What is so special about the iPhone 17e
Mark Gurman, the Apple expert at Bloomberg, in his latest “Power On” newsletter, claims that the latest iPhone 17e is not just another iteration with another marginal spec bump, and confirms many of the rumors that have already been swirling around.
The latest iPhone 17e is replacing last year’s model, the iPhone 16e, and, as rumored, Gurman confirms that it will be getting the A19 chip, which is the same chip that was used in the standard iPhone 17 last year.
However, that is not all. The 17e is finally catching up with the rest of the iPhone world by including the MagSafe feature, which allows users to take advantage of the latest accessories that are now available in the market.
But perhaps most intriguingly, this device is also expected to introduce Apple’s own in-house cellular and wireless chips, which would also represent a major technological achievement for the company. Yet, despite all these additions, Gurman also believes that Apple still intends to keep the price of the device the same, at $599.
Moreover, Gurman also confirms that, indeed, the strategy behind all these features and releases by Apple is very simple: they’re giving you more features for the same price. And by using their own chips in things like Wi-Fi and 5G, they’re keeping costs lower, which means you save money.
A game-changer for iPhone users
The reason all these features matter, however, is because the “e” series, as established last year, was essentially the unsung hero of the entire iPhone lineup. It was the device of choice for parents who were buying a first phone for their kids, businesses that were buying a dozen or two dozen phones for their employees, or just for people who wanted a phone that works.The issue, however, was that these people were also a step behind in terms of features last year. And now, by adding the A19 chip, it’s a guarantee that even the most basic of these phones will still be able to run the next several years of Apple Intelligence AI features without even breaking a sweat.In a nutshell, it puts the 17e in a position where it’s not just a choice for those that want to save money. That will set it apart from another, perhaps even more imminent, budget phone release this year. That would be the Google Pixel 10a, which (from what we know so far) isn’t expected to offer much in the way of “upgrades” when compared to the Pixel 9a.
A $599 powerhouse?
So, if you’ve been clinging to your old iPhone because you didn’t feel like shelling out $1,000 for a Pro model last year, the 17e is starting to look like a perfectly acceptable exit strategy. As for me, I’m a huge fan of the move. The Pro models get all the bells and whistles, but for the average user, all you really need is a fast phone that lasts all day.
The addition of MagSafe is, in fact, my favorite “quality of life” upgrade, as it promises to make this phone feel more modern and compatible with accessories many may already own.
