Macworld
The iPhone 16e is Apple’s most affordable model in the iPhone lineup. It replaces the iPhone SE and is a departure from the design of those older SE phones.
If you are wondering if the iPhone 16e is for you, we have all the details about the phone in this article.
iPhone 16e release date
- The iPhone 16e was announced on February 19, 2025. Pre-orders start on February 21, with shipments starting on February 28.
Before the release, Apple’s Tim Cook “tweeted” on X, “Get ready to meet the newest member of the family.” Rumor-monger extraordinaire Mark Gurman of Bloomberg, initially said the iPhone 16e would launch in the week of February 10, then later claimed we could expect a launch the week of February 17, 2025.
The iPhone 16e replaced Apple’s iPhone SE, with a similar release timeline that occurred months after the September release of the standard iPhone and the iPhone Pro models. The iPhone SE had much longer intervals between updates; it remains to be seen if Apple will switch to an annual schedule with the “e” model. Here’s when the three previous iPhone SE models made their debut:
- iPhone SE (3rd gen): March 2022
- iPhone SE (2nd gen): April 2020
- iPhone SE (1st gen): March 2016
From iPhone SE to iPhone 16e: Name change
With the release of the iPhone 16e, Apple dropped the iPhone SE from its lineup. Apple has not given any reasons for the name change. It could be because the 16e does not have Touch ID like the iPhone SE. Or it could indicate that Apple will perform annual updates to the “e” model.
A rumor in January 2025 claimed that Apple would introduce the new “16E” name. That name would align it with the current generation and also could indicate an annual upgrade cycle. It may also mean that the iPhone 14 and iPhone 15 are removed from the lineup, or that the price of the iPhone 16E is more than the iPhone 15.
New iPhone 16e price: How much does the iPhone 16e cost?
- The iPhone 16e starts at $599/£599
While the iPhone 16e is Apple’s cheapest iPhone, its price is higher than the iPhone SE replaced. Here is a chart of how the iPhone 16e compares to previous iPhone SE models.
| 32GB | 64GB | 128GB | 256GB | 512GB | |
| iPhone 16e (2025) | $599/£599 | $699/£699 | $899/£899 | ||
| iPhone SE (3rd gen, 2022) | $429/£429 (was £449 at launch) | $479/£479 (was £499 at launch) | $579/£579 (was £609 at launch) | ||
| iPhone SE (2nd gen, 2020) | $399/£419 | $449/£469 | $549/£569 | ||
| iPhone SE (1st gen, 2016) | $399/£379 | $499/£449 |
Higher component pricing and the effect of higher import duties are likely to lead to higher prices. Additionally, the iPhone 16e is not really being positioned as a “budget” option. Apple tends to have a $100 jump between handsets, with the iPhone 16 starting at $799 and the iPhone 15 at $699. The $599 iPhone 16e sits perfectly behind the iPhone 15. Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman claims the iPhone 16e is intended to help Apple compete with low-end Android phones in China.
iPhone 16e design: What does the iPhone 16e look like?
The iPhone 16e is a major design change from the iPhone SE. It moves away from the iPhone 8 chassis to something more like modern iPhones, with Face ID and a full-screen display.
Apple
Touch ID or Face ID?
Touch ID, which has been a staple of the SE line since its debut, is gone. This is bad news for those who prefer a Home button and Touch ID–Apple no longer has a phone like that in its lineup.
A notch or not?
The iPhone 16e has a notch, like the one on the iPhone 14. It does not have the Dynamic Island that is on the other iPhone 16 models.
A report on January 21, 2025, by leaker Evan Blass states that the new iPhone SE will have a Dynamic Island and not a notch. Apple first introduced the notch with the iPhone 14 Pro followed by the iPhone 15 a year later.
But, a later X post on January 29, 2025, this time from Ross Young, a displays analyst, stated “Notch like iPhone 14 is correct.” Young has a very strong track record for display rumors as he relies on supply chain reports rather than leaks. Read: The new iPhone SE will have a notch after all.
iPhone 16e cameras
The iPhone 16e has a single lens on the rear. Apple calls this a “2-in-1 camera system.” It’s a 48MP camera with an integrated 2x telephoto capability. It also can record video in 4K with Dolby Vision up to 60 fps, and also supports Spatial Audio.
