Apple has officially announced the new iPhone 17e. This model includes Apple’s MagSafe wireless charging technology, unlike iPhone 16e which simply featured basic wireless charging without MagSafe accessory support. The new model starts at the same price as its predecessor while offering twice the storage.
Apple also has three color options this time: black, white, and a new soft pink.
Internally, it’s powered by Apple’s A19 chip, the latest processor used in the base model iPhone 17. It also features the same C1X Apple modem as the iPhone Air (compared to the C1 modem in iPhone 16e).
Like the iPhone 16e from last year, the iPhone 17e starts at $599. However, the starting price now includes 256GB storage instead of 128GB.
The higher capacity option doubles the storage option again to 512GB for $799. For comparison, Apple charged $899 for the 512GB iPhone 16e.
Here’s Apple’s official announcement:
Apple today announced iPhone 17e, a powerful and more affordable addition to the iPhone 17 lineup. At the heart of iPhone 17e is the latest-generation A19, which delivers exceptional performance for everything users do. iPhone 17e also features C1X, the latest-generation cellular modem designed by Apple, which is up to 2x faster than C1 in iPhone 16e. The 48MP Fusion camera captures stunning photos, including next-generation portraits, and 4K Dolby Vision video. It also enables an optical-quality 2x Telephoto — like having two cameras in one.
Perhaps most notable is that Apple is updating its entry-level iPhone annually now. Prior to the iPhone 16e last year, Apple offered the iPhone SE for around three years between upgrades.
The move from iPhone 16e to iPhone 17e treats the affordable model like flagship models that see annual updates.
Adding a strong magnetic connection to the back of the iPhone enables attaching accessories like wallets, stands, and battery packs. It also greatly improved wireless charging with charging coil alignment that snaps into place.
Pre-orders start on Wednesday, March 4 at 6:15 am PT/9:15 am ET. iPhone 17e hits stores and reaches customers a week later on Wednesday, March 11.
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