Apple’s newest phone brings artificial intelligence to a lower price point, though it costs more than the model it replaces. The iPhone 16e, coming February 28, starts at $599 – $170 more than the previous SE’s $429 starting price.
The phone runs the same AI features as Apple’s $799 iPhone 16. These include enhanced Siri with improved conversational abilities, the Clean Up tool for removing distracting elements in images, and writing tools with ChatGPT integration. Users can access ChatGPT features without creating an account, and privacy protections are built in.
“We’re bringing the iPhone experience to even more people,” says Kaiann Drance from Apple. But that experience now costs more – the $599 starting price sits between Google’s $499 Pixel 8A and Samsung’s $650 Galaxy S24 FE.
The phone looks different from Apple’s previous budget option. Gone is the small 4.7-inch screen and home button. Instead, it has a larger 6.1-inch Super Retina XDR OLED display. The device uses Face ID technology for authentication.
Taking photos gets a major upgrade. The main camera now captures 48-megapixel images, up from 12 megapixels before. This means sharper photos with the ability to capture high-resolution images. The camera system includes 2x Telephoto capabilities through sensor cropping.
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Battery life improves too. Apple says it lasts up to 26 hours for video playback. But there’s a trade-off – wireless charging works slower than on pricier iPhones (7.5 watts versus 15 watts).
The phone uses Apple’s newest A18 chip – the same one in their $799 models. This enables fast, smooth performance and Apple Intelligence features. It also includes Apple’s first self-made cellular modem, the C1, which Apple claims is their most power-efficient modem ever in an iPhone.
Some premium features are missing. The display has a 60Hz refresh rate, while similarly priced phones offer 90Hz or higher. Color choices are limited to black and white. There’s no ultra-wide camera for additional shooting options.
Storage options include 128GB ($599), 256GB ($699), and 512GB ($899). Trade-in deals can lower these prices – up to $400 off with qualifying devices through carrier offers. Pre-orders start February 21.
The iPhone 16e launches in 59 countries. Its AI features work first in English-speaking regions, with more languages coming later this year.
The new phone shows Apple’s changing strategy. They’re putting advanced features in less expensive phones but raising the entry price. This means more capable phones, but they’re less affordable than before.
