HONG KONG, March 9, 2026 -- Apple's latest budget-friendly smartphone, the iPhone 17e, makes its debut featuring significant storage upgrades and the same trusted durability. Retailing at a starting price of $599, the device now offers 256GB of base storage—double the capacity of last year's iPhone 16e.

The iPhone 17e features a significant upgrade in both the material and craftsmanship of its cover glass. The front cover glass is manufactured by BIEL Crystal and is made of Ceramic Shield 2. Reinforced with BIEL Crystal's super-hard coating technology, Ceramic Shield 2 delivers three times better scratch resistance compared to the Ceramic Shield 1 used in the iPhone 16e.

It is worth noting that Apple has once again selected BIEL Crystal as the exclusive supplier of cover glass for the iPhone 17e. BIEL Crystal was also the exclusive supplier of cover glass for the iPhone 16e launched early in 2025.

About BIEL Crystal
As a global leader in exterior structure and module solutions for smart devices, BIEL Crystal serves a wide range of industries. Its advanced components are essential to consumer electronics, smart wearables, AR/VR glasses, and next-generation automotive applications. This trust is reflected in its long-standing partnerships with industry pioneers such as Apple, Samsung, Meta, and Tesla.

With more than 30 years of technological innovation and excellent management, BIEL Crystal has become a large technology innovation group with 9 advanced production bases worldwide, with a total investment of over HK$42 billion, covering a total area of about 4.3 million square meters, employing more than 100,000 people and with an annual production capacity of 2.2 billion pieces.