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Manila Bulletin devider Technews devider Apple announces the iPhone 17e and the iPad Air M4

Apple announces the iPhone 17e and the iPad Air M4

Published Mar 3, 2026 09:09 am
Apple has announced two new devices: the iPhone 17e, the entry-level member of its iPhone 17 family, and the iPad Air with M4. The iPhone 17e uses an A19 chip, which is also found in the iPhone 17, so you won’t be missing out much in terms of performance.
The iPhone 17e will start at 256GB of storage for P44,990.00 and will be available for pre-order soon.
Display, design, and MagSafe
The 6.1-inch Super Retina XDR OLED display reaches 1,200 nits peak HDR brightness. The front cover is Ceramic Shield 2, which Apple says offers 3× better scratch resistance and improved anti-reflection compared to the previous generation. The aerospace-grade aluminum design features an IP68 water- and dust-resistant rating. The device is available in black, white, and a new soft pink, all with a matte finish.
The iPhone 17e is the first entry-level iPhone to support full MagSafe, enabling wireless charging at up to 15 W — double the maximum available on the iPhone 16e — and compatibility with the broader MagSafe accessory ecosystem, including cases, wallets, and mounts. Face ID and an Action button are also included.
Camera: 48 MP with Automatic Portrait Detection
A single 48 MP Fusion camera delivers an optical-quality 2× Telephoto view and Night mode. Portrait mode uses an updated image pipeline for more natural depth and bokeh, and the device introduces next-generation portraits: it automatically recognizes people, dogs, and cats and saves depth data at capture, letting users apply or adjust portrait blur after the fact in the Photos app. Video tops out at 4K Dolby Vision at 60 fps, with Spatial Audio recording, Audio Mix editing, and wind-noise reduction.
Satellite features and safety
When outside cellular and Wi-Fi coverage, the iPhone 17e supports Emergency SOS, Roadside Assistance, and Find My via satellite. Crash Detection is also present, automatically alerting emergency services after a severe collision.
iPad Air powered by M4
The new iPad Air is driven by the Apple M4 chip — an 8-core CPU and 9-core GPU on advanced process technology. It is up to 30% faster than the iPad Air with M3 and up to 2.3× faster than the M1 model. The 9-core GPU adds second-generation hardware-accelerated mesh shading and ray tracing, delivering over 4× faster 3D rendering with ray tracing than the M1 iPad Air, for more realistic lighting and shadows in games and creative apps. The device also ships with 50% more unified system memory than the M3 model, along with higher memory bandwidth for AI and large-file workloads.
The 11-inch model starts at P42,990, while the 13-inch model is priced at P54,990. With education savings, the 11-inch iPad Air starts at P38,990 and the 13-inch model starts at P51,990.
Every iPad Air with M4 includes Apple's N1 chip, the company's first custom wireless networking silicon. N1 supports Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6, along with Thread. Apple says N1 improves 5 GHz Wi-Fi performance and enhances reliability for Personal Hotspot and AirDrop. Cellular models add the C1X modem for up to 50% faster cellular data and up to 30% less modem energy use than the M3 iPad Air, plus built-in GPS, 5G, and eSIM.
Accessories: Apple Pencil Pro and Magic Keyboard
The iPad Air with M4 supports Apple Pencil (USB-C) for note-taking and sketching, and Apple Pencil Pro for advanced workflows, including squeeze, barrel roll, and Find My support. The Magic Keyboard for iPad Air connects via the Smart Connector with no Bluetooth needed, and features a 14-key function row, a built-in trackpad, and a USB-C charging port in the aluminum hinge. It is available in black and white.
Sustainability
Both announcements fall under Apple's 2030 goal to be carbon-neutral across its entire footprint by the end of this decade. The iPhone 17e uses 30% recycled content overall, with 85% recycled aluminum in the enclosure and 100% recycled cobalt in the battery, and is manufactured with 55% renewable electricity. The iPad Air uses 100% recycled aluminum in its enclosure and 100% recycled cobalt in its battery, with 40% renewable electricity in manufacturing. Both ship in 100% fiber-based, recyclable packaging, and Apple cites long-term software support as a factor in reducing device replacement frequency.
Customers can check apple.com/ph and Apple Authorized Resellers for pre-orders and availability of the iPhone 17e and the iPad Air with M4.
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