Apple's iPhone 17e is the value bet for buyers with an old phone

Since dumping the iPhone SE from its lineup, Apple has pivoted to what appears to be an annually released entry-level phone with the 'e' moniker attached.

Following last year's debut of the iPhone 16e, we now have the 2026 iteration - iPhone 17e, and quite frankly, it serves the same purpose. This is not a phone one should compare to the iPhone 17, and most certainly not to the iPhone 17 models.

At $999, of course, it is the cheapest brand-new iPhone Apple makes, but the target market is the iPhone owner clinging to a much older model, which is slowly nagging at their owner for an upgrade.

NOTE: Prices are accurate at the time of publishing.

Apple iPhone 17e at a glance...

Now $997

iPhone 17e review

Using the iPhone 17e for a week – honestly, it feels like any other iPhone.

And that's just the point. For thousands of Aussies, their iPhone 7, iPhone 8, iPhone X, or any older iPhone just works. But it might be struggling more and more to get through the day, and at that age, it's not going to get new feature updates at all. Plus, many apps today are built to rely on the power and performance of more modern phones. It's these owners Apple is targeting fairly and squarely with the iPhone 17e release.

Certainly, many people with older phones also have smaller screens than the large devices we seem to be overwhelmed with today, which is another pleasing thing about the iPhone 17e As soon as I took it out of the box, it felt comfortable thanks to the smaller 6.1-inch screen.

It's still Apple's Super Retina XDR display, which is the same as on last year's 16 and when compared to the iPhone 17, it only lacks ProMotion (fast refresh rate) and the Always On display option.

Under the hood is the same A19 chip that powers the standard iPhone 17 – this thing is a powerhouse. You feel it with every app loading and snappy switching between apps, too.

Apple says the front glass is protected by a new ceramic shield technology, making it three times better when it comes to scratch resistance. I can't speak to that, though I haven't noticed any little scratches from keys in the pocket like I almost always do.

Perhaps the most noticeable upgrade for this phone is support for Apple's magnetic attach wireless charging, MagSafe. If you've got an older phone, you've never had this, but as someone who's loved it since the iPhone 12, I notice it when it doesn't exist (looking at you, Samsung and Nothing) – this should be standard on every smartphone.

The other big deal is the doubling of storage to 256GB as standard. But still maintaining the $999 price.

All of that is great, but the iPhone 17e has just one camera lens. That's just sloppy and lazy from Apple. For under $200, there are no fewer than 13 different Android smartphones with multi-lens cameras. Are you telling me I have to accept a single camera for a $999 price tag?

Apple knows their buyers aren't comparing to the rest of the market – if they were, they'd struggle to sell anything at this price point.

In reality, Apple needs a $599 smartphone with a single camera, and while that too is overpriced, at least it would legitimately feel like a great deal.

Using the iPhone 17e, though, felt normal, particularly for me, as I've been using the iPhone Air for many months now. That single-lens camera is frustrating when you want zoom or ultra-wide, but you get used to it. At least it's a very good camera, no question.

But again, Apple knows photography nerds aren't shopping at this price point.

Now $997

The bottom line

iPhone 17e is a great value for an iPhone, but it has a couple of compromises built in. The new soft pink is a good look and a great new option.

While you're shopping, though, consider the iPhone 16e – you're looking at lower storage and no MagSafe, but it's priced even more sharply at some retailers and would be a fantastic value purchase.

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