A new report is claiming that stocks of both the iPhone 16e and the iPad Air are dwindling at retail, perhaps backing up expectations of new models being launched soon.

There are regularly reports of stocks of Apple devices running low, and the presumption is often that this means a refresh is coming. As of late it hasn't been the case — reports of MacBook Pro custom configuration stock-outs have been prevalent for months, and the Apple TV hardware is subject to the same from time to time.

In this case, however, a new claim by Bloomberg's Mark Gurman fits well with reports of Apple shortly releasing an updated iPhone 17e.

The report specifies that this information comes from Apple Store retail employees. In AppleInsider research on Thursday morning, however, all configurations of the iPhone 16e and iPad Air bar a few remain available for pickup at retail locations with at most a single day's delay.

Stock levels have not been as of late a reliable guide to releases within a few days, because they can reflect other issues such as fluctuations in the supply chain. Apple has also never shied away from selling an old model up to the moment the new one is actually in store, avoiding the Osbourne effect.

But then Apple is also famously tightly organized, and as such it tries to not never let inventory build up too far. So if Apple doesn't believe it can sell a device before a refresh, it won't order more of the old version.

What's coming next

February 19, 2026, marks one year since the launch of the iPhone 16e, the comparatively budget-friendly iPhone that remains a solid buy for many users. As well as consistent reports that its replacement iPhone 17e will launch in spring 2026, there have been rumors that it will be announced on or about the same day in February.

Whenever it arrives, the iPhone 17e is expected to feature the same A19 processor that was used in the rest of 2025's iPhone 17 range. It's also expected that it will feature updated versions of Apple's own modem and wireless processors.

The most visible change, if rumors are correct, is that this model should add in MagSafe charging. The lack of that was previously the most obvious distinguishing difference between the iPhone 16e and all of the higher-cost models.

While there have also been rumors of an updated iPad Air launching in Spring 2026, there are fewer reports of what the new models may bring. It's possible that the two sizes of iPad Air will include Apple's N1 networking chip for improved Wi-Fi speeds.