Apple releases iPhone 16e: should you go for it?
Apple has some experience in giving its audience cheaper models of the coveted devices. In the domain of phones, the examples are the SE models. So far, the company has released three generations of the iPhone SE: in 2016, 2020, and 2022. Each of them was a more or less simplified modification of that year’s flagship Apple smartphone. The public received those devices well, especially the first two iterations, and the company has seemingly attained the initial purpose of the undertaking, which allegedly was to get a foothold in the lower-end market, and win over budget-conscious buyers.
The iPhone 16e is the latest take on the concept: cheaper than the already released models of the 16th line, it still is an Apple product through and through. Let’s take a look at what’s inside this device.
iPhone 16e: the components
In a way, the insides of the iPhone 16e indicate why Apple did not give it an SE designation. That line was basically about putting older hardware into popular form factors; for example, the 1st generation iPhone SE was based on the design of the iPhone 5 but featured the internals of the iPhone 6s, and it was released in 2016, the same year when Apple gave the public the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus. The iPhone 16e is different: it really is a bit downgraded version of the iPhone 16 line.
iPhone 16e specifications
- Display: 6.1-inch OLED screen with a notch for Face ID; resolution 1170 x 2532 pixels.
- Processor: Apple Bionic A18 chip, with a 6-core CPU and a 4-core GPU (the iPhone 16 has a 5-core GPU).
- Camera: Single 48-megapixel rear camera with optical image stabilization; 12-megapixel front camera.
- Storage: 128 GB, 256 GB, and 512 GB options.
- Battery: the capacity has not been disclosed, but, given the promised 26 hours of video playback, it is at least 3,279 mAh, more than in the iPhone 16.
- Case: aluminium frame with a glass back and Ceramic Shield front, available in black and white.
Should you buy iPhone 16e?
If you’ve been eyeing Apple phones for some time, the iPhone 16e is probably the best entry model the company has released so far. Not very different from the flagship device, it retails for $599, which is considerably cheaper than $799, the lowest price tag on the iPhone 16. Shipments start on February 28th; you can pre-order the phone here.
