Apple bites into budget-friendly market with iPhone 17e, MacBook Neo

https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/news/2026-03-14/business/industry/Apple-bites-into-budgetfriendly-market-with-iPhone-17e-MacBook-Neo/2544742

Publish Date: 2026-03-13 21:59:00

Source Domain: koreajoongangdaily.joins.com

Apple’s new budget-friendly devices launched in Korea in March. [APPLE]

Apple is expanding beyond its reputation for eye-catching design and eye-watering price tags with a new line of sub-1 million won ($665) devices in a move that may signal a shift in strategy — and potentially shake up a market segment long dominated by Korean device makers.

Despite rising prices for smartphones and laptops amid the AI-driven surge in semiconductor costs — often referred to as “chipflation” — Apple is targeting consumers both domestically and globally by maintaining or even lowering prices, with the iPhone 17e and MacBook Neo, launched in Korea on Wednesday, the company’s latest bid to take on Samsung Electronics and LG Electronics on their home turf.

Double the storage, same price

The iPhone 17e is the budget model of the iPhone 17 lineup launched in the second half of last year. The base model is priced at 990,000 won, the same as its predecessor, the iPhone 16e, but with double the storage capacity at 256GB. In a market where the price tags of flagship smartphones such as Samsung’s Galaxy 26 are rising, Apple’s move effectively amounts to a price reduction.

When the iPhone 16e debuted last year, critics argued that its price was too high for a budget model. This time, however, the response has shifted, with many calling the device a true “value-for-money” smartphone.

The iPhone 17e, launched in Korea on March 11, is the budget model of Apple’s iPhone 17 lineup. [APPLE]

The iPhone 17e is powered by Apple’s latest mobile application processor, the A19, along with the new-generation C1x cellular modem. Compared to its predecessor, performance is twice as fast and battery life has improved. The device features a 6.1-inch OLED display with an antireflective coating that reduces glare.

Its casing uses the same Ceramic Shield material found on…

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