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Many people on tech forums assume that Apple's market is only made up of people deep into tech and hang out on tech forums - just like them.

When in reality they're ordinary people in a huge variety of non-tech jobs... ie teachers, real estate agents, bakers, cops, retail sales people, bus drivers, CPAs, waiters, nurses/doctors, bank tellers, brick layers, pilots, and on and on and on. And have no idea (or care about) what a modem chip is. Or care about MagSafe.

Apple will sell many millions of 16e iPhones.
 
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I’ve ordered a 256gb 16e to replace an SE(2) from 2021. My iPhone is an accessory, not my main digital hub, and there a lot of people out there like me. Not a big existential question.
 
MagSafe is not a requirement to use the phone. It is a convenience many here and elsewhere have convinced themselves is a must, even though they used phones prior to MagSafe being invented. Amazing how what is essential to use gets distorted.
It’s also part of the qi2 standard since apple donated it, so it’s a little weird for apple’s first party entry level phone to be missing it while tons of new entry level android phones will have it - using the tech apple donated.

So is it a critical flaw? Prob not. Is it a head scratcher of an odd omission? Absolutely
 
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I get the feeling it's priced at $599 but you're not supposed to buy it for $599. Carrier promos on this thing will probably be exceptional.
 
So why does Apple include MagSafe at all instead of just selling stickers and cases? Apparently that wouldn’t be any loss.
So people like you pay more for the next higher tier iPhone. If they could sell you magsafe stickers for $50 they would.
 
It’s also part of the qi2 standard since apple donated it, so it’s a little weird for apple’s first party entry level phone to be missing it while tons of new entry level android phones will have it - using the tech apple donated.

So is it a critical flaw? Prob not. Is it a head scratcher of an odd omission? Absolutely
It's not more weird than nobody else using Qi2 even the standard was introduced more than a year ago. It's so unpopular that they had to water it down and introduce Qi2 Ready! LOL!
 
I get the feeling it's priced at $599 but you're not supposed to buy it for $599. Carrier promos on this thing will probably be exceptional.

Probably true, but it's undeniably a big price hike that trickles down, one way or another, no matter where on the price ladder one ends up getting it from.
 
Thanks for clarification. So for customers not using much mobile data this seems like an overkill. I know I shouldn't compare prices between countries but man, in Europe I pay ~$12 for 120 gigs.

Potentially overkill, yes. There are also unlimited plans available from other carriers that can be notably cheaper than AT&T plus limited data plans that are cheaper still.
 
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It's not more weird than nobody else using Qi2 even the standard was introduced more than a year ago. It's so unpopular that they had to water it down and introduce Qi2 Ready! LOL!
It’s almost like phone designs and product roadmaps are planned more than a year out.
 
I think it’ll deliver 95% of the experience of the regular 16 at 75% the cost. Unless you’re heavily invested in MagSafe or use the ultra wide camera a lot, it’s basically going to be the same experience as the regular 16. All the other differences (modem, WiFi support, Dynamic Island, etc) aren’t going to be meaningful or even perceptible to a huge % of users.
Hmm… do you think Apple would design a phone that would cannibalize a more expensive phone?
 
AT&T is offering this phone for $5.99 a month for 36 months without a trade in, which appears to be a good deal

But it is also offering $1,000 for my iPhone 14 Pro Max in any condition (my phone currently has a broken glass back) in a trade in for the iPhone 16 Pro, which would get me to a similar per month price.

Unfortunately, deals on other phones are just too good to really consider the 16e right now. It should really be free (or something like $200 split over 36 months) with a new contract. I imagine this phone will get to this price eventually.
That's the kicker which makes this budget phone pretty stupid to consider.
 
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Maybe I’m reading too much into these reviews, but it seems like these reviewers are being as negative as they can while still giving a positive review so they keep getting early phones.
 
For me I could get a good iPhone that would run for many years for significantly less. (iPhone14)
I could get a significantly better iPhone for not much more (iPhone 15 or 16)
It’s an OK device but it isn’t for me. For $599 it’s both not enough and too much.
iPhone 14 cost $599 before it was discontinued. Maybe there are good clearance deals now, while retailers clear out stock, but the base cost of the two devices was the same and--I assume--good deals on the 16e will be forthcoming.

as for the 15, it's not a better device than the 16e and certainly not "significantly" so. Each has advantages over the other, but the 16e is going to be supported longer with 33% more RAM and a processor that's two generations newer.

The 16 is clearly better, of course, since it's the next step up in the same generation. But it's 33%/$200 more expensive, which is a clear differentiation.
Hmm… do you think Apple would design a phone that would cannibalize a more expensive phone?
I think that for many years they have offered a variety of phones (and other devices) at different price points that appeal to different users. Upselling is certainly part of their strategy, but I believe they intend to sell this device to people who weren't seriously considering the 16 or 16 Pro.
 
i don’t support the refurb/close out 15 Pro as an alternative. that phone isn’t being manufactured anymore and has its own issues like overheating. i can accept the 16e price but the storage upgrade cost on a budget phone makes it a no.
 
When I got the 12 mini i got mag safe chargers and outfitted my life workflow with them. Apple not including it in the 16E is the device’s biggest failure - especially when every other phone has it. Apple has truly abandoned the user base that wants a smaller phone at a smaller price, because they don’t want everything else. Not sure if its greed, stupidity or a mixture of both - but the 12 Mini might be my last iPhone.
 
No its not worth $599, maybe $400 but not in the $500 range

It's worth it if you want a new iPhone.

Think about it as an insurance: you pay a few extra hundred dollars to avoid Android. It's important regular people can insure themselves against life-impacting catastrophic events.
 
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