Apple has finally revealed the iPhone 16e after months of rumours and speculation, heralding the end of the line for the iPhone SE (2022), and thus its end as the cheapest option in Apple’s range.
The iPhone 16e isn’t designed to be a direct follow-up to the SE, but rather is an upgraded ‘budget’ version of Apple’s smartphones.
Essentially, they’ve taken the baseline iPhone 16, with much of the same internals, and given it an older casing with a single camera setup, taken away some of the extra bits that make the more expensive iPhones worth the price and branded it the light version.
It’s not an unheard of practice. The likes of Samsung and Google do the exact same thing, bringing out a budget version of their flagship line a few months after the main line.
Apple’s SE lines were somewhat separate from the main lines, despite having a lot of the same internals, but were not released yearly along with the main line. That is potentially where the 16e will begin the new norm for Apple, following the lead of their main competitors.
iPhone 16e specs
As mentioned, the iPhone 16e has the guts of a baseline 16 with an older casing. From that, you can expect a solid, good running device but one that may not be the choice for camera enthusiasts.
It features the latest iOS, which on release will be iOS 18.3.1, and will also support Apple Intelligence.
iPhone 16e | iPhone 16 | iPhone SE (3rd Gen, 2022) | |
| Dimensions (HxWxD, mm) | 146.7 x 71.5 x 7.8 | 147.6 x 71.6 x 7.8 | 138.4 x 67.3 x 7.3 |
| Weight | 167g | 170g | 144g |
| Display | Super Retina XDR OLED, HDR10, 1200 nits peak brightness, 1170 x 2532 pixel resolution, ~457 ppi density, 19.5:9 ratio | Super Retina XDR OLED, HDR10, Dolby Vision, 2000 nits peak brightness, 1179 x 2556 pixel resolution, ~460 ppi density, 19.5:9 ratio | Retina IPS LCD, 625 nits peak brightness, 1334x750 pixel resolution, ~326 ppi density, 16:9 ratio
|
| Rear/main camera | Single camera
| Dual camera
| Single camera
|
| Front/selfie camera | 12MP, f/1.9 | 12MP, f/1.9 | 7MP, f/2.2 |
| Video resolution (rear) | 4K at 24/25/30/60 fps 1080p at 25/30/60/120/240 fps | 4K at 24/25/30/60 fps 1080p at 25/30/60/120/240 fps | 4K at 24/30/60fps 1080p at 30/60/120/240fps |
| Video Resolution (front) | 4K at 24/25/30/60 fps 1080p at 25/30/60/120 fps | 4K at 24/25/30/60 fps 1080p at 25/30/60/120 fps | 1080p at 30/120 fps |
| Chipset | Apple A18 | Apple A18 | Apple A15 Bionic |
| Memory | 8GB | 8GB | 4GB |
| Storage | 128GB, 256GB, 512GB | 128GB, 256GB, 512GB | 64GB, 128GB, 256GB |
| Battery | 3279mAh (rumoured) | 3561mAh | 2018mAh |
| Price | 128GB = £599 256GB = £699 512GB = £899 | 128GB = £799 256GB = £899 512GB = £1099 | £429 (last listed price on Apple) |
Comparing the iPhone 16e with the baseline iPhone 16 and its predecessor iPhone SE, we can see that the 16e is definitely a big upgrade on the device it is replacing and does seem to keep up with the baseline 16.
The first real noticeable difference between the 16e and the 16 is the camera. The 16e features just a single camera setup as opposed to the dual camera setup on the 16, however that single wide camera lens matches that on the 16.
You may also notice the slight difference in displays; the 16e lacks the Dolby Vision found on the 16, plus it does not have as high peak brightness, which would be slightly noticeable if comparing the two devices while outside when the sun is shining brightest.
Another difference to point out is the battery size, with the 16e supposedly not having as large a battery, although this is rumoured as of now.
Price vs competition
The final thing to point out should be the price, as there has been some contention as to Apple’s pricing point for the 16e considering it is replacing the SE as the brands cheapest offering.
The SE is now not available to purchase on the Apple site, but it was last listed at £429 for the 64GB storage option. In comparison, the 16e is available for pre-order now at £599 for the 128GB storage option.
The baseline 16 is priced from £799, so most definitely if you’re not too bothered with the features that the 16e lacks it seems like a clear choice.
As we say, though, there has been contention since Apple has upped the prices of their ‘budget’ device quite considerably.
On the surface, the difference in price doesn’t like appealing for the 16e. But when you compare it to its counterparts from two of Apple’s biggest competitors in Samsung and Google, it’s actually fairer than some may realise.
Samsung and Google are yet to bring out the cheaper versions of their latest flagship range so the comparison made below is made from their previous generations’ lite phones (Samsung Galaxy S24 FE and Google Pixel 8a)
Apple iPhone 16e
- 128GB – £599
- 256GB – £699
- 512GB – £899
Samsung Galaxy S24 FE
- 128GB – £649
- 256GB – £699
Google Pixel 8a
- 128GB – £499
- 256GB – £599
Looking at the comparisons doesn’t seem that bad for Apple in our opinion. It seems as though they have gone to match Samsung’s offering with price, providing a cheaper device for the lower storage option but matching them for the 256GB.
What Apple offers that the other two do not is three storage options, going up to 512GB. This does come at a hefty £200 price jump, though, which is rather on par for Apple’s offerings.
Google has been known for offering the best ‘budget’ smartphone, with the 8a regarded as one of the best phones of 2024 given that it matches the baseline Pixel 8 in many ways while at a very appealing price.
The iPhone 16e is similar in that way but Apple decided not join Google with a lower price point.
Overall, in terms of how it stacks up against the iPhone SE, and you can see a clear upgrade. In our opinion, Apple are doing the right thing by joining their competitors by offering a lower-priced version of their flagship range, despite the price tag not being all that fanciful.
