Initial impressions of the iPhone 17e were… promising. A faster chip, the inclusion of MagSafe, and doubled base storage at the same price point felt like genuine improvements. A new color option added a touch of excitement to the expected upgrades.
That optimism quickly faded upon closer inspection. The 17e’s MagSafe is limited to 15W, significantly less than the 22W and 25W offered by the iPhone 16 and 17 respectively. The touted “faster chip” is, in reality, a slightly downgraded version of the A19, lacking a GPU core found in the standard iPhone 17.
But the true disappointment lies in the new color. As someone who passionately advocates for vibrant colors in tech – particularly pink – I had high hopes. I celebrated the bold pink of the iPhone 16 Plus, a stark improvement over previous iterations.
The announcement of “Soft Pink” for the iPhone 17e sparked genuine enthusiasm. Then I saw it. “Soft” is a generous description; it’s barely pink at all. Perhaps “Barely Pink,” “Not Identifiably Pink,” or even “Off-White” would be more accurate.
Consider the iPhone 15 Plus and iPhone 16 Plus, both marketed as “pink,” side-by-side. The 15 Plus appears almost white, requiring a focused gaze to detect a faint pinkish hue. The 16 Plus, however, is a vibrant, unmistakable pink – bold and unapologetic.
It’s important to remember that photos often fail to capture the true vibrancy of phone colors. The 15 Plus isn’t *quite* as washed out in person, but the comparison clearly illustrates the diminished pink offered in that generation.
Comparing Apple’s official artwork reveals an even more troubling trend. The iPhone 17e doesn’t simply revert to the muted pink of the 15 Plus; it’s demonstrably *less* pink. It feels like a deliberate tactic to encourage upgrades to more expensive models.
The iPhone 17 doesn’t even offer a pink option, opting instead for a subtle sage green – at least it’s recognizably a color. This feels like a step backward, reminiscent of the underwhelming color choices of the previous generation’s “e” model.
Looking back at older pink iPhones reveals a pattern. While the iPhone 16 generation was a standout, even the iPhone XR’s pink wasn’t as vibrant as the 16 Plus. The iPhone 7 and 13 offered pink shades, but they pale in comparison to the 17e’s almost nonexistent hue. This isn’t progress; it’s a disheartening regression.
