‘Dried out’ iPhone 16e stock points to imminent launch of 17e

It’s an open secret that Apple is on the verge of launching the iPhone 17e. One theory is that it will be released as soon as next week on the first anniversary of its predecessor’s launch. And based on new information about Apple’s stock levels, that sounds about right.

According to a post on Twitter/X by the generally reliable Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman, citing the testimony of unnamed Apple retail employees, the inventory of the iPhone 16e “has basically dried out.” Stock shortages are typically a sign that a product is about to be discontinued, most likely to be replaced by something new. Apple is well known for its supply-chain efficiency and habitually winds down production near the end of a product’s life in order to avoid being stuck with old stock after it’s killed off.

I checked online (using the U.K. Apple Store, since I’m based in London) and was able to buy the 16e in white with 128GB of storage for delivery or pickup tomorrow, and the black model for delivery tomorrow or pickup today. In fact, I couldn’t find a single configuration that would arrive later than the day after purchase. I also took a quick peek at the U.S. store, using the White House zip code for delivery estimates, and the only models I had any issues with were the 512GB units in both black and white, neither of which is currently available for pickup at the president’s local store. But they could still be delivered to the Oval Office by tomorrow.

So there are iPhone 16e units out there. But it’s possible that what little stock Apple has remaining has been largely assigned to online purchases, since it would prefer employees to divert in-store visitors to more expensive products like the iPhone 17.

The iPhone 17e could be one of the most important products Apple will release in 2026, because the e-class iPhones are the only ones that are even remotely close to the budget market. The iPhone 16e came in for criticism because it was significantly more expensive than the final iPhone SE, while still including numerous compromises in areas such as the lack of MagSafe and a second camera. The iPhone 17e is unlikely to cost less than the 16e, but it should at least offer MagSafe.

Gurman adds that the iPad Air is also experiencing stock shortages, although it’s implied that these are not as severe as those affecting the iPhone 16e. The 2026 iPad Air is also expected to arrive soon, featuring an M4 processor, an N1 wireless chip, and probably very few other changes.