Through the looking glass: Apple turned 50 this week as a multi-trillion-dollar platform company built around the iPhone, the most successful product ever made, along with laptops, tablets, smartwatches, audio gear, and a multitude of digital services. But it all began as a bare circuit board passed around a hobbyist club in Silicon Valley.
Early reviews of the iPhone 17e describe it as a solid refinement of Apple's $599 phone. Powered by the A19 chip with 256GB of storage, and the long-awaited addition of MagSafe. While some reviewers say it's still a bit pricey, most agree the 17e delivers a no-frills entry point into the Apple ecosystem.
The takeaway: Apple has unveiled its next budget smartphone, the iPhone 17e, featuring several upgrades over its predecessor. The most notable additions include MagSafe support, a more powerful processor, an improved cellular modem, enhanced screen protection, and double the base storage capacity. Despite these improvements, the iPhone 17e is expected to retain the same starting price as the model it replaces.