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              New iPhone 17e Adds MagSafe to Apple's Budget iPhone

   Adam Engst

   Kicking off what is rumored to be several days of announcements, Apple
   has unveiled the [1]iPhone 17e, which takes over from last year's
   iPhone 16e (see '[2]Apple Replaces iPhone SE with Larger, More
   Expensive iPhone 16e,' 20 February 2025) while maintaining its $599
   entry-level price point.

   The most notable changes in the iPhone 17e are the addition of MagSafe,
   doubling of base-level storage, and the latest-generation A19 chip. A
   few other minor changes round out what is likely to be a more popular
   update:
     * MagSafe: Apple made several odd decisions with the iPhone 16e,
       particularly limiting it to 7.5-watt Qi wireless charging rather
       than supporting Apple's MagSafe charging technology. The iPhone 17e
       rectifies that mistake with support for 15-watt MagSafe and Qi
       charging, complete with MagSafe's alignment magnets, opening it up
       to the ecosystem of MagSafe accessories.
     * Doubled storage: Whereas the iPhone 16e started at 128 GB and
       offered 256 GB and 512 GB options, the iPhone 17e doubles the first
       storage tier to 256 GB for $599 and drops the 512 GB price from
       $899 to $799. Although it's hard to argue with more storage, some
       people might have preferred a $499 model that kept the 128 GB
       storage tier.
     * A19 chip:The iPhone 16e's A18 chip offered a significant
       performance jump over the A15 Bionic in the iPhone SE it replaced.
       With the iPhone 17e, Apple seems to have decided that its budget
       phone shouldn't compromise on performance, so it gains the new A19
       chip that also powers the iPhone 17, albeit with one fewer GPU core
       than the iPhone 17's A19. The real win here is upgrading from any
       much older iPhone.
     * C1X chip: Apple continues to emphasize its homegrown C1X cellular
       modem, which it says is up to twice as fast as the C1 that debuted
       in the iPhone 16e. It promises the same performance as the iPhone
       Air while using 30% less energy than the cellular modem in the
       iPhone 16 Pro.
     * Ceramic Shield 2: Like the other models in the iPhone 17 family,
       the iPhone 17e features a Ceramic Shield 2 front cover, which Apple
       claims offers 3x better scratch resistance and improved
       anti-reflection to reduce glare.
     * Additional camera capabilities: Although the front and rear cameras
       retain the same basic specs, Apple has updated the iPhone 16e's
       'Portrait mode with Depth Control' to the iPhone 17e's
       'Next-generation portraits with Focus and Depth Control.' These
       next-generation portraits automatically save depth information,
       allowing users to add background blur and adjust focus after
       capture.
     * Pretty in pink: The iPhone 16e came in black or white; the iPhone
       17e adds a soft pink. It would still be nice if Apple offered more
       striking colors, but since most people are going to cover the
       iPhone with a case anyway, it's not that important.

   For users seeking the most affordable iPhone, the iPhone 17e represents
   a decent value at $599. The combination of MagSafe support, doubled
   storage, and faster C1X modem addresses the main limitations of the
   iPhone 16e, and no one will complain about the A19 chip. The MagSafe
   addition alone makes the iPhone 17e notably more versatile and
   future-proof.

   However, for most people who pay attention to the details, I think the
   $799 [3]iPhone 17 remains a better deal. For $200 more, you get a
   larger, brighter screen (6.3 versus 6.1 inches), Camera Control for the
   fastest access to the camera, an Ultra Wide camera for macro and
   wide-angle photos, a higher resolution 18-megapixel Center Stage front
   camera with support for dual capture, better battery life, Always-On
   display with ProMotion technology for smoother scrolling, Dynamic
   Island, and more.

References

   Visible links
   1. https://www.apple.com/iphone-17e/
   2. https://tidbits.com/2025/02/20/apple-replaces-iphone-se-with-larger-more-expensive-iphone-16e/
   3. https://www.apple.com/iphone-17/

   Hidden links:
   4. https://tidbits.com/uploads/2026/03/iPhone-17e-pink.jpg

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