After plenty of speculation, Apple has finally revealed its latest iPhone — the nice-and-affordable iPhone 16e, a handset that seemingly marks the end of the line for the company's SE branding.
The iPhone 16e has a simplified, slicker design than the iPhone 16 and is something of a throwback — featuring only one 48MP camera on the back, which is no doubt a relief for anyone with trypophobia. The camera can also shoot 4K at 60fps for anyone who plans to use the phone to record video.
In many ways, the iPhone 16e has been streamlined of features, compared to the rest of Apple's current suite of phones. Still, the lower price point will be an attractive proposition for any Apple heads out there who're long overdue an upgrade but don't want to break the bank.
Want to know more about the new Apple phone? Of course you do! Here are 5 things you need to know about the iPhone 16e...
1. iPhone 16e is the cheapest iPhone 16
The most crucial detail about any new tech release will be how much the it costs, with the iPhone 16e priced at a reasonable $599 / £599 for the lowest storage version (128GB). There will also be a 256GB and 512GB version, but there is currently no information regarding how much these options will set you back.
2. See ya later to the Home button, but welcome back notch
The notch (the small black dropdown at the top of the screen) was first featured on iPhones in 2017 before being phased out entirely in 2023 in favour of the Dynamic Island, which offers even more screen.
Now, the notch has returned, but unlike the most recent budget iPhone, the SE 3, the Home button at the bottom of the phone has disappeared and moves to the edge, in line with the current iterations of the iPhone.
The notch is dangling above a Super Retina XDR screen with a 12MP TrueDepth camera hiding inside. Face ID is also included with this model, which users can use to unlock the device and service any authentication needs.
3. Battery life is beefy
Another aspect of any phone crucial for modern-day life is how long the battery lasts. Thanks to the new Apple-designed C1 chip, the iPhone 16e gets 26 hours of juice on a single charge, according to Apple.
The battery on my phone (not an iPhone) is essentially shot, so not needing to charge it in the office before my commute is a promise I hope Apple can deliver on.
4. Apple Intelligence is on board, so you can disengage your brain
As Apple continues to promote its Apple Intelligence AI features, this phone is built with that specifically in mind, housing plenty of useful artificial intelligence enhancements, from an image Clean-Up tool to a natural language search that can cater to all your translation needs when away from home.
ChatGPT is also integrated into Siri and Writing Tools, so there is no need to bounce between apps to get the best out of it and efficiently utilise it. A welcome decision for those who have no interest in using ChatGPT and bowing down to the AI overlords, it can easily be turned off. As with the rest of the current iPhone range, the 16e will run iOS 18.
5. When can I get my grubby mitts on the iPhone 16e?
Pre-orders for the iPhone 16e start on Friday, February 21st, before being shipped on February 28th. So you could have one of these bad boys in your pocket in no time. Once again, the phone features USB-C and wireless charging, and it comes in matte black or matte white, although we will have to see if more colours arrive for the phone later down the line.
- Read up on the 8 (literally) hidden features of the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro.
Image Credits: Apple
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