Apple Unveils Affordable iPhone 16e

On Wednesday morning, Apple unveiled the iPhone 16e, now the most budget-friendly option in its current lineup. This new model replaces the 2022 iPhone SE as the "affordable" choice, though it marks a significant departure from the deep discounts the SE series was known for. Priced at $599, the iPhone 16e narrows the price gap with the $799 iPhone 16 released last fall. Pre-orders begin on Friday, Feb. 21, with the official release following a week later on Friday, Feb. 28.

The iPhone 16e introduces Apple’s new C1 cellular modem, marking the company's first venture into in-house modem technology. Apple has previously excelled with its proprietary chips, like the M1 series in computers and the A-series in mobile devices. The modem is a crucial yet often overlooked component, and any shortcomings with the C1 could lead to connectivity issues. Apple's past "Antennagate" incident with the iPhone 4, which suffered from poor signal strength due to antenna design, underscores the importance of getting this right. Hopefully, Apple has ensured robust connectivity for the iPhone 16e.

iPhone 16e

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At first glance, the iPhone 16e's front design is nearly indistinguishable from the iPhone 14, featuring a 6.1-inch OLED display with a 2532x1170 resolution and 1,200-nit peak brightness. While not as sharp or bright as the iPhone 16, the iPhone 16e includes the Action button and a USB-C port, although it lacks the Camera Control feature.

The back of the iPhone 16e sets it apart with a single 48MP camera, reminiscent of the iPhone SE. This camera shares many traits with the iPhone 16’s main camera but misses out on advanced features like sensor-shift stabilization, the latest Photographic styles, and adjustable focus in portrait mode. The front-facing camera, however, is identical and supports Face ID.

The iPhone 16e's build includes an aluminum frame, a glass back, and Apple’s Ceramic Shield on the front. Although Apple touts Ceramic Shield as "tougher than any smartphone glass," it's worth noting that a newer, "two times tougher" version exists, raising questions about the durability of the iPhone 16e's screen, especially given the wear observed during the iPhone 16 review.

Internally, the iPhone 16e showcases Apple’s strategy of product differentiation. While it uses an "A18" chip like the iPhone 16, it features a 4-core GPU instead of the 5-core GPU found in the iPhone 16. This positions the iPhone 16e slightly below the iPhone 16 in performance, though it retains the Neural Engine for Apple Intelligence features.

The iPhone 16e represents a compromise to achieve a lower price point. At $599, it's Apple's cheapest option, yet it's not as discounted as the 2022 iPhone SE, which launched at $429 with the same chip as the $799 iPhone 13. Despite the iPhone 16e's more recent design compared to the dated SE, its $599 price may struggle to attract buyers outside the Apple ecosystem, especially with competitive Android alternatives like the OnePlus 13R around the same price.