According to a recent report, as well as current market dynamics, Apple iPhone 17e & M4 iPad Air seem to be nearing their release dates. Their proposed launch is coming sooner than expected, along with an unforeseen twist that could render certain Apple products obsolete.
Apple iPhone 17e and M4 iPad Air reported to release in the coming weeks
On February 11, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman took to social media to share a studied speculation regarding the release dates of Apple’s iPhone 17e and the M4 iPad Air.
The tech industry insider noted on X (formerly Twitter) profile, “Apple retail employees say that inventory of the iPhone 16e has basically dried out and the iPad Air is seeing shortages as well. I’ve been expecting new versions of both (iPhone 17e and M4 iPad Air) in the coming weeks.”
Guzman’s theory actually stems from a very common practice that Apple has implemented over the years, rather than being a simple hunch. Whenever the lifetime of a product approaches its end, stocks of the same generally begin to decline in numbers on both online and in-store fronts. While it does not guarantee the discontinuation of the said item, as stock levels can rise in a short period, it does serve as an indication of what is to come.
The supposed advent of iPhone 17e and a steep decline in the inventory of iPhone 16e suggest that Apple could withdraw the latter from sale sooner rather than later. Even though there is no official confirmation regarding Apple’s plans to discontinue the iPhone 16e, the fact that the tech juggernaut hasn’t replenished the device’s stocks suggests its run in the market may soon come to an end.
If the iPhone 17e does end up replacing its predecessor for good, it would be the first time that Apple has scrapped one of its more affordable phones just one year after launch. Case in point: the iPhone SE has had three models so far, all of which have lasted more than two years.
Despite Mark Gurman’s calculated prediction, Apple has yet to share an official update regarding iPhone 17e’s release date.
Originally reported by Apoorv Rastogi on Mandatory.
