Apple has officially introduced the iPhone 17e, a more affordable phone from the iPhone 17 series. The new device brings the latest generation A19 chip, improved C1X modem and double the initial memory of 256 GB, with a starting price of $599.
At the heart of the iPhone 17e is the A19 processor made in 3-nanometer technology. The six-core CPU delivers double the performance compared to the iPhone 11, while the quad-core GPU with Neural Accelerator units enables playing demanding AAA games and hardware-accelerated ray tracing. There’s also a 16-core Neural Engine optimized for generative AI models and Apple Intelligence features.
iPhone 17e: A19, 48 MP camera and MagSafe as key advantages
The new C1X modem, which was developed internally by Apple, brings up to twice the speed compared to the C1 from the 16e model, with 30 percent lower energy consumption compared to the modem from the iPhone 16 Pro, which directly contributes to all-day autonomy.
On the back there is a 48 MP Fusion camera that enables optical quality 2x Telephoto zoom, practically offering two cameras in one sensor. 4K Dolby Vision video recording up to 60 fps is supported, as is Spatial Audio. The portrait system has been further improved, with automatic recognition of people and pets and subsequent depth adjustment in the Photos application.
iPhone 17e uses a 6.1-inch Super Retina XDR OLED display with Ceramic Shield 2 protection, which offers three times better scratch resistance than the previous generation. MagSafe and Qi2 wireless charging up to 15 W are supported, while charging via USB-C cable enables up to 50 percent capacity in about 30 minutes.
The device comes in black, white and a new light pink color with a matte finish. Pre-sale starts on March 4, while the start of sales is scheduled for March 11.
In addition to hardware improvements, iPhone 17e comes with iOS 26 system and new Apple Intelligence functions, including Live Translation, Call Screening and advanced security options like Emergency SOS and Messages via satellite.
With 256 GB of initial memory, MagSafe support and an A19 chip at the same starting price as the previous generation, the iPhone 17e represents Apple’s attempt to offer a stronger price-performance ratio within its current lineup, Apple announced.