Apple releases iPhone 17e, with MagSafe (Finally!)
Apple today announced iPhone 17e, a powerful and more affordable addition to the iPhone 17 lineup. At the heart of iPhone 17e is the latest-generation A19, which delivers exceptional performance for everything users do. iPhone 17e also features C1X, the latest-generation cellular modem designed by Apple, which is up to 2x faster than C1 in iPhone 16e. The 48MP Fusion camera captures stunning photos, including next-generation portraits, and 4K Dolby Vision video. It also enables an optical-quality 2x Telephoto — like having two cameras in one. The 6.1-inch Super Retina XDR display features Ceramic Shield 2, offering 3x better scratch resistance than the previous generation and reduced glare.1 With MagSafe, users can enjoy fast wireless charging and access to a vast ecosystem of accessories like chargers and cases. And when iPhone 17e users are outside of cellular and Wi-Fi coverage, Apple’s groundbreaking satellite features — including Emergency SOS, Roadside Assistance, Messages, and Find My via satellite — help them stay connected when it matters most.2
Available in three elegant colors with a premium matte finish — black, white, and a beautiful new soft pink — iPhone 17e will be available for pre-order beginning Wednesday, March 4, with availability starting Wednesday, March 11. iPhone 17e will start at 256GB of storage for $599 — 2x the entry storage from the previous generation at the same starting price, and 4x more than iPhone 12 — giving users more space for high-resolution photos, 4K videos, apps, games, and more.
MagSafe is the real win here, but also Ceramic Shield 2 is a huge win for durability, not to mention double the base storage starting at 256GB. Soft pink will be a big seller too.
All the right upgrades.
Absolute no-brainer recommendation for most people who just want a basic iPhone.
Apple today announced iPhone 17e, a powerful and more affordable addition to the iPhone 17 lineup. At the heart of iPhone 17e is the latest-generation A19, which delivers exceptional performance for everything users do. iPhone 17e also features C1X, the latest-generation cellular modem designed by Apple, which is up to 2x faster than C1 in iPhone 16e. The 48MP Fusion camera captures stunning photos, including next-generation portraits, and 4K Dolby Vision video. It also enables an optical-quality 2x Telephoto — like having two cameras in one. The 6.1-inch Super Retina XDR display features Ceramic Shield 2, offering 3x better scratch resistance than the previous generation and reduced glare.1 With MagSafe, users can enjoy fast wireless charging and access to a vast ecosystem of accessories like chargers and cases. And when iPhone 17e users are outside of cellular and Wi-Fi coverage, Apple’s groundbreaking satellite features — including Emergency SOS, Roadside Assistance, Messages, and Find My via satellite — help them stay connected when it matters most.2
Available in three elegant colors with a premium matte finish — black, white, and a beautiful new soft pink — iPhone 17e will be available for pre-order beginning Wednesday, March 4, with availability starting Wednesday, March 11. iPhone 17e will start at 256GB of storage for $599 — 2x the entry storage from the previous generation at the same starting price, and 4x more than iPhone 12 — giving users more space for high-resolution photos, 4K videos, apps, games, and more.
MagSafe is the real win here, but also Ceramic Shield 2 is a huge win for durability, not to mention double the base storage starting at 256GB. Soft pink will be a big seller too.
All the right upgrades.
Absolute no-brainer recommendation for most people who just want a basic iPhone.
Apple releases new iPad Air with M4, and flexes more RAM for the same price.
Apple today announced the new iPad Air featuring M4 and more memory, giving users a big jump in performance at the same starting price. With a faster CPU and GPU, iPad Air boosts tasks like editing and gaming, and is a powerful device for AI with a faster Neural Engine, higher memory bandwidth, and 50 percent more unified system memory than the previous generation. With M4, iPad Air is up to 30 percent faster than iPad Air with M3,and up to 2.3x faster than iPad Air with M1. The new iPad Air also features the latest in Apple silicon connectivity chips, N1 and C1X, delivering fast wireless and cellular connections — and support for Wi-Fi 7 — that empower users to work and be creative anywhere. Available in two sizes and four gorgeous finishes that users love, the 11-inch iPad Air is super portable, and the 13-inch model provides an even larger display for those who want more space to multitask. With game-changing iPadOS 26 capabilities, advanced cameras, all-day battery life, a powerful app ecosystem, and support for accessories like Apple Pencil Pro and Magic Keyboard, iPad Air delivers a remarkable and versatile experience for anyone who wants to do more on iPad, from students and creators, to business users and gamers. […]
With the same starting price of just $599 for the 11-inch model and $799 for the 13-inch model, the new iPad Air is an incredible value. And for education, the 11-inch iPad Air starts at $549, and the 13-inch model starts at $749. Customers can pre-order iPad Air starting Wednesday, March 4, with availability beginning Wednesday, March 11.
