Why trust Greenbot
Apple’s new iPhone 16E trades features for affordability. The $599 device sacrifices MagSafe charging, ultrawide photography, and mmWave 5G to undercut its premium siblings.
“Get ready to meet the newest member of the family,” Apple CEO Tim Cook teased in a social media post last week, prior to the official announcement.
The device signals Apple’s first attempt at a value-oriented iPhone with modern design elements. It abandons the home button found on previous budget iPhones while introducing Apple’s first in-house 5G modem.
Apple designed the 16E to strike a balance between affordability and flagship features. Examining what didn’t make the cut, the company’s strategy becomes clear.
MagSafe compatibility is notably absent. The magnetic mounting and faster charging system, which have been standard on iPhones since 2020, gives way to basic Qi wireless charging limited to 7.5W. This is significantly slower than the 25W available on premium models.
A few cameras were cut. The dual-lens system on mainstream iPhones shrinks to a single 48MP rear camera, eliminating ultrawide photography options and limiting creative possibilities.
Connectivity options suffer multiple downgrades. The 16E lacks mmWave 5G support for the fastest possible mobile speeds. Apple also excluded its second-generation ultra-wideband chip, preventing precision finding with AirTags and certain smart home interactions.
While keeping a similar 6.1-inch OLED panel, the 16E features the traditional notch rather than the Dynamic Island found on the standard iPhone 16. Maximum typical brightness drops to 800 nits compared to the iPhone 15’s 1000 nits.
The device comes in just two color options – white and black – compared to the more vibrant palette available for the standard iPhone 16 lineup.
While positioned as a budget option, the iPhone 16E includes several high-end features alongside the new modem. The device packs the A18 chip with a 5-core CPU and 4-core GPU, enabling it to run Apple Intelligence – the company’s suite of artificial intelligence tools that includes notification summaries and ChatGPT integration.
Battery life is a surprising bright spot. Apple claims 26 hours of video playback, surpassing even the standard iPhone 16. This suggests that the absence of power-hungry features might benefit overall endurance.
Five years after acquiring Intel’s modem business, Apple finally declared independence from Qualcomm. Apple claims 16E’s custom modem delivers “the most power-efficient” cellular performance ever in an iPhone.
The iPhone 16E is currently open for preorders, and shipping will begin on February 28. Prices start from $599 (128GB) to $699 (256GB) and $899 (512GB) – less than the standard iPhone 16 but significantly higher than the previous iPhone SE’s $429 starting price.
Looking ahead, Apple reportedly plans to release a drastically thinner iPhone 17 Air next year. About 33% slimmer than current models, it would represent Apple’s most radical iPhone redesign since 2017.
