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Introduction
Apple has finally unveiled the newest budget iPhone for 2026, and it looks pretty good for Apple. What I am saying is “pretty good” because, at the same price as the previous 16e, you’re getting more storage, an A19 chip with enhanced AI capabilities, MagSafe wireless charging, a C1X cellular modem, and more than you could ask for at the same price. In fact, the iPhone 17e is going to be $100 cheaper than its older model because it comes with twice the storage.
That does not end there; there are many things to explore with the iPhone 17e.
Design & Display
It is said that the new iPhone 17e is going to come in three color varieties: black and white, like the iPhone 16e, but this time they are also going to release a new soft pink finish that is likely to get more attention and love.
Display
If we talk about the display, the 6.1-inch display is going to be protected by Ceramic Shield 2, which is new and will probably also be seen on the 18 models. This shield has three times the scratch resistance of the iPhone 16e and also reduces glare. The iPhone 17e is going to have the same display as before, with an OLED display and a 60Hz refresh rate.
Design
The design is going to be the same, but there is a high possibility that the Dynamic Island is going to be replaced with a notch.
Performance & Chipset
The iPhone 17e is going to be equipped with the all-new A19 chip. If we compare it to the previous generation that used the A18, it should offer more responsiveness for everyday tasks. Technically speaking, the biggest improvement is that it is 30% faster than the A18. It delivers smoother gaming and faster graphics rendering.
Chipset
Let’s talk more about the chip. Yes, it is the same chip that was used in the iPhone 17, but it is less powerful than the one used in the standard iPhone 17 models. Why is that? Because Apple uses binned chips for the “e” series. That is not the first time; they did the same with the iPhone 16e. Those binned chips have fewer GPU cores than the standard version. For example, they are going to have 4 GPU cores instead of 5. However, with this new chip, the AI features will benefit.
Faster Connectivity
The iPhone is also going to be equipped with the C1X modem, which is going to help with faster connectivity. The previous generation was using the C1. Now, with the new C1X, it fully supports modern 5G with sub-6 GHz connectivity. The C1X is two times faster than the C1 while using 30% less energy. How surprising is that? The C1X was first seen in the iPhone 17 Air, and now it appears in the 17e. It may also be seen in the 18 models. The only downside is that the C1X does not support mmWave 5G.
Camera System
We do not have many leaks about the camera system, but it is said that the camera is enhanced with a 48 MP Fusion camera with optical 2× telephoto. The features of portrait imaging have also been significantly improved.
Battery & Charging
Apple is going to add MagSafe and Qi2 wireless charging for the “e” series on the iPhone 17e, with up to 15W available, along with 10W faster USB-C wired charging. The iPhone 17 standard models support up to 25W, still missing the full potential, but better than the 7.5W wireless charging that we had on the 16e. If we compare them, the iPhone 17 can easily reach 50% in 20 minutes, while the 17e would need about 30 minutes to reach 50%, which is not that bad.
Price, Release Date & Availability
Pre-orders start on Wednesday, March 4, 2026. If we talk about sales, it should go on sale around March 11, 2026, at 6:15 a.m. PT.
As I previously mentioned, the price of the iPhone 17e is going to remain the same as the previous iPhone 16e, with the benefit of having double the storage. I am also saying that this is effectively $100 less because of all the new features they are offering. The reason behind the same cost is that Apple is using OLED panels that cost less.
Pricing Comparison in USD
Final Verdict
I think from now on we are going to see Samsung and Apple trying to keep the same prices while offering more features and modern technology without a big increase in cost. We are also going to see thicker phones because of the failure of the iPhone Air.
- You might be interested in reading this post as well as:
- Post Title: iPhone 18 Leaks: 12 Shocking Upgrades, Foldable Rumors & A20 Chip Revealed
