I don't even mind large phones if they're done right. My favorite phone of all time is the BB Passport which you have to use two-handed, but it was actually designed around that and amazing to use.
The new phones have some neat tricks (satellite connectivity comes to mind), but the on-device AI seems pretty mediocre and I value pocketability and one-handed usability more than the new gizmos.
When I asked myself if I would rather keep the new Air or go back to my 13 mini with an extra thousand dollars in my pocket, it was no contest.
It took me a second to even process why someone might say such a thing about my case-less generic 12 mini. Most of my close friends have 13 mini’s so I often feel my wife’s “regular” size iPhone is the odd one out.
Occasionally there’s a feature that requires a minimum amount of RAM like Apple Intelligence but that’s the exception.
If a 30 second task can be done in just 20 on a device with a larger display, that's absolutely worth it for me.
Also larger device tends to imply longer battery life too.
Wish they made a new mini instead of the Air. A friend bought one of those, and frankly I just don't get it.
The screen is too big to use it one-handed, and thickness is really the only one of the three dimension of the phone that I don't care about how small it is (within reason). They probably spent billions of dollars shaving off half a millimeter and what do we get with that technology? Phone that's too big.
If this keeps up in another 5 years I'll be looking at flip phones and a separate camera.
(Until they release a new human hand sized phone at least)
Not looking forward to having to settle for those comically large phones with Face ID for my next one.
> iPhone 17e also features C1X, the latest-generation cellular modem designed by Apple
But the 17e iPhone seems to lack the Apple developed N1 chip that provides Wifi 7 + Bluetooth 6. So presumably they're using off the shelf components for Wifi and Bluetooth in the 17e.
For example, the 16e has the C1 modem but the standard Broadcom (or whoever) Wi-Fi and Bluetooth chipset.
Wow, it has a lot of unexpected downsides.
I've a lot of unexpected behavior from the faceid thing. Lots of unexpected swipe-ups that drop me out of an app and put me on the home screen. Can't unlock in the dark, too close to your face, off to the side, in your pocket. Lots of "I saw your face an unlocked" that I didn't know had happened.
fingerprint sensor unlocked when you wanted it to, with haptics. switching apps was a button operation, not happening when you didn't expect it.
Still, I don't care that the phones are faster, have larger screens, better camera, FaceID, AI, are thinner light and what have you. The iPhone design peaked in 2015, from there they could just have release the same phone year after year, making it cheaper and cheaper and I'd still be happy with it.
The prices are, in my mind insane, and I'll be buying used, but those are also overpriced.
It’s an attainable luxury brand. There aren’t many products that a high school kid has in common with billionaires, superstar athletes and movie stars—the iPhone is such a product.
(I also wish for smaller screens and no-adhesive battery swaps though, neither of which seems likely to happen.)
It makes one look completely like a tool to pull out their iPhone and stare at it for ten seconds while checking out with a cashier. Deeply embarrassing and very annoying.
This obviously isnt relevant generally though, this is not how the general public feels at all.
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PRESS RELEASE March 2, 2026
CUPERTINO, CALIFORNIA 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.
“iPhone 17e combines powerful performance and features our users love at an exceptional value, making it a compelling option for customers looking to upgrade to the iPhone 17 family,” said Kaiann Drance, Apple’s vice president of Worldwide iPhone Product Marketing. “We know our customers want a product that will last, and iPhone 17e delivers just that. With A19 for incredible performance, double the entry storage, a smarter camera system, and enhanced durability, iPhone 17e is designed to stay fast, secure, and valuable for years to come.”
A Beautiful Design with Enhanced Durability
iPhone 17e delivers exceptional all-day battery life, enabled by the efficiencies of Apple silicon, including the C1X cellular modem, and the advanced power management of iOS 26. With fast wired charging using USB-C, iPhone 17e can charge up to 50 percent in around 30 minutes.5 iPhone 17e also supports MagSafe and Qi2 for fast wireless charging up to 15W compared to 7.5W Qi wireless charging on iPhone 16e. MagSafe chargers, stands, cases, wallets, camera accessories, and more snap easily to the back of iPhone 17e, providing seamless alignment with a wide ecosystem of accessories.
