As expected, Apple today officially unveiled the most affordable member of the iPhone 17 family—the iPhone 17e—through a press release. It not only features the A19 processor, the same level of performance found in higher-end models, but also introduces MagSafe magnetic charging and Apple Intelligence for the first time in a budget-friendly model. Surprisingly, while boasting a comprehensive hardware upgrade, the iPhone 17e's starting storage capacity has doubled to 256GB, yet the price remains a disruptive $599 (starting at NT$21900).
Powered by the A19 processor and the self-developed C1X data chip
As a member of the iPhone 17 family, the iPhone 17e is naturally equipped with the latest generation A19 processor built using a 3nm process.
The A19 features a 6-core CPU and a 4-core GPU, and also includes built-in Neural Accelerators, supporting hardware-level ray tracing, allowing this affordable phone to run AAA games smoothly. More importantly, the upgraded 16-core Neural Engine ensures that the iPhone 17e can also smoothly execute Apple Intelligence's generative AI functions.
Besides the processor, the iPhone 17e has another hidden hardware highlight: it features Apple's own C1X data chip, which offers twice the data transfer speed compared to the C1 data chip used in the iPhone 16e, and consumes 30% less power than the data chip used in the iPhone 16 Pro, significantly improving the phone's all-day battery life.
A 4800-megapixel "Fusion" single lens creates the illusion of a dual-lens camera.
In terms of camera configuration, the iPhone 17e still maintains a single-lens design, but the capabilities of this lens have made a significant leap forward.
It features a brand-new 48-megapixel Fusion camera lens design, which, through high-resolution cropping technology, provides twice the telephoto effect with "optical quality," essentially making one lens do the work of two. By default, the camera outputs 24-megapixel photos, ensuring the best balance between detail and file size.
Furthermore, thanks to the advanced image pipeline, the iPhone 17e supports the next-generation "Portrait mode." It can accurately identify people, cats, and dogs, and even allows users to freely adjust the background blur and focus point in the "Photos" app after taking a picture. It also supports high-specification 4K 60fps Dolby Vision video recording.
Appearance upgrade: Ceramic Shield 2, action buttons and MagSafe are finally here.
The iPhone 17e features a 6.1-inch Super Retina XDR (OLED) display with a peak brightness of 1200 nits. To enhance durability, the screen is covered with the same Ceramic Shield 2 coating as the entire iPhone 17 series, offering three times the scratch resistance of its predecessor, along with an anti-reflective coating and IP68 dust and water resistance.
In terms of design, the iPhone 17e follows the lead of flagship phones by adding a customizable "Action button." It also brings the MagSafe magnetic charging interface (supporting up to 15W fast charging) to this affordable model, allowing users to seamlessly integrate into the vast ecosystem of magnetic accessories.
Listing information and a sincere pricing strategy with doubled capacity
The iPhone 17e comes pre-installed with the latest iOS 26 operating system and supports emergency paging features such as "SOS emergency service via satellite".
In terms of color options, Apple has opted for an elegant matte finish, offering black, white, and a new soft pink. The iPhone 17e starts with 256GB of storage and also offers a 512GB option, with the starting price remaining at $599.
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