Apple has decided to keep the selling price of iPhone 17e the same as iPhone 16e - 599 USD, a very strategic decision, especially at a time when other manufacturers are forced to increase prices due to high memory prices.
In 2026, global smartphone shipments are forecast to decrease by 12% compared to the previous year due to price issues and memory supply, falling to just under 1.1 billion units, the lowest level since 2013. The current conflict in the Middle East further increases instability.
The launch of iPhone 17e with the same price but significantly upgraded configuration creates an attractive value proposition for consumers looking for a high-performance Apple device at a lower cost.
The integration of the latest chipset along with 256 GB of internal memory also helps this device have the ability to handle new features in the future, especially Apple Intelligence. With the cooperation between Apple and Gemini, AI features are likely to be expanded in the future. This is the first iPhone launched after this cooperation. This device will also help Apple protect its market share in the mid-range segment.
Previously, Apple was successful with the iPhone 16e - one of the best-selling smartphones in 2025. However, the success of the 16e is mainly regional, Apple will try to expand further with the 17e.
The US and Japan are two key markets for iPhone 16e sales. These two markets contributed more than 60% of the total iPhone 16e sales in 2025. In Japan, consumers prefer compact phones and Apple has succeeded in targeting young and mid-range customers here. In the US, iPhone 16e works well in the prepaid segment by providing consumers with a stable device in the 500-700 USD price range.
With iPhone 17e, it seems Apple is considering the 500-700 USD price segment as a competitive battlefield and currently wants to gain market share from Android manufacturers, while providing value-aware consumers with a good choice to upgrade to iPhone and join Apple's ecosystem.
Apple will have the opportunity to switch iPhone 16e and 17e users to Base or Pro versions in the coming years. This is also strategic as more and more Android manufacturers are targeting Apple in the super high-end segment, with their flagship products launched at prices close to iPhone prices," market research company Counterpoint Research said.
In the immediate future, iPhone 17e will have many competitors in the mid-range segment such as Google Pixel 10a, Oppo Reno15 5G, Honor 400 Pro 5G, Xiaomi 15T Pro. In addition, Samsung's 2 upcoming product lines, Galaxy A57 and Galaxy A37, are also expected to compete with iPhone 17e in this segment.
