A year ago, Apple unveiled the iPhone 16Ewhich replaced the iPhone SE as the most “affordable” handset in the company’s line, which includes some (but not all) of the features of iPhone 16 series at a small discount. If you’re looking for a cheaper iPhone with enough bells and whistles, the iPhone 16E still good — but don’t buy one now.

That’s because a new version, the iPhone 17Eit could be soon — as early as next month, according to rumors. Because the iPhone 16E is a strange compromiseit’s worth waiting to see what features Apple will add (and remove) to keep it as the affordable iPhone option.

As the price of new iPhones crept up over the years, leading to $829 iPhone 17 (not including the more expensive WIND, Pro and Pro Max models), the humble iPhone SE remains an affordable option; its last update in 2022 left the price at $429. Despite having a smaller 4.7-inch display framed between the thick top-and-bottom bezels that first debuted on iPhone 6the handset’s modern internal hardware means it can keep up with the latest apps.

The iPhone 16E is a redesigned upgrade with a 6.1-inch screen that stretches across the entire front of the phone and enough RAM to use. Apple Intelligence. But these upgrades push the price up to $600. However, Apple has left out many popular perks that reflect its high cost iPhone 16 brother of the time, such as ultrawide or telephoto cameras; the 16E only has a 48-megapixel shooter. It also lacks MagSafe and wireless charging with the slower 7.5-watt Qi standard. The USB-C 2.0 port charges at less than 20 watts.

It’s clear that Apple left out some neat features to keep the price low – or to look at it another way, it explains why the standard iPhone 16 is $200 more expensive, the same cost as the current iPhone 17.

But that might not be the case with the rumored iPhone 17E. It is possible that Apple will be more generous with the second generation of its modern “budget” phone. For example, Apple chose to stick with a camera similar to the 48-megapixel iPhone 16E in the more expensive iPhone Air, but that model is limited by the thin space inside the body; an iPhone 17E does not have to make that compromise and can share the same two cameras (wide and ultrawide) found in the iPhone 17. It helps that Apple manufactures and sells many models of the iPhone 17 that it may be financially better for them to share common components between the iPhone 17 and iPhone 17E.

However, the limitations of the iPhone 16E indicate that Apple will remove features and keep the price of the entry-level iPhone low. Even if you are skeptical about Apple’s introduction of new features on the iPhone 17E, it is worth waiting a month or two until its launch is known for sure.

And if you’re not impressed with Apple’s new device when it arrives, and decide to take the iPhone 16E anyway, you’ll still have to wait: the company often discounts older iPhones (and refurbished models) once they’re replaced by new models. Even if Apple chooses to completely replace the iPhone 16E in its lineup and stop selling it, third-party sellers will continue to stock it and likely drop its price to clear inventory.

So if you can stand to wait for the debut of the iPhone 17E, you should try to strengthen it in the next month or so. You can save money or make a more informed purchase, both of which are smart reasons to stay patient.