheap phone into the same family as its core range.

Now, a new report suggests that could become a much more common occurrence. That comes from a team of analysts called CIRP (via 91Mobiles), which offers analysis of Apple's business.

They suggest that, going forward, the 'e' handset will launch every year around February, to offset the core release. It's a similar strategy employed by other brands – the Google Pixel 9a and the Samsung Galaxy S24 FE, for example.

It shouldn't really come as any surprise. While Apple's method of releasing the iPhone SE every two years was commendable, it didn't really keep pace with the current market. 18 months in, users are unlikely to view any handset with the same relevance it would have when new.

Given what we've seen from the iPhone 16e, we can also make some anticipations about what the iPhone 17e might include. It seems reasonable, for example, to assume that the device will include some of the key features from the iPhone 17 – similar to how Apple Intelligence was included this time out.

What's more, the analysis goes on to suggest this rebranding may have an unlikely inspiration. The iPhone 5c is one of the most love-it-or-hate-it products in Apple's back catalogue, but CIRP suggest it may have influenced the decision to change tact here.

They state that, "The modest iPhone SE market share in recent years compared to the early market acceptance of iPhone 5c may have motivated the 16e repositioning."

We'll have to wait and see just how successful the new model is. Given the early reception and decent value-for-money stance the product takes up, though, I can see it being a winner.