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I'm a little confused... so the new iPhone 16e can't do this? I've been using my old iPhone 12 Mini to unlock/lock doors and start the engine in my BMW for a couple of years. Can imagine getting a new phone that doesn't allow this.... :(
Yes the iPhone 12 has features that the iPhone 16e doesn't even have like magsafe also... which means it's a bad phone...

I was thinking of buying this phone as an additional iPhone which I could use for betas, Xcode simulators... but for 600$ no way.
 
I wonder if Apple will update this e version every year
at this price point they would have to. The 16E makes sense today, but won't once the 17 drops and the 16 gets discounted by $100.

I'm thinking they're moving away from the SE 2-3 year lifecycle, and copying samsung's FE yearly cycle.
 
at this price point they would have to. The 16E makes sense today, but won't once the 17 drops and the 16 gets discounted by $100.

I'm thinking they're moving away from the SE 2-3 year lifecycle, and copying samsung's FE yearly cycle.
iPhone eeexpensive is a flop anyways no one will buy it
 
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This is the iPhone for the people that say “I want to buy the cheapest iPhone possible, because I don’t have money for an AirTag, a MagSafe charger, in my home I don’t have Wi-Fi, I don’t have a dog and a cat” so I will only use the camera to take occasional pictures of anything without importance.

Or “this is the iPhone that the company brought to me and will only check my corporate e-mail, and they don’t buy me anything else than a USB-C cable for charging”.

Or “this is my grandma’s new iPhone; now they can FaceTime me”.

All missed features are pointless to the market Apple is targeting.

Because, ladies and genteel men, this is the cheapest iPhone that you can or will could buy new, with a contract or at retail, and there’s millions of people that can afford the USD$600, but not the USD$800.

So, if you want MagSafe or UWB, please, buy the 16 non-e and…
Yeah can’t. The new tech in the Active Island displays gives me instant vertigo, so I am stuck with my 14 until/if Apple finally updates their tech to something else like MiniLED or at least changes the driver or panel design from what it has been since the 14 Pro. I was really excited about this 16E because essentially it is a glorified 14 but with improved processor, RAM and USB-C but the gimped camera and lack of UWB are two quality of life hits I’m not willing to take regardless of price.
 
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This is a really good price and looks to be a great device at not much more than the first iPhone. Pretty impressive overall. But they really need to nail down iOS and Siri.
 
I am thoroughly disappointed by the price vs. what you get. I was interested before the introduction and reveal of feature set to make the switch, but I think I will be content with a battery upgrade for now.
 
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Apple's all-new iPhone 16e joins the lineup as a cheaper alternative to the iPhone 16. Despite sharing most of their features, there are still more than 25 differences between the devices to be aware of.

iPhone-16e-vs-16-Feature-1.jpg

There is a $200 price difference between the iPhone 16e and iPhone 16. To justify this, the iPhone 16e misses out on features such as the Dynamic Island and MagSafe connectivity. However, it still features the A18 chip with Apple Intelligence support, the same main rear camera, and more. Here's everything that's different:

iPhone 16e (2025)iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus (2024)
"Notch"Dynamic Island
Ceramic Shield frontLatest-generation Ceramic Shield front
6.1-inch display6.1- or 6.7-inch display
800 nits max brightness (typical)1,000 nits max brightness (typical)
1,200 nits peak brightness (HDR)1,600 nits peak brightness (HDR)
2,000 nits peak brightness (outdoor)
1 nit minimum brightness
Glass backColor-infused glass back
Available in White and BlackAvailable in White, Black, Ultramarine, Teal, and Pink
Camera Control
12-megapixel Ultra Wide camera
1x or 2x optical zoom options0.5x, 1x, or 2x optical zoom options
Optical image stabilizationSensor-shift optical image stabilization
Portrait mode with Depth ControlNext-generation portraits with Focus and Depth Control
Photographic StylesLatest-generation Photographic Styles
Macro photography
Spatial photos and videos
Cinematic mode for recording videos with shallow depth of field (up to 4K Dolby Vision at 30 fps)
Action mode
A18 chip with 4-core GPUA18 chip with 5-core GPU
Apple C1 modemQualcomm Snapdragon X75 modem
Wi‑Fi 6 connectivityWi-Fi 7 connectivity
Thread connectivity
Ultra Wideband chip for Precision Finding
26-hour battery life22 or 27-hour battery life
Qi wireless charging up to 7.5WQi2 wireless charging up to 15W
MagSafe wireless charging up to 25W with 30W adapter or higher
Compatible with MagSafe cases, wallets, wireless chargers, and more
Starts at $599Starts at $799


At a markedly more accessible price point, the iPhone 16e will be the go-to iPhone for many customers, especially those buying on a budget. Unlike the iPhone SE that came before it, the iPhone 16e has very few compromises and offers almost all of the iPhone 16's most important features. In fact, it has considerably better battery life.

Many customers may not care about the lack of an Ultra Wide camera, camera control, additional color options, or Wi-Fi 7. However, the lack of MagSafe, a brighter display, the Dynamic Island, and a large array of camera capabilities may be a dealbreaker for some. As a result, those who want a little more out of their iPhone, especially when it comes to the rear camera, should consider the iPhone 16 over the iPhone 16e. That being said, most prospective customers should opt for the iPhone 16e over the pricier iPhone 16, unless the larger display of the iPhone 16 Plus is essential.

Article Link: iPhone 16e vs. iPhone 16 Buyer's Guide: 25+ Differences Compared
I have no idea why today apple released the worse iPhone 16 they have every made.
 
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Lack of MagSafe is a dealbreaker. I've been using only MagSage for a while now, both at my desk, at my bedside, in the car and at work. But it's a great entry level model, but the price is so high that you might as well get an iPhone 15 or 16.
You can charge the iPhone 16e wirelessly but the charger won't snap on magnetically.
 
I would recommend spending a bit more and getting the base model 16. That being said the new 16e is still a great phone and should be supported for many years to come.
 
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Why would anyone prefer this phone to a 14 from 3rd party or even to the refurbished 15 (directly from Apple)? The price is very much the same.
Because it has the latest processor and will be supported for at least 5 years while those others probably won't. People buying budget phones like this are driven by price and value, not features. With that said, the price should have been lower, like $499 or $529, and features adjusted accordingly. $599 sort of steps out of the budget market.
 
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at this price point they would have to. The 16E makes sense today, but won't once the 17 drops and the 16 gets discounted by $100.

I'm thinking they're moving away from the SE 2-3 year lifecycle, and copying samsung's FE yearly cycle.
What they will do is phase out the 16, and make it so there are only extortionate and even more extortionate options.
They are ****ing you over on feature and quality to bully you into buying the overpriced, outdated "premium".

Android phones do everything better for a lower price, and might have AI that actually does stuff.
 
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I guess the offering of the 16e will make more sense next year when the 17e comes out too. Then it will be the budget phone again.
 
I guess the offering of the 16e will make more sense next year when the 17e comes out too. Then it will be the budget phone again.

My guess is that $599 as the entry point is here to stay no matter what

Everything else in the lineup will just get their prices raised
 
I cannot believe people are so clueless! This is UTTERLY TRIVIAL to fix!

It also looks really sharp with such a ring glued to the back of the phone. I was now well aware of that option.

However, I had forgotten to consider the possibility that most case manufacturers build MagSafe into their cases for the iPhone 16e. Then I could probably survive it - since I always have a case on my iPhone anyway.
 
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