On Wednesday morning, Apple unveiled the iPhone 16e, now the most budget-friendly model in the company's current lineup. This new entry replaces the 2022 iPhone SE as the "affordable" option, marking a notable shift from the substantial discount the older SE line was known for. The iPhone 16e starts at $599, significantly closing the gap with the $799 iPhone 16 released last fall. Pre-orders for the iPhone 16e begin on Friday, Feb. 21, with the official release following the next week on Friday, Feb. 28.

The iPhone 16e is the first to feature Apple’s C1 cellular modem. Apple has enjoyed great success with its in-house chips, such as the M1 series in its computers and the A-series in its mobile devices. The cellular modem is a crucial yet often overlooked component in smartphones. If Apple has not perfected the C1, it could lead to various connectivity issues. Hopefully, Apple has learned from the "Antennagate" scandal—when the iPhone 4 faced cell signal problems due to antenna design and placement—and ensured the iPhone 16e's connectivity is robust.

iPhone 16e

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From the front, the iPhone 16e looks nearly identical to the iPhone 14. It features a 6.1-inch OLED display with a 2532x1170 resolution and a peak brightness of 1,200 nits. While this isn't as sharp or bright as the iPhone 16, the iPhone 16e does include the Action button and a USB-C port, though it lacks the Camera Control feature.

On the back, the iPhone 16e stands out with its single 48MP camera, reminiscent of the iPhone SE. This sensor shares many traits with the main camera of the current iPhone 16, but Apple reserves certain features for the higher-end model, such as sensor-shift stabilization, the latest Photographic styles, and the ability to adjust focus in portrait mode. The selfie camera remains the same and introduces Face ID to the iPhone 16e.

The phone's construction features an aluminum frame, a glass back, and Apple’s Ceramic Shield on the front. While Apple touts Ceramic Shield as "tougher than any smartphone glass" in its press release, it's important to note that a newer version of Ceramic Shield claims to be "two times tougher than any smartphone glass." This raises questions about the durability of the older Ceramic Shield used on the iPhone 16e, especially considering the wear and tear observed on the iPhone 16 during reviews.

The internals of the iPhone 16e showcase Apple's product stratification strategy. While the iPhone 16 and 16 Pro models feature the A18 Pro chip with enhanced speeds and more GPU cores, the iPhone 16e comes with an "A18" chip. Although it has the same number of CPU cores as the iPhone 16, it only includes a 4-core GPU, compared to the iPhone 16’s 5-core GPU. This suggests a performance step down from the iPhone 16, yet the inclusion of the Neural Engine ensures access to Apple Intelligence features.

The iPhone 16e, priced at $599, represents a compromise to achieve a lower price point than other models in Apple’s lineup. While it doesn't seem overly compromised, it lacks the significant discount seen with earlier iPhone SE models. The 2022 iPhone SE, for instance, launched at $429 with the same chip as the then $799 iPhone 13, offering a nearly 50% discount despite its dated design. The iPhone 16e, based on a design just a couple of years old, may struggle to attract buyers outside the Apple ecosystem, especially with compelling Android alternatives like the OnePlus 13R available around $600.