IPHONE 17E TOPS BUDGET PHONE RANKINGS

INDUSTRY DESK■ 1 MIN READ

SAT, APR 18, 2026

■ AI-SUMMARIZED FROM 1 SOURCE ▸ TIMELINE

After a recent refresh cycle across the phone industry, the iPhone 17E has emerged as The Verge's top budget phone recommendation. No major budget launches are expected until 2025.

Phone makers have updated their lineups in recent months, with particular focus on the affordable segment. The timing allowed The Verge to reassess its budget phone recommendations based on the latest available options. The iPhone 17E takes the top spot among budget offerings, continuing Apple's tradition of delivering capable devices at lower price points. With no significant budget phone announcements anticipated until next year, consumers shopping now have a stable set of options to choose from. The assessment reflects current market conditions where established manufacturers have solidified their positions in the budget category. Buyers looking for affordable smartphones without waiting for future releases can rely on the refreshed lineups now available.

■ SOURCES

► The Verge

■ SUMMARY WRITTEN BY AI FROM THE LINKS ABOVE

■ MORE FROM THE HARDWARE DESK

P396GARMIN FENIX 9 DOUBLES SCREEN BRIGHTNESS, UPGRADES MAPS

Garmin unveiled its Fenix 9 smartwatch line with OLED displays reaching 3,000 nits—twice as bright as the previous generation. The rugged timepiece starts at $999.99 for the 43mm model.

4H AGO— Industry Desk

P391HUMANOID ROBOTS BREAK RECORDS IN GLOBAL GAMES

Competing humanoid robots set new speed records at the World Humanoid Robot Games, though some units caught fire during competitions. The event highlighted both advances in robotics performance and ongoing reliability challenges.

5H AGO— Industry Desk

P389FDA CLEARS FIRST WEARABLE FOR KETONE AND GLUCOSE MONITORING

The FDA has authorized the first wearable device capable of continuously monitoring both ketone and blood sugar levels. The device enables real-time metabolic tracking for users managing diabetes and metabolic conditions.

5H AGO— Industry Desk

P377APPLE M6 DELIVERS MODEST GAINS OVER M5 ON 2NM PROCESS

Apple's new M6 chip shows respectable performance improvements built on a 2nm process, but existing M5 users face no pressing reason to upgrade.

7H AGO— Industry Desk

◄ BACK TO NEWS

IPHONE 17E TOPS BUDGET PHONE RANKINGS

■ MORE FROM THE HARDWARE DESK

■ SUBSCRIBE TO THE DAILY BRIEF