The iPhone 17e is Apple's latest "affordable" iPhone, and despite price increases across the entire tech industry, it still starts at $999. While you couldn't necessarily call the iPhone 17e cheap, improvements like twice the starting storage definitely make it feel like better value this year.
iPhone 17e plans
The iPhone 17e is available on mobile plans from Telstra, Optus, and Vodafone. All three providers offer the choice of 24-month and 36-month repayment terms. A 24-month term means you'll own your iPhone 16e faster, while a 36-month term lowers your monthly cost.
36-month iPhone 17e plans
24-month iPhone 17e plans
Follow these links to compare plans for the rest of the iPhone 17 family:
If you're looking to get your iPhone 17e on a plan, there are a few deals to be aware of.
Vodafone: If you pick up your iPhone 17e on a Vodafone plan, you can get $100 in bonus trade-in credit when you send in an old eligible device. This bonus credit is on top of your device's existing value. Vodafone's offer runs until March 30.
Vodafone is also offering a $14 per month discount on phone plans, for the life of the iPhone 17e's repayment term. This runs until May 4.
How much does the iPhone 17e cost in Australia?
The iPhone 17e starts at $999 with 256GB of storage, making it the cheapest iPhone you can buy in Australia that's not a refurbished model. That's the same price as the iPhone 16e the iPhone 17e replaces, but with twice the storage.
Here's the complete outright pricing for the iPhone 17 family:
| Phone | RRP | Check price on |
|---|---|---|
| iPhone 17e (256GB) | $1,149 | Amazon |
| iPhone 17e (512GB) | $1,549 | Amazon |
| iPhone 17 (256GB) | $1,549 | Amazon |
| iPhone 17 (512GB) | $1,849 | Amazon |
| iPhone Air (256GB) | $1,899 | Amazon |
| iPhone Air (512GB) | $2,299 | Amazon |
| iPhone Air (1TB) | $3,099 | Amazon |
| iPhone 17 Pro (256GB)* | $1,999 | Amazon |
| iPhone 17 Pro (512GB)* | $2,399 | Amazon |
| iPhone 17 Pro (1TB)* | $2,799 | Amazon |
| iPhone 17 Pro Max (256GB)* | $2,199 | Amazon |
| iPhone 17 Pro Max (512GB)* | $2,599 | Amazon |
| iPhone 17 Pro Max (1TB)* | $2,999 | Amazon |
| iPhone 17 Pro Max (2TB)* | $3,799 | Amazon |
*iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max were discontinued in September 2026. While the iPhone 17e, iPhone 17, and iPhone Air got price increases when the iPhone 18 Pro launched, this wasn't the case for the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max. As such, we're still listing their launch pricing here. You should be able to find them cheaper, however.
Dodo's NBN 500 Unlimited plan is our pick for the best NBN 500 plan for September.
iPhone 17e features

The iPhone 17e isn't a huge refresh to its predecessor, but still benefits from upgrades like a new chipset, better durability, MagSafe, and increased starting storage.
iPhone 17e design
The iPhone 17e harkens back to the iPhone 14 in terms of aesthetic. It's mostly screen, but with a notch instead of the dynamic island found on the iPhone 14 Pro and up.
The display measures in at 6.1-inch, like the iPhone 16e before it, with an OLED panel for more vibrant colours, better contrast, and deeper blacks. The display is protected with Apple's Ceramic Shield 2 technology, which is said to offer three times the scratch resistance of the previous generation.
Other features worth calling out are IP68 water resistance, wireless charging, and a USB-C port instead of a Lightning connector. Unlike the iPhone 16e, the iPhone 17e supports MagSafe accessories.
As with the iPhone 17 family, the iPhone 17e has an action button instead of a mute switch. By default, a long press swaps your device from silent to loud and vice versa. You can swap this out for a different action, however, such as starting a voice memo, turning on an accessibility feature, or opening a shortcut.
iPhone 17e camera
The iPhone 17e has a similar 48MP primary lens to that found in the iPhone 17. has the same resolution, but a lower pixel size. While it's a single lens, it can also do 2x zoom thanks to the large sensor size. There's also a 12MP selfie camera on the front, but no other camera lenses.
iPhone 17e camera samples
Check out these camera samples taken on the iPhone 17e. Click or tap on any photo to see a larger version.
iPhone 17e battery
Apple's battery claims for the iPhone 17e are identical to those for the iPhone 16e: up to 26 hours of video playback per charge. When testing the iPhone 17e, we were able to get between six and eight hours of screen time per charge. That's enough for a full day of usage with a very comfortable buffer.