Essentially just a spec bump, but the increase in RAM from 8GB to 12GB is notable. It’s funny how Apple never used to disclose RAM in their iPads and iPhones for years, and now we have them advertising it in the second sentence of their press release. 50% more RAM for the same price with today’s RAM prices? I would tout it too.
When compared to the previous two iPad Air devices, the M4 chip and RAM are the main upgrades.
Apple today announced the new iPad Air featuring M4 and more memory, giving users a big jump in performance at the same starting price. With a faster CPU and GPU, iPad Air boosts tasks like editing and gaming, and is a powerful device for AI with a faster Neural Engine, higher memory bandwidth, and 50 percent more unified system memory than the previous generation. With M4, iPad Air is up to 30 percent faster than iPad Air with M3,and up to 2.3x faster than iPad Air with M1. The new iPad Air also features the latest in Apple silicon connectivity chips, N1 and C1X, delivering fast wireless and cellular connections — and support for Wi-Fi 7 — that empower users to work and be creative anywhere. Available in two sizes and four gorgeous finishes that users love, the 11-inch iPad Air is super portable, and the 13-inch model provides an even larger display for those who want more space to multitask. With game-changing iPadOS 26 capabilities, advanced cameras, all-day battery life, a powerful app ecosystem, and support for accessories like Apple Pencil Pro and Magic Keyboard, iPad Air delivers a remarkable and versatile experience for anyone who wants to do more on iPad, from students and creators, to business users and gamers. […]
With the same starting price of just $599 for the 11-inch model and $799 for the 13-inch model, the new iPad Air is an incredible value. And for education, the 11-inch iPad Air starts at $549, and the 13-inch model starts at $749. Customers can pre-order iPad Air starting Wednesday, March 4, with availability beginning Wednesday, March 11.
Essentially just a spec bump, but the increase in RAM from 8GB to 12GB is notable. It’s funny how Apple never used to disclose RAM in their iPads and iPhones for years, and now we have them advertising it in the second sentence of their press release. 50% more RAM for the same price with today’s RAM prices? I would tout it too.
When compared to the previous two iPad Air devices, the M4 chip and RAM are the main upgrades.
What will Apple cut from the new budget MacBook?
According to a Weibo leak (reported by Tom’s Guide) the following limitations might apply to the new MacBook in order to reach a cheaper price point:
No backlit keyboard
The display may have a lower max brightness
No True Tone color adjustment for the display
Slower SSD speeds
No 1TB or 2TB storage capacity options
No fast charging support
No N1 chip (the chip used to improve performance and reliability of connectivity features like AirDrop)
No high-impedance headphones support
What I think should also be on this list:
Single central speaker instead of stereo speakers
Starting at 8GB RAM
No MagSafe (but keeping a fast charging USB-C port)
Single USB-C port
Bonus feature that could be a surprise welcome (complete wild guess):
Vapor chamber similar to iPhone 17 Pro
We’ll find out soon enough.
According to a Weibo leak (reported by Tom’s Guide) the following limitations might apply to the new MacBook in order to reach a cheaper price point:
No backlit keyboard
The display may have a lower max brightness
No True Tone color adjustment for the display
Slower SSD speeds
No 1TB or 2TB storage capacity options
No fast charging support
No N1 chip (the chip used to improve performance and reliability of connectivity features like AirDrop)
No high-impedance headphones support
What I think should also be on this list:
Single central speaker instead of stereo speakers
Starting at 8GB RAM
No MagSafe (but keeping a fast charging USB-C port)
Single USB-C port
Bonus feature that could be a surprise welcome (complete wild guess):
Vapor chamber similar to iPhone 17 Pro
We’ll find out soon enough.