Apple’s iPhone 17e, M4 iPad Air start big week of new launches
Apple has introduced the iPhone 17e with A19 power alongside the M4 iPad Air, offering users significant performance upgrades and increased storage.
Tech giant Apple’s “big week” of new product launches started on Monday with iPhone 17e, the most affordable member of the iPhone 17 family, and iPad Air with M4.
Like its predecessor, the iPhone 17e represents a shift in how the latest technology is made available to a wider audience. The device balances modern power with a more accessible entry point into Apple’s ecosystem.
“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, Vice President of Worldwide iPhone Product Marketing at Apple.
The heart of the device is the latest-generation A19 chip manufactured using a 3-nanometer process. This tiny architecture allows the phone to handle complex tasks more efficiently. To help with everyday activities, the A19 includes a 16-core Neural Engine, a dedicated section of the chip that accelerates artificial intelligence tasks like photo editing.
Gaming is also enhanced by a 4-core graphics unit that supports hardware-accelerated ray tracing, which is a technique that makes lighting and reflections in games look much more realistic.
Connectivity sees a boost with the C1X cellular modem. This component is up to two times faster than the previous generation and uses 30% less energy, which helps the battery last throughout the day, as per Apple.
For those who often find themselves in remote areas, the iPhone 17e includes satellite features such as Emergency SOS and Find My via satellite to help users stay connected when mobile signals are unavailable.
The camera system features a 48MP Fusion camera that acts like two lenses in one by providing an optical-quality 2x Telephoto zoom. This allows for detailed portraits and sharp 4K video recording.
The 6.1-inch display is protected by Ceramic Shield 2, which offers three times better scratch resistance than the previous model. The device also gets MagSafe, so users can have access to wireless charging and a vast ecosystem of accessories.
iPhone 17e supports MagSafe for fast wireless charging and connects to a wide ecosystem of chargers, cases, wallets, and other accessories. Image: Apple
The iPhone 17e is available in three matte finishes including black, white, and a new soft pink. It starts with 256GB of storage, which is double the starting capacity of the previous entry-level model, for a price of Rs 64,900.
iPad Air with M4
Moving on to the tablet lineup, the new iPad Air with M4 brings professional-grade performance to a more versatile mid-range device. By skipping the M3 chip and moving straight to the M4, the iPad Air is now up to 30% faster than the previous M3 models and significantly more powerful than older versions.
“iPad Air gives users more ways than ever to be creative and productive, offering powerful performance and incredible versatility,” noted Bob Borchers, Vice President of Worldwide Product Marketing at Apple.
A key upgrade in this model is the increase in unified system memory to 12GB. This is a shared pool of high-speed memory that both the main processor and the graphics processor use simultaneously, allowing for smoother multitasking.
The M4 chip also includes a faster Neural Engine that is three times quicker than the one found in the M1 chip, making it ideal for on-device AI features such as searching for specific subjects within photos.
The iPad Air is available in two sizes, a portable 11-inch model and a larger 13-inch version for those who need more space to work.
It also introduces the N1 wireless chip, which enables support for Wi-Fi 7, a newer standard that provides faster and more reliable internet connections.
The new iPad Air with M4 is more powerful and versatile, with faster performance, more memory, enhanced connectivity, and iPadOS 26 features. | Image: Apple
The front 12MP camera has been moved to the landscape edge, which is a much more natural position for video calls. The tablet runs on iPadOS 26, which uses the Liquid Glass user interface.
The 11-inch iPad Air starts at Rs 64,900, while the 13-inch model starts at Rs 84,900. Both the iPhone 17e and the iPad Air will be available for pre-order from Wednesday, March 4, with full availability starting on Wednesday, March 11.
These updates suggest a clear strategy of bringing advanced processing power and increased storage to devices that sit below the Pro price bracket, making latest computing more attainable for the average user.