This week saw the hotly-anticipated launch of the new iOS mid-ranger – though with a new starting price of $600/€700/ £600/₹60,000 (128GB storage), “mid-ranger” no longer sounds true. To be fair, this isn’t a new iPhone SE (the last one started at $430 for a 64GB phone).
Apple iPhone 16e
This is the Apple iPhone 16e. It’s iPhone 16 hardware – a binned Apple A18 chip and just the 48MP main camera from the back – stuffed inside an iPhone 14-style body and using the same 6.1” 60Hz OLED display with a notched Face ID (Touch ID is gone from the phone).
The iPhone SE (2022) is no longer available from Apple, which is bad news for those who liked the SE for its size (and also for those who liked it for its price). Here is a size comparison table. In short, the iPhone 16e is the same size as the 16 and noticeably bigger than the SE and the (similarly deprecated) mini.
| iPhone SE (2022) | iPhone 13 mini | iPhone 16e | iPhone 16 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Screen | 4.7” | 5.4” | 6.1” | 6.1” |
| Height | 138.4mm | 131.5mm | 146.7mm | 147.6mm |
| Width | 67.3mm | 64.2mm | 71.5mm | 71.6mm |
| Thickness | 7.3mm | 7.7mm | 7.8mm | 7.8mm |
| Weight | 144g | 141g | 167g | 170g |
But you know what is still available? The iPhone 15 starts at $700 for a 128GB phone, $100 more than the 16e. The display size and resolution is effectively the same, though on the 15 there is a small Dynamic Island instead of a wide notch. The display is also brighter (2,000 nits peak vs. 1,000 nits), but it is still a 60Hz panel. For reference, the regular iPhone 16 starts at $800 (128GB), which is another $100 jump up.
Apple made sure to let everyone know that the iPhone 16e supports Apple Intelligence (the rollout of which has been anything but fast). The iPhone 15 isn’t getting Apple’s AI features. While you lose AI and overall performance, you do get a 12MP ultra-wide camera, UWB for smart tags and proper MagSafe support (15W vs. 7.5W Qi without magnets).
What do you think of the Apple iPhone 16e? Just what you were waiting for or is it too big or pricey (or both)? Would you stay on or buy an older iPhone model instead of the 16e?
