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Wow, the new iPhone 17e looks to be an outstanding update and great value for money.
Apple rolled out the new budget iPhone on Monday morning, along with a new iPad Air based on the powerful M4 chip.
The new iPhone 17e ticks all the boxes, with none of the major drawbacks of Apple’s previous budget handsets — it even has MagSafe, hallelujah!
Plus, it has generous base storage (256GB), which is a surprise given the rapidly rising prices of memory. Check out the specs: It’s got the lot, including satellite connectivity.
The single 48MP Fusion camera is perhaps the only thing critics could latch onto, but even that looks pretty fantastic for everyday photography. It can even record video in 4K with Dolby Vision up to 60 fps. Not too shabby!
Seriously, there’s little to ding it. It even comes in pink!
The new iPad Air is perhaps a less impressive upgrade, but the M4 chip runs rings around everything. And with better connectivity and more memory, the new tablet is perfectly poised for the AI age.
But maybe the most interesting thing about Monday’s release of a new iPhone and iPad is: What’s left for the rest of the week?
We were expecting an iPhone or an iPad, but not both on the same day.
It looks like Apple’s clearing the decks for bigger announcements on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Also in today’s newsletter:
If you’re not in the market for a new budget iPhone right now, you can still get its attractive wallpaper — for free!
Soundcore, the audio division of Anker, has a new set of nice-looking headphones aimed at commuters. They pack a lot of great features, including never-ending battery life.
At Casa de Kahney, we have a pair of HomePods in our kitchen, which my spouse and kids use to play the worst music imaginable (show tunes, idiotic pop music and dreadful ’80s hits). Because the HomePods are logged into my Apple Music account, their picks ruin Apple Music Replay for me. But yay! There’s a workaround.
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A message from the Cult of Mac Deals team
Cult of Mac’s buyback program
Tweets of the day
Wallpaper of the day
One more thing ...
When you open the box of an iPhone or iPad, we want that tactile experience to set the tone for how you perceive the product.
Today’s poll
What do you think of the iPhone 17e?
Results from yesterday’s poll: How much do you reckon the low-cost MacBook will cost?
Best reader comments
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