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

Published: 14 Mar. 2026, 10:59

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 the iPhone 17, offering strong resistance to scratches.

Although it has a single 48-megapixel rear camera, it supports optical and telephoto capabilities. Users can also adjust the focus after taking a picture to convert it into a portrait-style shot. The phone supports spatial audio and can record 4K video in Dolby Vision at up to 60 frames per second.

The device also introduces Apple’s latest AI system, Apple Intelligence, enabling features such as real-time translation and Visual Intelligence, which identifies objects captured by the camera. This feature was not available on the previous budget model. During testing, when a bottle of water on a desk was photographed and questions were asked about the product name, price and where it could be purchased, the AI quickly provided relevant information.

Apple’s newly introduced budget laptop, the MacBook Neo [APPLE]

Apple’s most affordable MacBook launches
Apple’s newly introduced budget laptop, the MacBook Neo, is the thinnest and lightest device in the MacBook lineup to date, measuring 1.1 centimeters (0.4 inches) thick and weighing 1.23 kilograms (2.7 pounds). It features a 13-inch Liquid Retina display and adopts a fanless design, eliminating operational noise.

In addition to traditional silver and space gray finishes, the laptop is available in a variety of colors, including Blush, a pink tone, as well as Indigo and Citrus.

The base model starts at 990,000 won, while the price for students and educators begins at 850,000 won, significantly lowering the barrier to entry.

One key factor behind the lower price is the use of Apple’s A18 Pro processor — the same chip used in the iPhone 17 Pro lineup. The performance is more than sufficient for everyday tasks such as web browsing, working with documents and video streaming.

In hands-on testing, the device handled multiple tasks smoothly, including photo editing and video playback, while more than ten browser tabs were open simultaneously.

Experts note that while the laptop may fall short when running high-end games, its baseline performance exceeds expectations. An industry source commented, “For consumers who want to experience a MacBook, the budget-oriented MacBook Neo could be an attractive option. It will be interesting to see how it affects the mid-range laptop market in Korea, which has traditionally been dominated by Samsung Electronics and LG Electronics.”

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY KIM KYUNG-MI [[email protected]]