iPhone 17e takes gorgeous photos with excellent detail, including in low light with Night mode. The 48MP Fusion camera enables an optical-quality 2x Telephoto, giving users two cameras in one so they can get closer to the subject and easily frame their shot. Users can shoot sharp photos at up to 48MP resolution, or capture in the 24MP default for incredible image quality at a file size perfect for storing and sharing. Portrait mode improves thanks to an advanced image pipeline, delivering remarkably natural depth and smooth bokeh that gracefully blurs the background while keeping subjects sharp. The advanced pipeline also enables next-generation portraits, so iPhone 17e recognizes people, dogs, and cats, and automatically saves depth information, allowing users to turn photos into beautiful portraits with background blur after capture and to adjust the focus point in the Photos app. The latest generation of HDR captures subjects with true-to-life renderings of skin tones and ensures bright highlights, rich midtones, and deep shadows across the image — all while preserving fine details.
iPhone 17e comes with iOS 26, delivering a beautiful new design, powerful Apple Intelligence capabilities, and meaningful improvements to the apps users rely on every day.7 The new design with Liquid Glass makes apps and system experiences more expressive and delightful, bringing greater focus to content while keeping iOS instantly familiar and introducing even more ways to personalize iPhone. Apple Intelligence allows users to communicate across languages with Live Translation in Messages, FaceTime, Phone, and with AirPods.8 Visual intelligence now extends to a user’s iPhone screen, letting them search, ask questions, and take action on the content they’re viewing.9 To help users eliminate distractions, Call Screening can screen calls from unknown numbers and automatically ask the reason for calling, while Hold Assist can hold on the line until a live agent is available.10 In Messages, users can now choose to screen messages from unknown senders by filtering them to a dedicated folder so they don’t clutter up the conversation list.
iPhone 17e and the Environment
iPhone 17e will be available in black, white, and soft pink in 256GB and 512GB storage capacities, starting at $599 (U.S.) or $24.95 (U.S.) per month for 24 months.13
Apple offers great ways to save and upgrade to the latest iPhone. With a carrier offer, customers can get up to $400 (U.S.) in credit when they trade in iPhone 11, or up to $599 (U.S.) in credit when they trade in iPhone 13 to put toward an iPhone 17e. With Apple Trade In, customers can get up to $100 (U.S.) in credit when they trade in iPhone 11, or up to $195 (U.S.) in credit when they trade in iPhone 13. There are also great offers available for customers without a device to trade in. Customers can take advantage of these offers by visiting the Apple Store online or an Apple Store location. For carrier offer eligibility requirements and more details, see apple.com/shop/buy-iphone/carrier-offers. To see what their device is worth and for Apple Trade In terms and conditions, customers can visit apple.com/shop/trade-in.
Customers in more than 70 countries and regions, including Australia, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, South Korea, Türkiye, the UAE, the UK, and the U.S., will be able to pre-order iPhone 17e beginning at 6:15 a.m. PST this Wednesday, March 4, with availability beginning Wednesday, March 11.
Apple Intelligence is available in beta with support for these languages: English, Danish, Dutch, French, German, Italian, Norwegian, Portuguese, Spanish, Swedish, Turkish, Vietnamese, Chinese (simplified), Chinese (traditional), Japanese, and Korean. Some features may not be available in all regions or languages. For feature and language availability and system requirements, see support.apple.com/en-us/121115.
iPhone 17e Silicone Case with MagSafe will be available in six colors — black, anchor blue, light moss, vanilla, bright guava, and soft pink — for $49 (U.S.) and is compatible with the Crossbody Strap. iPhone 17e Clear Case with MagSafe will also be available for $49 (U.S.).
AppleCare delivers exceptional service and support, with flexible options for Apple users. Customers can choose AppleCare+ to cover their new iPhone, or in the U.S., AppleCare One to protect multiple products in one simple plan. Both plans include coverage for accidents like drops and spills, theft and loss protection on eligible products, battery replacement service, and 24/7 support from Apple Experts. For more information, visit apple.com/applecare.
iCloud+ plans start at just $0.99 (U.S.) per month, providing additional storage to keep photos, videos, files, and more safe in the cloud and accessible across devices. iCloud+ also gives access to premium features such as event creation in the Apple Invites app, as well as Private Relay, Hide My Email, Custom Email Domains, and HomeKit Secure Video. With Family Sharing, users can share their subscription with five other family members at no extra cost. For more information, visit apple.com/icloud.
Customers who purchase iPhone 17e may receive three free months of Apple Arcade, Apple Fitness+, Apple Music, Apple News+, and Apple TV with a new subscription. Offer and services availability varies by region. See apple.com/promo for details.
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"luxury" is more of a marketing and product positioning term, it doesn't really have anything to do with engineering or quality practicalities
The brand is "Smart".