Apple has launched the iPhone 16e, an affordable smartphone that replaces the previous iPhone SE and offers many features from last year’s iPhone 16 at a $400 lower price point. The 16e starts at $999 in Australia and will be available in stores starting February 28. Its design resembles the 2018 iPhone XR, but it incorporates many components from the latest iPhones, albeit with some cost-saving measures.
The iPhone 16e features an OLED screen similar in size to the iPhone 16, but with lower peak brightness and no Dolby Vision support. It lacks the Dynamic Island, opting instead for a standard camera cutout for Face ID and the front camera. On the rear, it has a comparable 48MP main camera but does not include an ultra-wide lens for macro or spatial photography, nor does it support cinematic mode video recording. While it offers wireless charging, it does not have the magnetic MagSafe connector. The device is powered by a slightly modified A18 chip, which has less powerful graphics and a new Apple-designed 5G modem. Additionally, it does not include an ultra-wideband chip for precise location tracking.
Unlike the previous iPhone SE, the 16e does not have a 3.5mm headphone jack. With the discontinuation of the iPhone 14, this new model signifies Apple’s complete shift away from the traditional Home button and the Lightning connector, now replaced by USB-C.
Apple claims that the 16e boasts the longest battery life ever for an iPhone of this size, surpassing the current iPhone 16 by four hours in video playback tests. The company is marketing the phone as a cost-effective way to access the latest features, including the Apple Intelligence suite of AI tools and satellite-powered Emergency SOS. The 16e also introduces the Action Button, a new feature that replaces the old ringer switch and can be customized for various functions, such as muting the phone or launching the camera.
This new device marks a change in Apple’s strategy for lower-cost models. Unlike the previous three versions of the SE, which offered recent features in a smaller, less appealing design, the 16e follows a model similar to those of Google and Samsung, providing a version of the latest phone with some desirable features removed.
All details about this new iPhone, except for its name, were accurately predicted by analysts and leakers months prior to the launch. This could lend credibility to another significant rumor for this year: that Apple intends to release a slimmer version of the iPhone 17 instead of the usual Plus model.
While the 16e represents a notable price increase over the SE, which started at $720 and is now available at lower prices, the new phone offers double the starting storage capacity.
