{"id":487268,"date":"2026-02-20T08:48:16","date_gmt":"2026-02-20T08:48:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/487268\/"},"modified":"2026-02-20T08:48:16","modified_gmt":"2026-02-20T08:48:16","slug":"ve-used-the-iphone-16e-for-a-year-and-the-iphone-17e-shouldnt-launch-without-these-3-upgrades","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/487268\/","title":{"rendered":"‘ve used the iPhone 16e for a year \u2014 and the iPhone 17e shouldn\u2019t launch without these 3 upgrades"},"content":{"rendered":"

As a staunch supporter of all three previous iPhone SE models<\/a>, I found the iPhone 16e somewhat disappointing<\/a>. In my iPhone 16e review<\/a>, I noted that at its $599 price point, the trade-offs make it difficult to recommend over the next model up \u2014 which was the iPhone 16<\/a> at the time and is now the iPhone 17<\/a>.<\/p>\n

My sentiments about this best cheap phone<\/a> contender remain unchanged after a year of use. However, with the iPhone 17e<\/a> launch rumored for next month<\/a>, there are key upgrades the forthcoming budget phone needs to stay relevant. Here’s what I want to see.<\/p>\n

A second rear camera<\/p>\n

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\"iPhone\n<\/p>\n

(Image credit: Future)<\/p>\n

In 2026, all phones should come with dual cameras at the very least. While the iPhone 16e\u2019s single 48MP rear camera has proven to deliver excellent results \u2014 as seen in my 200-photo shootout between the Pixel 9a and iPhone 16e<\/a> \u2014 it lacks the utility I crave. Quite frankly, a single rear camera limits my creativity.<\/p>\n

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<\/p>\n

Even though I\u2019m not optimistic that Apple will magically add a second camera to the iPhone 17e<\/a> (which rumors indicate will recycle the previous hardware), doing so would certainly make it more appealing and provide the creative flexibility users want.<\/p>\n

The logical move would be pairing the rumored 48MP main sensor with an ultra-wide lens. While a telephoto would be equally compelling, adding an ultra-wide camera has the advantage of potentially allowing the iPhone 17e to support spatial photos and videos<\/a>, while also improving portrait depth data.<\/p>\n

120Hz display refresh rate<\/p>\n

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\"iPhone\n<\/p>\n

(Image credit: Future)<\/p>\n

Another drawback that\u2019s hard to overlook after a year with the iPhone 16e is its lack of the finesse and fluidity found on 120Hz displays. If Apple upgrades the iPhone 17e with a 120Hz refresh rate, the difference would be immediate \u2014 much like the jump I saw between the iPhone 16<\/a> and iPhone 17<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Honestly, it\u2019s becoming inexcusable for any new iPhone to ship without at least a 120Hz refresh rate.<\/p>\n

Many budget phones now feature 120Hz panels, including entry-level models like the $200 Moto G (2026)<\/a>. The benefits include smoother UI animations and a much more responsive feel. Furthermore, a high refresh rate would make gaming significantly more enjoyable with fluid motion.<\/p>\n

Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips.<\/p>\n

Honestly, it\u2019s becoming inexcusable for any new iPhone to ship without at least a 120Hz refresh rate. It is a straightforward upgrade with tremendous benefits that would instantly increase the iPhone 17e’s value.<\/p>\n

Video-out via DisplayPort<\/p>\n

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\"iPhone\n<\/p>\n

(Image credit: Future)<\/p>\n

Lastly, I would love to see proper video-out support on the iPhone 17e through support of DisplayPort. This feature is notably absent from the iPhone 16e, so connecting it to a monitor via USB-C does absolutely nothing \u2014 whereas the iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Pro offer seamless video output<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Even if the feature simply mirrors the iPhone\u2019s screen, it would still provide a major boost to the iPhone 17e’s utility. It would allow users to view content on larger screens, run presentations, or even use a monitor as a secondary display for the camera. I\u2019m calling this out specifically because the old Pixel 8a offered screen mirroring when connected to a monitor<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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Furthermore, with long-standing rumors that Apple is working on a desktop mode for the iPhone<\/a>, adding DisplayPort support to the 17e would future-proof the device for whenever that feature finally launches.<\/p>\n

Bottom Line<\/p>\n

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\"iPhone\n<\/p>\n

(Image credit: Future)<\/p>\n

These are all straightforward upgrades Apple could implement for the iPhone 17e to elevate its utility beyond anything we’ve seen in its budget lineup. While Apple may surprise us with other improvements at the March 4 event \u2014 where the official iPhone 17e announcement is expected \u2014 it\u2019s unlikely that all of my wishes will become a reality.<\/p>\n

The frustrating part is that these upgrades aren\u2019t far-fetched. However, Apple might hold them back for the iPhone 18e instead. I certainly hope not, because I don\u2019t want to spend another year waiting for a budget iPhone that is truly easy to recommend.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\n

\"Google\n<\/p>\n

<\/a><\/p>\n

Follow Tom’s Guide on Google News<\/a> and add us as a preferred source<\/a> to get our up-to-date news, analysis, and reviews in your feeds. <\/p>\n

More from Tom’s Guide<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"As a staunch supporter of all three previous iPhone SE models, I found the iPhone 16e somewhat disappointing.…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":487269,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[16],"tags":[49,48,190,61],"class_list":{"0":"post-487268","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-mobile","8":"tag-ca","9":"tag-canada","10":"tag-mobile","11":"tag-technology"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/487268","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=487268"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/487268\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/487269"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=487268"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=487268"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=487268"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}