Apple Said to Finalise iPhone 18e Plans With Dynamic Island Upgrade and 2027 Launch Window, Tipster Claims

Apple is said to have finalised its plans for the next-generation entry-level smartphone in its lineup, ubiquitously known as the iPhone 18e. According to a tipster, the Cupertino-based tech giant has already locked in development plans for the purported handset even before the new iPhone 17e is publicly available for purchase. Previous reports indicate that Apple may launch only three iPhone models this year, breaking away from a pattern that has continued since 2020.

iPhone 18e Launch

The information comes from a Weibo post by tipster Fixed Focus Digital (translated from Chinese), who claims that Apple has finalised its plans for the iPhone 18e. The leak implies that the tech giant is making arrangements for the iPhone 18e despite the fact that the iPhone 17e is yet to be available in the market.

The leak does not reveal any details regarding the specifications of the iPhone 18e, but provides a hint of Apple's plan to launch cheaper versions of their iPhone lineup, aside from their flagship counterparts.

Although details officially remain under wraps, the iPhone 18e is believed to be powered by Apple's next-generation A20 chip, which would likely succeed the A19 SoC used in the iPhone 17e. Reports also suggest that Dynamic Island could eventually make its way to the entry-level iPhone model.

The feature had previously been rumoured for the iPhone 17e, but plans were ultimately shelved, and the latest handset still carries the wide notch at the top of the screen, housing the front-facing camera and the Face ID sensors.

The iPhone 18e is reportedly expected to launch in spring 2027 alongside the iPhone 18. This year, the tech giant may only unveil the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max, alongside the long-rumoured foldable iPhone, ubiquitously known as the iPhone Fold. Due to this shift in launch strategy, iPhone shipments could drop by as much as 4.2 percent in 2026, according to the latest shipment data and projections from IDC.

Meanwhile, the iPhone 17e is currently up for pre-order and will go on sale tomorrow (March 11) via Apple's website and authorised retailers in India and the global markets, at a starting price of Rs. 64,900 for the base variant with 256GB of onboard storage.