Apple just flipped the script and updated its entry-level iPhone after just one year. Here’s everything that’s new between the just-announced iPhone 17e and last year’s iPhone 16e.
Everything new from iPhone 16e to iPhone 17e
Apple markets the upgrade from the 2025 iPhone 16e to the 2026 iPhone 17e with five key points:
- faster performance
- advanced camera system
- enhanced durability
- magic of MagSafe
- double the starting storage
The promised faster performance comes from moving to Apple’s A19 chip from the A18 chip.
The A19 is technically the same chip used inside the iPhone 17. A key difference is that like the A18 chip inside the iPhone 16e, the A19 has a 4-core GPU. However, the iPhone 17e’s A19 has GPU cores with Neural Accelerators for better AI performance.
Apple has also replaced its original C1 modem with the latest C1X modem for cellular connectivity, which it says is “up to 2x faster than C1 in iPhone 16e.”
iPhone 17e’s advanced camera system adds support for Apple’s next-generation portraits with Focus and Depth Control.
This means that unlike iPhone 16e, the new iPhone 17e “recognizes people, dogs, and cats and automatically saves depth information, allowing users to turn photos into beautiful portraits with background blur after capture and to adjust the focus point in the Photos app.”
As a member of the iPhone 17 family, the new iPhone 17e’s advertised enhanced durability comes from Ceramic Shield 2 front glass. That means iPhone 17e’s display has “3x better scratch resistance” and “improved anti-reflection to reduce glare” compared to iPhone 16e.
Perhaps the biggest relief of all is what Apple fairly calls the magic of MagSafe on iPhone 17e. Not including MagSafe with iPhone 16e was a huge omission, but compared to iPhone SE that it replaced, the budget model wasn’t exactly losing a feature.
Adding MagSafe to the iPhone 17e doesn’t just introduce support for MagSafe accessories like stands, wallets, and battery packs. iPhone 17e’s wireless charging speed actually doubles compared to iPhone 16e, jumping from just 7.5W to 15W with a 20W adapter or higher.
iPhone 17e also touts Qi2 support, not just standard Qi support like iPhone 16e.
And most importantly for the iPhone 17e, Apple offering double the starting storage compared to iPhone 16e without raising the price makes it a better value for customers.
iPhone 16e came in three storage tiers: 128GB, 256GB, 512GB. iPhone 17e has just two storage options: 256GB and 512GB. What’s new this cycle is that 256GB costs $599 and 512GB costs $799 compared to $699 and $899, respectively, for upgraded storage on the iPhone 16e.
Apple notes that the 256GB starting storage on iPhone 17e is actually a 4x increase compared to iPhone 12. That creates a sizable storage increase for upgrading customers.
Visually, the iPhone 16e and iPhone 17e look the same with a “premium matte finish” that includes black or white. New for the iPhone 17e, however, is Apple’s new soft pink color option.
Physically, there’s also a very slight weight increase, per Apple’s specifications data. iPhone 17e weights in at 5.96 ounces (169 grams) compared to iPhone 16e at 5.88 ounces (167 grams).
What stays the same or is still missing?
When Apple replaced the years-old iPhone SE with the iPhone 16e last year, it bumped the starting price from $429 to $599 (while doubling the base storage from 64GB).
This year, the iPhone 17e doubles the base storage again while the starting price remains at $599.
512GB is still the highest storage option for iPhone 17e, however, so you’ll need to look elsewhere if your needs couldn’t squeeze into iPhone 16e’s top storage option.
While glass durability improves, the 6.1-inch screen size remains the same with the same notch style as the iPhone 13 and iPhone 14. If you prefer the look and function of Apple’s Dynamic Island, the iPhone 17e lacks it just like the iPhone 16e.
And while cellular performance has increased thanks to the jump from the C1 modem to the C1X modem, other cellular and wireless specs are unchanged from iPhone 16e to iPhone 17e: 5G (sub-6 GHz) with 4×4 MIMO, Wi-Fi 6, and Bluetooth 5.3.
Battery life is also unchanged with promised video playback at up to 26 hours and fast-charge capabilities with up to 50% charge in 30 minutes with a 20W adapter or higher over USB-C.
Overall, iPhone 17e may be a tough compare next to the iPhone 17, but it’s hands-down a better value for the money next to the iPhone 16e.
Twice the base storage and MagSafe support with iPhone 17e means the value of iPhone 16e should drop at least $100 while it’s still in retail inventory.
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