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Review: A Week With iPhone 16e
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It’ll support software for a year and a half longer
It supports Apple Intelligence (even though it’s been a flop).
Supposedly, battery life is longer due to the new C1 chip.
Camera design on the back looks much better than any other iPhone.
Overall cost is less than a 15 if you’re paying out of pocket MSRP.
775€ in Sweden - but I'm not letting go of my 13mini.
Waiting for the flip/fold, if it can be small enough for me?
I've never used Magsafe but I have the ability to put myself in the shoes of others, so I don't need to personally care about to see why its convenience might be nice for those who use it. And with how much higher the price is compared to the SE line, Apple is just penny pinching to not include it. Then again, poor Apple only made about $100 billion in profit last year so maybe I should be kinder to the struggling company...
You want a phone that is cheaper than the iPhone 16 to have the same camera as the 16 pro?
Great and honest review. Looks like I have to bite the dust and replace my 13 mini featuring a wonky lightning port that no longer connects to CarPlay with a 16e. Since I don't have gorilla paws I have always stuck to minis, but that era seems to be over.
I do wonder if it’s partially aimed at people with pacemakers who cannot have the MagSafe era iPhones or even the watch (I think).
Obviously the point you make still stands - if Apple can save a few cents from the manufacturing of the 16e and push people up to buy the 15 or regular 16, they will.
Yes. The iPhone SE 1 had the same camera as in the then-current flagship iPhone 6s.You want a phone that is cheaper than the iPhone 16 to have the same camera as the 16 pro?
I'm not asking for the iPhone 16e to have all three cameras of the the iPhone 16 Pro. I'm just asking for the iPhone 16e to have the same one main camera of the iPhone 16 Pro. It's not an unprecedented situation for an Apple budget model iPhone have the same one main camera as the current flagship iPhone because that's what happened with the iPhone SE 1.
I'm not surprised Tim Cook cut corners with the iPhone 16e and gave customers a differerent and lower-quaility camera with a smaller sensor than the iPhone 16 Pro's main camera. Cook is a miser because he wants to make even more money. That's the playbook of Tightwad Tim.
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Budget offerings are ...well... budget offerings. Sometimes they even don't cost as budget offerings...but this is a lowest offer in the line so it does have its limitations. Probably best as a second iPhone or a corporate phone or a iphone for a kid. I have Pro Max 15 and have zero interest in upgrading to 16 or even 17 but my backup iPhone Mini 13 is certainly harder to use because it still got Lightning whereas all our household is now USB-C. So might change that to 16e
If CarPlay is your main concern have you considered using a wireless adapter for your wired CarPlay?
I own ipads and Macbooks…..but I’ve never owned an iphone. I’ve always found Samsungs the way to go price wise….but also software wise, Android is just so much more open. Hardwarewise….they are much better, offering superior screens dollar for dollar. Most of the features in iOS now are just copied from Android. I’ve also never found a good reason to pay more than $350 for a phone.
They software-locked acceptable notifications to the Moronic Island that this piece of crap doesn't have, that's enough of an insult to people who want to save $100 to me.
Absolutely nobody should get this instead of an older phone or waiting for better ones to become cheaper.
Agree. It was a strong candidate to replace my younger son’s iPhone 13, but the lack of MagSafe is a dealbreaker for me, since he has a couple of useful accessories using MagSafe. I will probably buy him an iPhone 16 when the 17 will be announced.
Seriously… MagSafe is just a magnet… not that expensive. Apple could have added at the same price easily.
It’s funny to me how much MagSafe is being spoken about I don’t know anyone who uses it.
I wonder if it’s had a bigger uptake in the US where the iPhone is dominant than elsewhere.
I wonder if it’s had a bigger uptake in the US where the iPhone is dominant than elsewhere.
I guess the concern people might have is not about apple intelligence as it is today but what it grows in to and future proofing the purchase.
MagSafe includes a higher power charging system, 15W versus 7.5W, not just magnets. The focus on cost of magnets is misplaced - wait for the iFixit teardown and then I expect we will see the reasons.
I have an iPhone SE that I am happy with but honestly if something went wrong with it today, I'd replace it with a Samsung A16 5G and not think twice. I don't need much from my smartphone. If not for things like mobile wallet and 2FA codes, I could get by with a flip phone tbh.
Apple Intelligence as promised at WWDC won't exist for years, and it's possible that when it's fully fleshed out it'll require more advanced hardware than this phone has. So be careful using words like future proof. Nothing with Apple is future proof.
Given the lack of an affordable iPhone any more, a better review might be of a sub-£500 iPhone from the Apple refurb store and whether it’s a viable option in 2025 for the next year or two.
My last iPhone (moving from my SE2020) was a refurb 12 mini for £399 - a nice little phone, with the exception of battery life. My intention was that it’d be a stop-gap until the next SE but now the only option is £600, I’ll be looking at refurbs again next year instead.
My last iPhone (moving from my SE2020) was a refurb 12 mini for £399 - a nice little phone, with the exception of battery life. My intention was that it’d be a stop-gap until the next SE but now the only option is £600, I’ll be looking at refurbs again next year instead.
Right. And if you need that Apple have the iPhone 16 to sell you.
I'm curious how many people actually do use MagSafe, I know I never have