Apple has launched the iPhone 17e, its latest affordable flagship, discontinuing the iPhone 16e. Google simultaneously released the Pixel 10a. Both offer premium features at budget prices in India.
Apple and Google kicked off 2026 with their most affordable flagship smartphones: the iPhone 17e and Pixel 10a.
The iPhone 17e sports a 6.1-inch 60Hz display with 1,200 nits peak brightness and is powered by the new A19 chip on a 3nm process. Its single 48-megapixel Fusion camera supports 2x optical-grade zoom via cropping. Battery lasts up to 26 hours, with 15W MagSafe charging. In India, the 256GB model starts at Rs 64,900.
The Pixel 10a features a larger 6.3-inch 120Hz display hitting 3,000 nits brightness, driven by the Tensor G4 chip with strong AI capabilities. Cameras include a 48-megapixel main and 13-megapixel ultrawide. The 5,100mAh battery gets 30W wired charging. Pricing starts at Rs 49,999 for 128GB in India.
The iPhone 17e launch prompted Apple to discontinue the iPhone 16e (detailed in our prior coverage on its recent price drops), originally Rs 59,900 for 128GB. It lingers on third-party sites like Vijay Sales at Rs 52,390, with bank discounts including Rs 3,500 on HDFC EMIs, up to Rs 3,000 on ICICI, Rs 2,000 on Axis No Cost EMI, and up to Rs 7,500 on AmEx.