Article: Will Apple’s budget-priced iPhone 17e make a splash in China’s tough smartphone market? | Meridiano

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Article: Will Apple’s budget-priced iPhone 17e make a splash in China’s tough smartphone market?

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4 / 10

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Apple's new budget iPhone 17e is launching in China, with presales starting Wednesday and a wide release on March 11. However, industry analysts from IDC criticize the model for lacking competitiveness, citing its outdated design, persistent shortcomings in camera and display, and a chip upgrade as its only major improvement.

The phone is priced starting at 4,499 yuan (US$653), which qualifies its higher storage model for a national subsidy. Its specifications, like a single rear camera and a 6.1-inch screen, are seen as inferior to both slightly more expensive iPhone models and domestic Chinese smartphones in the same price range.

Main Topics: Launch of Apple's iPhone 17e in China; Market analysis and criticism of its competitiveness; Price and specifications compared to rivals.

Original URL

https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3345273/will-apples-budget-priced-iphone-17e-make-splash-chinas-tough-smartphone-market?utm_source=rss_feed

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Tech - South China Morning Post

Published Date

2026-03-03 11:00

Fetched Date

2026-03-04 14:29

Processed Date

2026-03-04 15:27

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Present

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Raw Extracted Content

Will Apple’s budget-priced iPhone 17e make a splash in China’s tough smartphone market?
Presales for the new entry-level iPhone start on Wednesday, with a wide release set for March 11
The new budget-priced iPhone “lacks competitiveness”, said IDC China research manager Guo Tianxiang, who pointed out that the handset “still uses outdated moulds, with the chip being the only major upgrade”.
“The shortcomings in imaging and display persist, making its overall performance inferior to the slightly pricier iPhone 17 and Air models, as well as domestic flagship devices in the same price range,” Guo said.
Prices for the iPhone 17e start at 4,499 yuan (US$653), making its 256-gigabyte version eligible for the national subsidy scheme for gadgets capped at 6,000 yuan.
The iPhone 17e features only one rear camera and a 6.1-inch display, while the two Chinese smartphones have at least three lenses on the back and larger screens.