Apple Introduces iPhone 17e With MagSafe and A19 (macworld.com)
- Reference: 0180884998
- News link: https://apple.slashdot.org/story/26/03/02/1648230/apple-introduces-iphone-17e-with-magsafe-and-a19
- Source link: https://www.macworld.com/article/3075231/apples-iphone-17e-gets-magsafe-and-a19-but-its-not-all-good-news.html
> MagSafe would normally mean significantly faster wireless charging speeds too: the 16e is capped at 7.5W, whereas recent iPhones can wirelessly charge using MagSafe at up to 22W or even 25W. Unfortunately the iPhone 17e has not been given access to the full extent of MagSafe's powers in this regard, and has a limit of 15W. That's the same as MagSafe on the iPhones 12 through 15, and remains an improvement on the 16e, but is still disappointing. [...]
>
> It was also expected that the 17e would get a new processor, as this is a standard upgrade for almost every refresh of almost every Apple product. The iPhone 16e came with an A18 chip; the 17 has an A19, which, according to Apple, "delivers exceptional performance for everything users do." Of course that depends on the user and their needs, and it's important to point out that, just like last year, Apple has chosen to use "binned" units of the chip in order to save money. Binned chips have failed manufacturing tests in some minor way and don't have the full complement of cores. [...]
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> And although the cameras are still disappointingly few in number -- one on the front and one on the back -- the wording for the portrait mode has been updated from "Portrait mode with Depth Control" (the same as on the iPhone 12) to "Next-generation portraits with Focus and Depth Control" (same as on the iPhone 17). This appears to highlight the fact that you can change the focus point.
The 17e is [2]available in white, black, and soft pink starting at $599.
[1] https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2026/03/apple-introduces-iphone-17e/
[2] https://www.apple.com/shop/buy-iphone/iphone-17e
USB 2? (Score:2)
Quickly perusing I see that this brand new device only support USB 2.0.
Using mostly Pixels here, this seems so weird since Pixels have had at least USB 3.1 since 2020. I mean the standard came out in 2008.
Apple made the iMac G4 with USB 2.0 ... in 2002. Apple's first machine to ditch the CRT, twenty four years ago.
Are they deliberately crippling hardware to try to sell cloud storage subscriptions or something? Can iPhone people not do local backups?
Re: (Score:2)
It's less that people can't and more that most people simply don't anymore. They really only did regular local backups because they automatically happened when syncing music to iTunes, which of course isn't a thing people do anymore either. Most people use the USB port simply for power and aux when they're in the car. The base 17 also uses USB 2.0, with only the Pro line using USB 3.0 since it's arguably built for media pros who would want to offload big batches of raw photos and video.
Re: (Score:2)
More likely it's a mistake in the spec sheet.
It's hard to imagine a device that supports USB-C but not modern USB protocols, and even harder to imagine that Apple would try to sell such a strange combination.
Re: (Score:2)
Don't know for sure about Apple, but it is *absoultely* a think to have USB-2 with USB-C. USB-C is a mandated connector but there are still cost reduced controllers that skip USB-3.
Skipping USB-3 allows you to ignore 8 of the USB-C pins.
Lightning never moved on from USB-2 levels, and I remember some article saying that was at least going to stay the same for their first generation of USB-C phones, that it was basically going to be the same controller, just wired up to USB-C instead of lightning. Don't rec
What is this even (Score:1)
iPhone fan or not, you have to admit this article is crap. It compares the new model against the flagship that cost several hundred dollars more and expresses disappointment that this cheaper model isnâ(TM)t the flagship. Iâ(TM)m not sure this is actually useful to anyone.
Re: (Score:2)
"woe is me, think of the poors" -- the author
It's just virtue-signalling, nothing you've not heard of before. Writers think if they throw in a bit of poor-appeal or disadvantaged-appeal or whatever-the-struggle-of-the-day-is appeal, readers will pay more attention or feel better.
Makes for a nice corporate phone (Score:2)
Most corporation issued phones don’t need fancy cameras and gadgets. This is perfect for employees who must have a corporate phone without hurting the budget.
Yawn. (Score:1)
I can't muster up any excitement about this announcement.
Re: (Score:2)
This seems to be a lower cost version of the iPhone 17. And the cost difference is not much. In years past the cheaper versions like the SE were a lot cheaper, but these days the supply chain may have been disrupted due to AI taking up many components.
Re:Yawn. (Score:5, Interesting)
> In years past the cheaper versions like the SE were a lot cheaper, but these days the supply chain may have been disrupted due to AI taking up many components.
The 17e is just Apple's in-house budget(ish) option. Third parties presently get [1]the iPhone 13 [metrobyt-mobile.com] as their actual cheap iPhone. The weird thing is - they're not new old stock. If you buy one and check the production date, you'll see they're still actively manufacturing them.
[1] https://www.metrobyt-mobile.com/cell-phone/apple-iphone-13
Re: Yawn. (Score:2)
This is $30 cheaper than your link with double the base storage.
Re: (Score:2)
> The weird thing is - they're not new old stock. If you buy one and check the production date, you'll see they're still actively manufacturing them.
I have doubts that Apple is still making the main components of the iPhone 13 anymore. The iPhone 13 was discontinued September 9, 2024. It might have 2025 manufacturing dates as last runs but I do not think Apple is still manufacturing them.
Re: (Score:1)
> The weird thing is - they're not new old stock. If you buy one and check the production date, you'll see they're still actively manufacturing them.
It's as if we opened Pandoras box of Capitalism and found the new old latest model of Enshittification staring right back at us. Laughing.
(Ssssh. Don't tell the stock price.)
Re: (Score:2)
It's almost like the e means economy. Which for anything from Apple, isn't really.
Re: Yawn. (Score:1)
You're not alone. iFans get excited about a rerelease of last year's phone case when to the rest of us, samey shit is still samey shit.
A19, that's Retha Franklin (Score:2)
There's no phone in this model
So we can't talk at all
Recycled Excitement, Squared! (Score:1)
> I can't muster up any excitement about this announcement.
Are you kidding?!? A mag netic connection that's safe enough to assume the audience completely forgot about 20-year old iTech?
That's some cutting edge bullshit right there. Why I've never seen clickbait so advanced. Have you?
Jumped that shark using a shark for bait I tell ya..killer stuff man!
Re: (Score:2)
>> I can't muster up any excitement about this announcement.
> Are you kidding?!? A mag netic connection that's safe enough to assume the audience completely forgot about 20-year old iTech?
It's not exactly new. They've had it in every standard-grade iPhone model and every iPhone Pro model since the iPhone 12. The only Apple phones that didn't have it were their low end line — the iPhone SE series and the 16e. I guess they concluded that the lack of MagSafe is why the 16e was unpopular.