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Spectrum was offering me a 15PM for less than a 16 base so I am trading in my 12pro instead of paying to replace the battery.

Maybe by iPhone 18 Apple will have sorted out AI and I will upgrade again.
 
I would recommend spending a bit more and getting the normal 16 instead of the 16e. Maybe if possible, better to wait till the 17 series launches and then buy a 17 or get iPhone 16 at a discount.
 
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14 to 16 does seem like a side grade.

Speaking as a former iPhone 13 user who upgraded to the 16e:

It’s significantly faster in every day use with way better photos. Battery life is off the charts better than the 13. It’s really really good. Screen seems the same. It’s way lighter too.

I’m happy with my upgrade but I think the big clue is on the iPhone 13 product page where the 12 is the latest iphone in the comparison tools there, hint hint.

And that in the product launch video they enthusiastically pushed monthly carrier deals as a way to get the 16e, hint hint.

In the end, I think that the 16e is the kind of iPhone that you get when your previous iPhone starts to feel slow or breaks & you pay for it via your carrier for 36 months (because you’re not going to upgrade again until it breaks).

And suffice to say it’s for people who want a modern new iPhone athletic takes good photos… and their requirements end there.

I got it simply because the features on the latest regular iPhone 17 felt nice to have and I didn’t want to pay all that extra for them - and the 16e is the mvp of the modern iPhone.

Nor did I want to carry all that weight in my pocket that the iPhone plus and pros have.

Happy to wait until the iPhone air 2nd gen and this will do fine in the meantime.
 
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Does the 16e not include UWB?
It doesn’t have the U1 ultra-wideband chip but if you have an Apple Watch 6 or later (excluding SE), those all have one. And the 16e can connect to Verizon’s confusingly named ultra-wideband 5GUW.
 
Well, I have been using an SE2 (???...the 2020 version) that I bought from Apple new in July of 2021. I am feeling itchy to get a new phone, but need to keep reminding myself I am years removed from being a "heavy" user of phones. I actually use mine for calls and texting, very little data use as I am always near wifi.

The 16e tempted me for a minute, but I decided I'm waiting til the 17 series phones are released this Fall. Any new phone I get likely will be with me for a minimum of 5 years.
 
It is all about real life demands... and rational choice without becoming slave of apple´s Marketing....

I purchased a iP 14 plus and could not be happier with it. IMHO todays benefit from AI for smartphones is extremely overestimated and just even its correctly implementation in the IOS without problems and lots of bugs will still last some years.

I will stay with my 14Plus for at least 2-3 years and perhaps invest in a battery if necessary so instead of purchasing a new model. Dont need more technical gimmicks.


I think apple permanently underestimated that part of their customers who make their decisions in a very rational way…
For me, as an example, I need and purchase a smartphone which is just…

- reliable
- NOT overequipped and overpriced
- but has the option of large scale SSD inside
- has a high ergonomic level for users (as much self-explaining functions as possible)
- has an excellent function also in regions with critical quality of the network-cell
- has a damn long battery life (at least 24h) without charging (= big battery)
- has a screen not too large, but big enough to be able to read and write in a comfortable way… 6.7 " is perfect.
- but is still easy to put in your pocket
- a good photo-sensor and app, but…
- one or at most two lenses are far enough
- not all the useless electronic bling-bling of the expensive iP versions which…
- just need more energy and therefore often present shorter battery life and risk more hardware/software problems (for example: The (max)pro versions have a shorter battery life than the PLUS versions of each iPhone generation. apple doesn’t tell you that, so most people didn’t realize yet… )


I purchased the first and second gen. iPhone SE because this was the best compromise at that time, had to accept as downside that the screen was too little.

I remember the discussion in this forum BEFORE the SE came even up, if a reduced but comfortable iPhone would even have big enough market and if there are even people who would like an iPhone like that?

I said „YES !!!“ and was absolutely sure that there is a much greater potential and many millions of customers who are looking for an iPhone like something we discussed…

After the SE hit the market, they could not even produce enough SE since the demand was nothing but overwhelming…

And I was perfectly happy as apple just understood that a (technically inside) „SE“-type of iPhone with a bigger screen and more battery life is a perfect product for customers with rational buying-decisions…

They want efficient iPhones - technically and economically and also reliable ones.
This market will grow further since everything that is worth to use already exists in the basic versions of the Smartphones.
And because worldwide the economy as such and the will to buy more and more expensive Smartphones has reached its limitations for more and more customers.
 
iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus (2022)iPhone 16e (2025)
Aluminum chassis with squared-off edgesAluminum chassis with contoured edges
I don't think the 16e has contoured edges, as it used the same iPhone 14 chasis, not iPhone 15/16
 
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