iPhone 16e Launched: Everything You Need to Know
After over a year of rumors, Apple has finally unveiled its fourth-generation affordable iPhone, albeit not called theiPhone SE 4butinstead the iPhone 16e. Launched via press release, not at a physical event as previously expected, the iPhone 16e comes with an iPhone 14-like design and modern specifications. Here are the full iPhone 16e features and specifications.
iPhone 16e: Features and Specifications
Design and Display
The iPhone 16e features a major design revamp. It has a flat-edged aluminum chassis with a matte back. The front does away with the home button and Touch ID, opting instead for Face ID within the notch. The dimensions are exactly the same as the iPhone 14’s, meaning Apple has used the same chassis here.
The new iPhone comes in two matte color options: black and white. There’s no PRODUCT(RED) option this time, unlike the last-generation model. While the design is familiar, the phone does look premium and has a nostalgic feel to it (iPhone XR users will relate). Apple has retained the IP68 rating here.
And while there’s noCamera Control buttonhere (thank goodness!), you will find theAction buttonabove the volume rockers. Use it to toggle the flashlight, open apps, or perform any other function on your iPhone.
The iPhone 16e is equipped with a6.1-inch OLED display with a 2532 x 1170 resolutionat 460 ppi. It supports HDR, Haptic Touch, and True Tone. It also boasts a typical peak brightness of 800 nits and can reach 1200 nits in HDR.
Unfortunately, the refresh rate remains at 60Hz, which is a bit disappointing but not unexpected for a budget-focused iPhone. In comparison, the iPhone SE 3 had a smaller 4.7-inch LCD with a 750 × 1334 resolution.
Performance and Features
The iPhone is powered by the latestA18 chip with a new 6-core CPU with 2 performance and 4 efficiency cores, a new 4-core GPU, and a new 16-core Neural Engine. It’s worth noting that theA18 chip in the iPhone 16has a 5-core GPU, so Apple has reduced the GPU core count by one in the iPhone 16e to cut costs.
Regardless, the processor is based on the latest 3nm process and offers the best performance you can get for the price. The device has 8GB of RAM and comes in 128GB, 256GB, and 512GB storage options.
Apple Intelligence featuresare standard here. This also means it’s now the most affordable iPhone with AI features, replacing the iPhone 16. You get theCleanup toolto remove objects from photos, a new context-aware Siri, Writing Tools,Genmojifor creating emojis using AI,Image Playgroundfor image generation, and more.
The iPhone 16e sheds those extra camera lenses to settle back again with a single rear camera. It’s a48-megapixel Fusion Camerawith 26mm, f/1.6 aperture, and OIS, and can capture 24-megapixel and 48-megapixel photos.
It also enables a 12-megapixel 2x telephoto at 52mm, f/1.6 aperture (cropping the higher resolution into the equivalent of 2x zoom) and supports up to 10x digital zoom.
The camera supports Night Mode, Photographic Styles, Deep Fusion, and Smart HDR 5. It can record 4K at 60 fps max, 1080p Dolby Vision at up to 60 fps, and slow-motion video for 1080p at 120 fps or 240 fps.
For selfies and Face ID, there’s a24-megapixel camerawith an f/1.9 aperture in the front notch. It supports autofocus, Night Mode, and can record 4K video at up to 60 fps. To recall, the third-generation iPhone SE had a 12-megapixel rear and 7-megapixel selfie camera.
Battery and Charging
Using the iPhone 14 chassis allows for a larger battery capacity than what older SE models could fit in. Apple hasn’t mentioned the official figures, but it’s said tolast longer than the iPhone 16’s battery.
Apple says it can play videos for up to 26 hours, stream videos online for up to 21 hours, and play audio for up to 90 hours. The iPhone 16, for instance, is rated at 22 hours for video playback, 18 hours for online video playback, and 80 hours for audio streaming.
Charging speeds remain at 20W, the same as the iPhone 16. you’re able to use a compatible 20W PD charger to charge it to 50% in about 30 minutes. You can also charge it wirelessly using Qi charging at up to 7.5W. There’sno MagSafe charging here, which means MagSafe cases and accessories won’t work as nicely.
Connectivity
The iPhone 16e supports Dual SIM, VoLTE, Wi-Fi Calling, Spatial Audio, GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, QZSS, BeiDou and NavIC, a digital compass, 5G sub-6GHz and NR, Wi‑Fi 6 (802.11ax) with 2×2 MIMO, Bluetooth 5.3, and NFC with Reader mode.
Apple is using its ownApple C1 modemhere, which helps with better battery life. However, we still do not know how well it will work in comparison to Qualcomm’s modem used on other iPhones. Unfortunately, Apple hasgotten rid of the ultrawide band chipto cut costs.
iPhone 16e: Quick Overview
Here are iPhone 16e specifications at a glance:
iPhone 16e: Pricing and Availability
The iPhone 16e price in the US starts at$599for the base model with 128GB of storage. The 256GB model will set you back$699, while the 512GB storage variant is priced at$899.
In India, the iPhone 16e starts at₹59,900for the 128GB model. The 256GB and 512GB models are priced at₹69,900and₹89,900, respectively.
The device will be available in two matte finishes: black and white. Colorful cases are available as separate accessories. Pre-orders will beginFebruary 21stat 5:00 AM PST or 6:30 PM IST, and the phone will start shipping on February 28th.
The starting price for the iPhone 16e base model is about $200 lower than the starting price of the iPhone 16, which is good considering it brings the latest processor, AI features, and other updates, albeit within a familiar design.
You might also consider this as a replacement for people who would otherwise have picked older iPhone 14 and 15 on discount, not because it offers any major improvements, but because it’s simply more future-proof than the outgoing models.
Ritik Singh
With over 7 years of experience in tech, Ritik currently heads content at Techwiser.com. His journey started by sharing knowledge and helping others in online communities. That passion soon turned into a career in tech journalism, backed by a formal education in Electronic Media. He’s held editorial roles at GadgetsToUse and PC-Tablet, and has contributed to popular publications like HowToGeek and TheWindowsClub. With over 2,000 how-tos, reviews, and in-depth guides under his belt, Ritik has helped millions of readers get more out of their tech—from smartphones to smart homes.
