On February 19, Apple debuted what it called a “powerful new member of the iPhone 16 family.” Which was a shock to anyone who’d been waiting for the iPhone SE 4. Really, this new iPhone 16e was trying to be both of those things – and I’m unconvinced it succeeds at being either.
The problem? Apple stuck with the SE formula of mashing together current-gen tech and cost-saving measures. The iPhone 16e has Apple’s latest A18 chip (minus one GPU core, naturally) and a 48MP camera. But then there are the missing bits: no Camera Control, no macro photography, no Dynamic Island, and no MagSafe.
The whole point of the SE line, for me anyway, was that it was (kind of) affordable and smaller than other smartphones. The 16e? It’s a little bigger than the SE 3 (and a lot bigger than the dearly departed iPhone mini.) And it’s way more expensive. We’re talking a whopping 40% price hike. That’s going to sting, especially in emerging markets.
Now, I’m not saying this is a disaster. Value is relative. Within the specific confines of the iPhone ecosystem, it holds up to some degree. (Just don’t compare it to a $600 Android phone, unless you want a harsh reality check.)
Probably also don’t store two iPhones like this unless you like scratched screens.
To be fair, over the iPhone SE 3, the 16e does net you a much bigger, sharper, brighter screen. It’s way faster. The camera’s a big leap forward. And there’s USB-C, Face ID, and double the storage. It stacks up well against the iPhone 15 too, being $100/£100 cheaper, yet packing a more powerful chip, better battery life, and an Action button. The only real benefits to the iPhone 15 are Dynamic Island and an ultra-wide camera. It can’t even support Apple Intelligence – although maybe that’s a plus?
Things start to unravel when you put the 16e next to its own ‘family.’ The iPhone 16 is the closest the regular iPhone has ever been to Pro models. And the 16e initially doesn’t feel that far off the 16, with similar power, superior battery life, and the same main camera. But it’s the only member of the iPhone 16 family without Camera Control, spatial and macro photography, and MagSafe. And it doesn’t even look like an iPhone 16, thanks to its inferior display requiring a notch rather than supporting Dynamic Island.
The whole thing screams Apple priorities. The company is obsessed with getting everyone using Apple Intelligence. That’s the thing it’s making consistent. More than similar displays. More than MagSafe, which is insane when you realize you have to go all the way back to the iPhone 11, released in 2019, to find a non-MagSafe iPhone. That’s a decision people won’t love.
I’m curious to see what’s next. An iPhone 17e next year? And then would the 16e stick around, making Apple’s iPhone line-up even more confusing? Who knows? But two things are certain: small phones are dead to Apple. And so are genuinely affordable ones.