Apple is about to do something Samsung has mastered for years: stagger its iPhone launches.

The so-called iPhone 17e is expected to break cover on March 4. If that date holds, it will mark the second straight early-year debut for Apple’s budget tier.

We have seen this play from Samsung for a decade: Galaxy S in the first half and Galaxy Z (after Note) in the second. Unpacked sets the rhythm of the year, and now Apple appears ready to follow that rhythm.

For years, Apple treated its lower-cost iPhones like side projects. The iPhone 5c, XR, and SE models showed up in March, April, and even September. Meanwhile, Samsung locked down the first half with Galaxy S and owned the news cycle.

Samsung has traditionally dominated the first half with the Galaxy S series. This year, even with Unpacked shifting slightly later than usual, the Galaxy S remains the benchmark for early-year flagship launches.

Apple does not want to leave that window empty anymore.

By placing the iPhone 17e on March 4, Apple ensures it has a product in the market while Galaxy S26 series ramp up globally. It is not a direct flagship versus flagship fight, but something more strategic to occupy space.

iPhone 17e – Specifications (expected)

• A19 chip built on TSMC third generation 3nm node
• Up to 10 percent CPU performance gain
• Improved GPU and power efficiency
• In-house C1X modem
• N1 networking chip
• MagSafe support returns
• 6.1-inch OLED display
• Around 4,000mAh battery
• MagSafe charging
• Notch design retained
• Price: $599

Apple historically used older chips in its budget models. This time, it may deploy the same silicon as its flagship tier. The fight is about AI workloads on device and Samsung has already framed that conversation with Galaxy AI inside One UI.

Samsung has played that balancing act carefully across Galaxy S and FE models. Now Apple is refining its own version of that approach.

Source – Apple

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