The iPhone 16e has been released with, what e can consider by Apple’s standards. A medium level of fanfare. There was a highly (over?) produced video with a very earnest Apple CEO Tim Cook espousing its importance and value but no special media event and a little more than a press release. That tells us a lot about where this iPhone fits in Apple’s plans and who it’s for.
In releasing the iPhone 16e, Apple discontinued three products from the iPhone range. The iPhone SE3 is gone as are the iPhone 13 and iPhone 14. Those devices either undercut or were too close the iPhone 16e sticker price of $999. From a market perspective that makes good sense. It’s also because current owners of those phones are among Apple targets for the iPhone 16e.
| iPhone 16e Specs | |
| Price | From $999 |
| Screen | 6.1-inch Super Retina XDR display |
| Storage | 128, 256 and 512GB |
| Dimensions and weight | 146.7 mm x 71.5 mm x 7.80 mm, 167g |
| Materials | Aluminium with glass back, Ceramic Shield front (matte black or white) |
| Apple Intelligence | Yes |
| Action Button | Yes |
| Processor | A18 with 6-core CPU and 4-core GPU |
| Comms | Satellite, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.3 |
| Camera Control | No |
| Cameras | 2-in-1 camera system 48MP Fusion |
| Dynamic Island | Notch |
| Satellite comms | Yes |
| Battery life and charging | 26 hours video playback, Qi2, Up to 50% charge in 30 minutes18 with 20W adapter |
| Splash/water resistance | IP68 |
Apple wants all of its products to support Apple Intelligence. Other than the 10th generation iPad, all other products on Apple’s support Apple Intelligence.
Who should consider the iPhone 16e
A look at Apple’s obsolete and vintage products reveals that the iPhone 11, released in 2019, is the oldest device that’s still fully supported by Apple.
If you’re running an iPhone of that vintage, Apple will probably not have parts for repair or support you with software updates including security fixes.
That makes you an ideal candidate for an upgrade to the iPhone 16e or one of the other recent iPhone models.
If you have an iPhone 12, iPhone 13 or iPhone 14 the decision is less cut and dry. You have a phone that has some more time left under official support with spare parts and software updates. But Apple has a habit of adding new features that are only supported by newer hardware.
While Apple Intelligence clearly falls into that bucket, we saw the same with Stage Manager on some iPads. AirDrop, when it was introduced, only worked on Macs with a specific Wi-Fi chip.
As operating system support disappears for those older devices, you may find you get stuck on older apps that can’t be updated. I found this when the 2011 MacBook Air I have could no longer have newer versions of Microsoft Office installed.
Those older phones might work for phone calls and texting but, over time, software support will start to dwindle.
Where does this leave the iPhone 15?
If you have an iPhone 15 Pro, the case for an upgrade comes down to your desire to have a more recent device. Most of the current data suggests the majority of people are keeping their iPhones for about three years. And the iPhone 15 Pro supports Apple intelligence and the full gamut of iOS 18 features.
The iPhone 15, on the other hand, is a different proposition. It does not support Apple Intelligence and remains in the iPhone product range as it fills a price point.
- iPhone 16e: $999
- iPhone 15: $1249
- iPhone 16: $1399
- iPhone 16 Pro: $1799
(All prices are in AU dollars and represent the entry level specification for each model)
By the time you play with different capacities it means you can buy an iPhone at almost any price between the entry level iPhone 16e at $999 and a fully kitted out iPhone 16 Pro at $2849.
The iPhone 15 seems to be a fish out of water as it’s the only model in the ranger that does not support Apple Intelligence. If someone asked me what iPhone to buy today, I’d be excluding the iPhone 15 from my recommendations. It has less processor power, less battery life and less RAM than the iPhone 16e. And it costs $250 more.
The TL;DR
The iPhone 16e is for people looking for a modern iPhone that will last several years with support for current software features and are happy to forgo the latest camera tech, MagSafe and the option of a 6.7-inch display.
Anthony is the founder of Australian Apple News. He is a long-time Apple user and former editor of Australian Macworld. He has contributed to many technology magazines and newspapers as well as appearing regularly on radio and occasionally on TV.