The front-facing camera is a 12MP TrueDepth camera, like the other iPhone 16 models.
We got our first look at a “dummy model” for the new iPhone 16e in January from leaker Sonny Dickson, and it showed an iPhone 14-like smartphone with a single rear camera.
iPhone 16e specs: Will Apple Intelligence be supported?
Like the other iPhones in Apple’s current lineup, excluding the iPhone 15 and 15 Plus, the iPhone 16e supports Apple Intelligence. One of the biggest new features, a massive expansion of Siri capabilities, is due for release in iOS 18.4 in March or April.
Processor & RAM
To run Apple Intelligence an iPhone requires an A17 Pro or A18 chip and 8GB of RAM. The iPhone 16e has an A18 chip, which is superior to the A16 in the iPhone 15.
5G modem
The iPhone 16e is the first iPhone to feature Apple’s own 5G modem, which Apple calls the C1. It supports sub-6GHz 5G and 4G LTE with 4×4 MIMO, and Apple calls it “the most power-efficient modem ever on an iPhone.” As previously expected, it does not support mmWave 5G connectivity but neither did the previous SE.
Wi-Fi and Bluetooth
The iPhone 16e supports Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.3.
Storage
With the iPhone 13 range moving to a baseline of 128GB (and the 14-series handsets following suit), the new iPhone 16e did likewise, as 64GB isn’t enough for most users anymore, especially since system files take up more than 10GB (and you can add a multi-gigabyte Apple Intelligence model to that). The iPhone 16e is also available with 256GB or 512GB of storage.
USB-C
The iPhone 16e has a USB-C port. With its introduction and the discontinuation of the iPhone SE, Apple no longer has an iPhone with Lightning in its current lineup.
Action Button
The iPhone 16e has an Action Button instead of a mute switch, though the Action Button can be used for mute. The iPhone 16e does not have a Camera Control button.
iPhone history
The iPhone 16 range and the iPhone 15 are the current-generation models available from Apple. We’re also expecting iPhone 17 to launch in late 2025. Below you can find links to our reviews of all iPhone models, including the latest generation. Learn more about all the new Apple products coming this year and when is the next Apple event. You might also want to check out our advice on when is the best time to buy a new iPhone, our iPhone buying guide, and our comparison of every iPhone that is available to buy today.
- Original iPhone (2007) review
- iPhone 3G (2008) review
- iPhone 3GS (2009) review
- iPhone 4 (2010) review
- iPhone 4s (2011) review
- iPhone 5 (2012) review
- iPhone 5c (2013) review
- iPhone 5s (2013) review
- iPhone 6 (2014) review
- iPhone 6 Plus (2014) review
- iPhone 6s (2015) review
- iPhone 6s Plus (2015) review
- iPhone SE (1st generation; 2016) review
- iPhone 7 (2016) review
- iPhone 7 Plus (2016) review
- iPhone 8 (2017) review
- iPhone 8 Plus (2017) review
- iPhone X (2017) review
- iPhone XR (2018) review
- iPhone XS (2018) review
- iPhone XS Max (2018) review
- iPhone 11 (2019) review
- iPhone 11 Pro (2019) review
- iPhone 11 Pro Max (2019) review
- iPhone SE (2nd generation; 2020) review
- iPhone 12 (2020) review
- iPhone 12 Mini (2020) review
- iPhone 12 Pro (2020) review
- iPhone 12 Pro Max (2020) review
- iPhone 13 (2021) review
- iPhone 13 mini (2021) review
- iPhone 13 Pro (2021) review
- iPhone 13 Pro Max (2021) review
- iPhone SE (3rd generation; 2022) review
- iPhone 14 (2022) review
- iPhone 14 Plus (2022) review
- iPhone 14 Pro (2022) review
- iPhone 14 Pro Max (2022) review
- iPhone 15 (2023) review
- iPhone 15 Plus (2023) review
- iPhone 15 Pro (2023) review
- iPhone 15 Pro Max (2023) review
- iPhone 16 & 16 Plus review
- iPhone 16 Pro & Pro Max review
Source : Macworld