iPhone 17e processor
The iPhone 17e features an A19 processor, just like the iPhone 17. The only difference is the iPhone 17 variant features four graphics cores, rather than five. This can make a difference in some very demanding games, but otherwise doesn't matter much.
iPhone 17e eSIM
US iPhone models haven't had a physical SIM since the iPhone 14, and relied on eSIM. iPhone 17e models sold in Australia still have both eSIM and a physical SIM.
eSIM (an electronic SIM or embedded SIM) is a rewritable SIM card that’s built directly into the phone. It never leaves your phone. Instead, you simply download a "software SIM" from your provider of choice.
iPhone 17e 5G
The iPhone 17e naturally has 5G connectivity. WhistleOut's coverage checker tool has 5G coverage maps, making it easy to see whether you can get 5G. All you need to do is pop in your address when searching for a new phone plan. After you've done so and hit Search, you can jump straight to the coverage map by tapping See Coverage Map and then tapping Click To Activate Interactive Map.
This map will show you what kind of coverage you have in your area. 5G coverage is highlighted using the darkest shade of purple, but unticking 4G and 3G can help make it clearer. The drop-down menu lets you choose between telcos.
Coverage maps are only approximate, only show outdoor coverage, and may be impacted by local conditions such as buildings.
| iPhone 17e | iPhone 16 | iPhone 17 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Display | 6.1-inch OLED | 6.1-inch OLED | 6.3-inch OLED |
| Resolution | Super Retina XDR | Super Retina XDR | Super Retina XDR |
| Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 60Hz | 120Hz |
| Rear Cameras | 48MP | 48MP + 12MP | 48MP + 48MP |
| Front Camera | 12MP | 12MP | 18MP |
| Processor | A19 | A18 | A19 |
| Storage | 256GB - 512GB | 128GB | 256GB - 512GB |
| Water-Resistance | IP68 | IP68
| IP68 |
| 5G | Sub 6 | Sub 6 | Sub 6 |
| Protection | Ceramic Shield 2 | Ceramic Shield | Ceramic Shield 2 |
| Price | From $999 | From $1,249 | From $1,399 |
iPhone 17e plan providers
Telstra, Optus, and Vodafone are expected to sell the Phone 17e. Here's a breakdown of the major benefits you can expect each provider to offer.
Telstra iPhone 17e plans
Telstra iPhone plans are often the priciest on the Australian market, but they do come with a host of perks.
Telstra lets you pay your iPhone off over 12, 24, or 36 months, and all plans are free from excess data charges. If you go over your cap, your data will simply be slowed to speeds of 1.5Mbps, which is still fast enough to stream video in SD. But speeds may be slower during peak times.
Optus iPhone 17e plans
- Discounted access to streaming services through SubHub
- $5 for 5GB of roaming data when overseas
Optus iPhone plans come with solid data inclusions.
Higher-end Optus plans also come with unlimited international calls to selected destinations included with the plan.
All Optus plans are contract-free, and devices can be paid off across 12, 24, or 36 months.
In addition, all Optus postpaid plans are free from excess data charges. If you go over your allowance, you'll be slowed to 1.5Mbps rather than being billed $10 per gigabyte.
Vodafone iPhone 17e plans
Vodafone iPhone plans may not come with the kinds of freebies and perks you can get from Optus or Telstra, but they have bonuses when it comes to bundling.
If you have a Vodafone mobile plan, you can get most of the telco's internet plans - NBN, 5G home internet, and 4G home internet - at a discounted rate.
Vodafone customers also save $5 per month if they bundle a second mobile plan on to their account, and then an extra $15 for each plan after.
Vodafone postpaid plans are all free from excess data charges. When you go over your plan allowance, you'll be capped at 2Mbps.
You'll also get access to Vodafone's famous $5 roaming, which is still easily the best way to travel with your Australian phone number.
How to choose the best iPhone 17e plan for you
There are a few key factors to keep in mind when picking an iPhone 17e plan:
- Answering "how much mobile data do I use" can help you avoid overspending. Don't pay for more data than you need
- Decide whether you want to pay off your phone shorter on a 24-month plan or get a smaller bill over a longer period of time on a 36-month plan
- If you're a frequent overseas traveller consider any international roaming inclusions
- You may also want to make international phone calls so check if the destinations you may be calling are included in your plan
If you're having trouble deciding, check out our guide to the best iPhone plans.
Alex Choros
