Apple Inc. on Monday introduced a lower-priced iPhone 17e and refreshed its iPad Air, kicking off what appears to be a broader week of product announcements.
The new iPhone 17e starts at $599, positioning it $200 below the standard iPhone 17. Apple targets the competitive mid-range market, where it faces pressure from Samsung Electronics, Google and several Chinese smartphone makers.
Apple kept the 6.1-inch display but added tougher glass, its new A19 chip, the updated C1X modem and MagSafe charging. The company also doubled base storage to 256GB and included support for Apple Intelligence features. Despite the upgrades, Apple maintained the $599 starting price, signaling a push to attract price-sensitive buyers without cutting into premium models.
Preorders begin March 4, with in-store availability starting March 11. Apple will offer the device in pink, black and white.
Apple also updated the iPad Air, keeping its design and pricing unchanged at $599 for the 11-inch model and $799 for the 13-inch version. The company replaced the M3 chip with the newer M4 processor and said it delivers up to 30% faster performance. Apple also improved wireless speeds and cellular connectivity on supported models.
The updates follow strong holiday demand for iPads, with Apple previously reporting that roughly half of buyers were new customers.
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