Apple’s iPhone 16e – available from tomorrow – offers many of the features that most buyers would want in a new smartphone, including a powerful processor that supports the latest AI tools, a big screen, lots of storage, Face ID and long battery life.
In some corners of social media, it’s become quite a sport to point out what’s missing in the 16e next to the 16 and 16 Pro models.
But that’s missing the point. The 16e was never going to feature all of the frills available on the full-blooded 16s – that’s why, at least by in the Apple universe, it’s a low-cost model. The 16e is priced from $1199 – or a third cheaper than the iPhone 16 ($1599) and only a third the price of a fully tricked-out iPhone 16 Pro Max ($3199).
Here’s what’s onboard, and what’s not – and why it’s worth buying if your wallet won’t stretch to a full-blooded 16.
The A18. This is Apple’s latest silicon and the same processor that powers the more expensive models in the iPhone 16 series. Apple says it’s 80% faster than the iPhone 11 – that is, the model it released in 2019 – with the grunt to smoothly display console level games like Resident Evil 4.
Apple Intelligence: The A18 means the 16e has the grunt to run Apple Intelligence or Apple’s suite of AI tools - where horsepower matters because Apple does as much AI processing on your handset as possible as part of a series of privacy measures that experts say run several steps ahead of rivals.
A 6.1-inch display: The last iPhone SE, released three years ago, was the last Apple handset to fit the original mantra that the display should be thumbable. If you’re coming from the 4.7in SE, the 16e’s 6.1in display will feel roomy – and it uses the same Super Retina XDR technology as the iPhone 16 (also a 6.1-incher), 16 Pro (6.3in), 16 Plus (6.7in) and 16 Pro Max (6.9in). There are nuances. The 16e has peak brightness of 1200 nits, while the pricier 16 series models reach 2000 nits. In my short stint so far, I’ve found the 16e bright enough to read outdoors in sunlight.
A 48 megapixel camera: The single 48MP rear camera is billed as a 2-in-1 model that offers “optical quality” 2x zoom. There’s also a 12MP front camera. You also get the same new AI smarts in the photo software as the more expensive models, including Clean Up, which lets you highlight a person or object or cat in a photo with a finger swipe, then remove them. Like its rivals, it’s not magic; the best results need a plain or at least visually consistent background. 48MP is the same maximum resolution offered on the other 16 models, and you can shoot 4K video at 60 frames per second for professional-grade video.
Visual Intelligence - seen here getting a workout in my back garden - can partners ChatGPT and Google to tell you more about an object you've pointed your iPhone 16e's camera at.
Starlink Direct to Cell support: This feature is specific to New Zealand, and just a handful of other countries where Space’s Starlink Direct to Cell feature has been enabled. Here, One NZ is the exclusive carrier and it markets the service as One NZ Satellite TXT. It allows you to send a text from an area that’s a mobile blackspot, as long as you’ve got line-of-sight to the sky. Voice and data via satellite are promised later this year. One NZ confirms the 16e will be added to its Starlink lineup, but says several weeks of field tests will have to be completed first.
SOS via Satellite: You also get support for emergency text messages, or sharing your location by satellite (which is relatively recent but has already proved its chops in real life, helping to save the lives of two hikers stranded in Arthur’s Pass). Other safety features include crash detection and automatically contacting emergency services in the event of a crash. This feature runs over the GlobalStar network, of which Apple is a part-owner – and which includes satellite components made by Rocket Lab’s space services division.
E-sim support: You can insert a physical sim card into a 16e – or you can transfer its number to the phone’s electronic sim or “e-sim”. E-sim support also means you can have two phone numbers on the one handset – say, one for work, one for home – and it makes it easier to grab a temporary local number when you’re travelling overseas, which can be the cheapest roaming option. (I’ve had some questions on the ins and outs of e-sims, and will have more on that shortly)
An Action button: The same physical button that was added to all the 16 series (it’s been with the Pros since the 15). You can use it for mute (that is the function of the older slide it replaces) or customise it to trigger one of any array of features including the torch, camera, record a memo or open the app of your choice. Since the 16e can run Apple Intelligence, I set it to trigger Visual Intelligence – which can be used for pointing your camera at a flower to see its species (or restaurant exterior to see its menu and so forth).
A quality finish: You get the same aluminium and glass fish as the iPhone 16 (the Pro and Pro Max models step up to titanium), and the same level of water and dust-proofing as the more expensive models in the 16 series.
Apple’s first in-house 5G modem: 5G support is nothing new, so why do you care? Wireless radios are huge battery hogs. Apple says designing this component inhouse for the first time means the iPhone 16e has its most power-efficient cellular modem ever – helping to underpin lengthy battery life. Claimed video playback is a chunky 26 hours, or more than twice the SE (the iPhone 16 is 27 hours, the 16 Pro offers up to 33 hours). As I type I’ve only had a 16e for a couple of days, but in regular you can go beyond a full day before charging.
What’s not
An ultrawide lens: The most striking visual difference between the 16e and the models in the 16 series is that it has only one rear camera, with no option to shoot ultrawide or up to 5X optical zoom that you get with the dedicated additional lenses on models higher up the 16 food chain (the Pro models can also shoot video at up to 120fps to the 16e and 16′s 60fps). But that’s not something you’ll miss if you’re upgrading from the SE or another cheaper smartphone. You don’t get the 16 Pro and Pro Max models’ new array of four microphones either – which is something professionals could miss.
MagSafe charging: iPhone 16e also lacks MagSafe compatibility, so you won’t be able to use MagSafe car mounts or chargers to magnetically mount your phone. (The 16e does support wireless charging, but only slower 7.5W speeds and wireless chargers won’t magnetically attach to the phone.)
Dynamic Island: Since the 14 Pro, new iPhones have featured the Dynamic Island, which displays an animation – related to the app you’re currently using – to mask the front camera and sensor. The 16e has the old-style dark notch obscuring part of the top of its display.
A camera button: There’s no dedicated Camera Control button, as featured in the other models in the 16 range, although the action button can be set to trigger the camera (although it doesn’t have the nuance of the dedicated Camera Control button which, fear finger slides and pressure, can be used for switching between still and video and controlling exposure and zoom).
A Lightning connector: the SE was the last Apple device to feature a Lightning connector. The new 16 has a USB-C jack, so SE owners might need to get a converter for some of their accessories (third-party converters sell for under $10).
An array of finishes: your choice of iPhone 16e is literally black or white, although Apple has also released a range of 16e silicone cases in winter blue, fuchsia, lake green, black, and white.
A terabyte of storage: the 16e comes in 128GB ($1199, 250GB ($1399) and 500GB ($1799) versions. A terabyte (1000GB) can only be found a couple of runs up the iPhone foodchain with a 16 Pro or Pro Max. But remember – just a few years ago, 500GB was outrageous for a laptop, let alone a handset.
A home physical button: the SE was the only remaining iPhone to feature a physical home button, which had its fans. The 16-e’s display occupies everything inside the bevel. That allows for more screen real estate and SE upgrades will find they can get “home” in a fraction of a second with an upward swipe. Welcome to the 2020s.
Chris Keall is an Auckland-based member of the Herald’s business team. He joined the Herald in 2018 and is the technology editor and a senior business writer.
