Apple on Monday unveiled its newest budget iPhone, kicking off a 2026 product launch cycle that is expected to be one of its most anticipated yet.
The iPhone 17e now comes with MagSafe wireless charging and accessories support, and Apple maintained its price tags that start at $599, and Dh2,599 in the UAE, the company said on Monday.
The device's capacity now starts at 256GB, effectively giving double the storage at the same base price. The iPhone 17e will be rolled out from March 11, initially in more than 70 countries including the UAE, Apple said.
The iPhone “e” series, which began with last year's iPhone 16e, is the reincarnation of the SE line-up, which spawned three models from 2016 to 2022.
Apple said the iPhone 17e comes with across-the-board performance improvements, and would be a viable long-term option for users, iPhone marketing vice president Kaiann Drance said.
The iPhone 17e is “a compelling option for customers looking to upgrade … designed to stay fast, secure, and valuable for years to come”, she said.
Apple also introduced an iPad Air that uses the M4 chip, also maintaining prices in a bid to attract more users.
The new iPad Air offers “incredible versatility” for creators and students, said Bob Borchers, Apple vice president for worldwide product marketing.
Apple is gearing up for a busy 2026 on both hardware and software fronts as it contends with the rest of the smartphone industry and an explosion of artificial intelligence.
Samsung Electronics, the world's biggest smartphone manufacturer and Apple's main rival, fired the first salvo for 2026 with the launch of the agentic AI-powered Galaxy S26 series.
Apple, which has largely maintained its prices for several years as part of a strategy to lure in more users, is expected to launch what would be the iPhone 18 during its usual September special event.
However, rumours are emerging that Apple may split up the launches, with the iPhone Pros first and the base models later this year or early 2027.
This is purportedly because Apple is also expected to launch the foldable iPhone, and a crowded launch may dilute the attention on the hotly anticipated device. Apple may also launch a successor to the slim iPhone Air.
The company does not comment on rumours and speculation.
In a similar move, Apple and Google have teamed up to create an enhanced search service that utilises private data for a more personalised search, hinting at the next chapter of the AI ecosystem.
The unlikely partnership of traditional rivals involves a multiyear deal in which future iPhones using Apple's AI models will be powered by Google's Gemini and cloud technology. It is expected to yield an upgraded Siri this year.
