Apple no longer releases an iPhone mini model, but many consumers miss it. Recent flagship smartphones are relatively large and heavy to carry. Those who miss the mini want an iPhone that is not ultra high spec but is lighter and thinner. The iPhone 17e does not have the same portability as the mini, but it felt like it could be an alternative. The edges are squared, but its matte texture and reduced size make it fit in one hand. On paper it is only 7 grams lighter than the iPhone 17, but because it is smaller, it feels more portable.
The iPhone 17e is Apple's latest smartphone model, released on the 11th of last month. Apple kept the price unchanged from the previous model at 990,000 won, but doubled the storage to 256 gigabytes (GB) compared with the previous model (iPhone 16e). It also restored the MagSafe feature omitted in the previous model and is equipped with the same latest A19 chip as the iPhone 17 lineup. However, the 17e has one fewer GPU core. Those who are not sensitive may not notice a big difference. The external design is almost unchanged from the previous model. As with the previous model, the single rear camera and the notch design remain drawbacks.
◇ Lower refresh rate makes it feel choppy at times… comes with visual AI features
The display size is the same as the previous model at 6.1 inches. It is slightly smaller than the iPhone 17 (6.3 inches). The screen refresh rate is also 60 Hz, inferior to the iPhone 17 (120 Hz ProMotion). It is not a major inconvenience, but you can feel some choppiness.
The iPhone 17e is a value-for-money model but includes artificial intelligence (AI) features. The visual intelligence feature was intriguing. When you launch visual intelligence, the AI analyzes what the camera or screen sees and tells you. After shooting the flower decoration by the artist "Nanan" and activating AI intelligence, asking "What is this?" allowed the photo to be sent to ChatGPT. Even without opening the app, a reply came back saying, "These are not real flowers but artificial or decorative flowers made of colored paper or paper." However, when asked "Which artist's work is it?" it did not answer well. When a lipstick was photographed and asked with AI intelligence, it even identified the brand name.
◇ Automatic portrait mode and iPhone's signature color tone retained
As a budget model, the camera and display performance clearly differ from the flagship. It has a single 48-megapixel Fusion camera. Considering the iPhone 17 has two cameras, the number of cameras is a significant difference. With fewer lenses, zoom ranges from 1x to 10x, but ultra-wide shots are difficult. The front camera is 12 megapixels, 6 megapixels lower than the iPhone 17. It does not offer the iPhone 17's landscape rotation feature that lets you take landscape photos without turning the phone sideways.
For consumers who like the iPhone's unique color tone, there may be little difference. Such people may actually prefer the clean design compared with flagships whose two to three rear cameras protrude. However, for those interested in cameras, buying the iPhone 17 series would likely be better.
When photographing people, even shots taken with the regular camera automatically detect subjects so they can later be edited in portrait mode, which stood out. I tried photographing two children sitting with some distance between them using the regular camera. Later, when I turned on portrait mode in editing, I was able to refocus on the child I wanted. This feature was not available on the iPhone 16e.
◇ An advantage for buyers of unlocked phones
Heat buildup is disappointing. When playing mobile games or using visual AI features for a long time, the smartphone quickly got hot. Heat was noticeable even during fast charging.
The price offers little advantage for consumers who plan to buy with a 24-month contract. Although the factory price is about 300,000 won lower than the iPhone 17, there is no universal subsidy for the iPhone 17e with a 24-month contract. Because the iPhone 17 was released in Sep. last year, subsidies are available.
It is suitable for consumers who use only basic functions such as communication, games, social media (SNS), and watching videos. It can be an option for those who do not particularly need a flagship high-spec camera and want something even slightly cheaper. It is also suitable for parents who want to buy an Apple smartphone as an unlocked device for their children without a contract. The soft pink color is attractive with a light strawberry-milk hue, but black and white are also sophisticated.