Apple unveils new budget iPhone

Apple unveiled the iPhone 17e, the latest version of its lower-end smartphone, and a faster version of the iPad Air, kicking off a wave of new products.

The updated phone, which arrives one year after the iPhone 16e, includes a faster processor, new in-house wireless chips and MagSafe magnetic charging, Apple said in a statement The device’s starting price is $999 in Australia, and it comes in pink, black and white options. It also has more durable glass on the front, matching the iPhone 17.

Both the iPhone 17e and new iPad Air will become available for pre-order on March 5 and arrive in stores on March 11.

Monday’s announcements kick off several days of Apple product reveals, a wave that’s expected to continue on Tuesday and Wednesday. The company has also been planning to introduce new laptops this week, including its first-entry level MacBook with an iPhone-grade chip.

The overall look of the 17e — and 6.1-inch screen size — is unchanged from last year’s 16e. The device remains slightly smaller than the 6.3-inch iPhone 17, which starts at $1399. The iPhone 17e continues to have a single 48-megapixel rear camera, similar to the iPhone Air.

The 17e includes the A19 chip — the same processor that’s in the regular iPhone 17 — as well as Apple’s in-house C1X cellular modem component. That’s an upgrade from the older C1 in last year’s 16e. It also starts with 256 gigabytes of storage, double last year’s entry-level offering.

The new iPad Air looks identical to last year’s models but moves from the M3 processor to the M4. The new chip makes the tablet 30 per cent faster, according to Apple. The updated tablet also includes the in-house C1X modem, N1 wireless chip and support for Wi-Fi 7 connectivity.

The 11-inch version of the iPad Air is priced at $999 and the 13-inch model is at $1349. Apple has also been working on a new entry-level iPad with a faster chip, Bloomberg News has reported.

At its price point, the iPhone 17e is competing against Samsung’s mid-tier models and Google’s A-series lineup, as well as offerings from Chinese phone makers. The device is of particular interest in emerging markets like India, where shoppers typically pay less for phones.

The major differences between the “e” line and the regular iPhones pertain to cameras, battery life and screen size. The 17e also lacks a high refresh rate on its display — meaning the graphics aren’t quite as smooth — and it doesn’t use Apple’s Dynamic Island interface.

The iPhone 17e marks the first of several new iPhones expected this year. This fall, Apple plans to launch an iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max — upgrades that will mostly just offer internal enhancements and camera improvements. More significantly, the company is planning to debut its first foldable iPhone, entering a category that Samsung pioneered in the last decade.

The iPad lineup was a strong seller during the holiday season, exceeding Wall Street estimates, and Apple is looking to keep the momentum going with updated models. The iPad business generated $US8.6 billion ($12.2 billion) in the December quarter, up 6.3 per cent from a year earlier.

Bloomberg

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