Apple launches iPhone 17e, adding MagSafe and doubling the base storage

Apple on Monday kicked off its week of announcements by rolling out the new iPhone 17e, the successor to last year’s lower cost 16e.

The 17e boasts the same A19 chip that powers the iPhone 17, a step up over the A18 in the 16e, including a 4-core GPU enhanced with Neural Accelerators. The 17e also has the same C1X Apple cellular chip as last year’s iPhone Air, the successor to the C1 that debuted in the 16e; Apple says the C1X provides up to 2x better performance and uses 30 percent less energy.

Apple’s also bumped the storage this year, with the 17e now starting at 256GB, twice the 16e’s base level, at the same $599 price point. Upgrading to 512GB will raise the price to $799.

Perhaps the biggest addition to the 17e is the inclusion of MagSafe, a feature that was strangely missing from the 16e. That includes charging up to 15W with a compatible charger, and full compatibility with MagSafe accessories as well as support for Qi2 wireless charging.

In addition, the 17e’s front display has been updated with Ceramic Shield 2 technology to help protect against cracks and breaking as well as reduce glare.

Otherwise, the specs remain largely unchanged, including the same 6.1-inch Super Retina XDR display, up to 26 hours of battery life, and support for both Emergency SOS features and Apple Intelligence.1

Apple also says that the 17e has a 48MP Fusion camera system, which on the face of it seems identical to last year’s “2-in-1 camera system” although Apple touts the 17e’s “next-generation” portrait mode that adds the ability to recognize people, dogs, and cats as well as to add portrait mode effects after the fact. The 12MP TrueDepth camera in front likewise has the same specs as last year, with the same addition of “next-generation portraits.” Apple attributes this ability to improvements in its image pipeline.

And in case you thought Apple’s environmental promises were out the window in this day and age, the company does say that the 17e is made with 30 percent recycled content. That includes 85 percent of its enclosure, made with recycled aluminum, and 100 percent recycled cobalt in its battery.

The iPhone 17e is available in three colors: black, white, and what Apple is calling “soft pink.” It goes up for pre-order this Wednesday, March 4, and will be available for sale next Wednesday, March 11. There are also six colors of Silicone Case with MagSafe—black, anchor blue, light moss, vanilla, bright guava, and soft pink—as well as a clear case, each retailing for $49.

Though they measure in at the exact same dimensions, the 17e is 2 grams heavier. Maybe the A19 is 2 grams heavier! ↩