I think that unconsciously, iOS 26 is like a bad, janky, unoptimsied dream and my mind is now focussed on 27!
iOS 26? It never happened!
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Gurman: iPhone 17e Launch 'Imminent' With Four New Features
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iOS 26? It never happened!
I'd also say that if you've never had some of the modern 'nice to have but not essential' features, you can't miss what you never had (promotion & the Dynamic Island pill etc.).
AndreaMaietta
macrumors newbie
The iPhone 16e has shown varied sales performance since its release. In its first partial quarter, it captured 7% of US iPhone sales, rising to 11% in its first full quarter of availability. In Europe, it was the ninth best-selling smartphone in March, accounting for 8% of Apple's total iPhone sales in the region.
Comments on here never mirror reality its just laughable how some of you think because you don't like or think it makes sense its a fail. same nonsense with the Air, you all really believe any of these phones have failed all the while apple is taking top ten spots globally while other manufacturers are slowing in sales
Comments on here never mirror reality its just laughable how some of you think because you don't like or think it makes sense its a fail. same nonsense with the Air, you all really believe any of these phones have failed all the while apple is taking top ten spots globally while other manufacturers are slowing in sales
AndreaMaietta
macrumors newbie
i dont think 27 is going to dramatically change what you dont like about 26
Indeed, I think its audience is upgrading mostly from old school design iPhone like 8/SE2/SE3 and to a lesser extend XR/11 or from midrange android ofc. It's also great first phone for kids, simple and reliable. I think in the 16 series lineup the base model is the worst one because it's substantially more expansive than 16e and still 60hz, 128GB and meh battery life. Except if you value a lot ultrawide/magsafe ofc. Base 17 and 16e and their current pricing have made base 16 non sense.
Tenkaykev
macrumors 6502
Double negative 🤔
aespana
macrumors 6502
That's the reason of why I ditched the iPhone and went to Android. iOS 27-28-29 probably won't fix the main problem with this iOS26+, Liquid Glass.
I don't think the iPhone 16e is a bad phone but once you taste a 120hz screen, you can't go back
jarman92
macrumors 68020
I have yet to see a convincing explanation for why Apple left out MagSafe. Definitely one of the most puzzling unforced errors I can recall from Apple.
Not an error, but deliberate to push people towards getting an iPhone 16.
AppleTO
macrumors 65832
iOS 26 was a complete overhaul. There won’t be any significant changes for years. It won’t get any less “janky”.
Apple: well, we hear you, here's the 17 Pro... it's only $100 more... and will give ultra wide, telezoom, much better battery life, etc 😉
Either way, you're considering the 17 or the 17 Pro, not the cheapest 17e, so Apple's strategy already worked out for them 😉
Outside of enterprise sales, an extra $200 is a lot of money for many people.
As soon as people realise iPhone 16e and 17e are there to sell people up to iPhone 16 and 17 it would make a lot more sense.
Instead people want Apple to sell iPhone 17 alike spec at $599.
I just wish Apple make iPhone 17e mini, 5.8" and sell it at $499.
HappyMBAowner
macrumors regular
I bought the 16e and regretted it after a very short while. It's mainly the photographic features that I missed the most. If the portrait and 0,5X are still missing on the 17e, I'll change my 16e for a 16 'reg' or 'pro' instead. Why not the 17 'reg'? I don't know yet.
Mr. Nice
macrumors regular
Many people used to be like that.
Nowadays, more people are saying:
I'm too old and tired for that crap.
The 17 with 256 is enough for me.😎
Why is Ciara catching a stray here? 🥴They should just make the iPhone Air the new iPhone 17e.
I'm sure they have plenty of stock.
jarman92
macrumors 68020
Eh I don't think so...then why make the 16e at all? And I don't think there's any subset of potential entry-level customer that would even be aware of, let alone care about, MagSafe.
sleep/to/dream
Suspended
Never seen one in the wild. It’s probably due to all the corporate sales, my employer has always used SEs, and I’m sure the 16e has taken over that role now. As @Falco McGregor mentioned, a basic phone with many years of software support is exactly what IT departments are looking for
Exactly, so that's why it was a deliberate decision not to include MagSafe. Entry-level consumers don't care. The phone is for the budget-conscious consumer and obviously for businesses.
So why are they adding it now?
The difference between the 16 and 16e wasn't that huge. Last year, potential regular iPhone 16 customers likely did care about MagSafe. If the 16e had MagSafe as well, than users might be enticed to actually downgrade and spend less. After all, they would basically only lose out on an ultrawide angle camera and the dynamic island.
This year, consumers will be comparing the iPhone 17 to the 17e. Sure, the 17e will now have MagSafe, but downgrading to a 17e would suddenly mean losing out on stuff like the AOD 120 Hz display.
So why not permanently ditch MagSafe?
Well, Apple's goal is to always improve the product a little bit each year. They need people to keep buying new products. What's easier and cheaper than adding a feature that's already been on other iPhones for years and that likely has very high margins.
The 16e (and soon the 17e) is exactly that: a mixture of iPhone components from older generations. High margins, not too much R&D, easy to do yearly upgrades so there's always "a new budget iPhone" for any customer.
Primarily for the enterprise and international markets. And if they catch some people in the U.S. who otherwise would buy a low-end or lower-mid line Android phone, great.
It’s not an Apple thing.
The term is Decoy Pricing, and it’s prevalent in your everyday things, including your coffee prices. Businesses use it all the time.