Apple’s latest release, the iPhone 16e, aims to make its Apple Intelligence feature accessible to a broader audience. The company has recently started activating its AI features by default during the iOS setup process, signaling a more aggressive push to increase adoption and establish iOS as an AI-first platform. However, Apple Intelligence was previously only available on the iPhone 16 series and the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max, meaning there was no sub-$600 iPhone that could run the latest suite of tools. The introduction of the $599 iPhone 16e to Apple’s lineup is thus not surprising.
What was slightly unexpected was the way it was framed. The iPhone 16e’s arrival was preceded by feverish speculation about a new iPhone SE, which was last released three years ago for a starting price of $429. Although the iPhone 16e is cheaper than the rest of the iPhone 16 family, its price is not what most people would consider “budget” or “entry-level.”
The iPhone 16e’s ability to run Apple Intelligence is largely due to one of its biggest upgrades from the SE: the A18 chip, the same processor found in the iPhone 16 and 16 Plus. This makes it Apple’s cheapest AI-equipped model by $300. However, this represents a significant price increase from the (now-retired) iPhone SE’s $429.
Fortunately, the cheaper model does not compromise on Apple Intelligence features; it includes all the AI tools found in the more expensive iPhones. These features include AI writing tools, Genmoji, Image Playground, Visual Intelligence, ChatGPT integration, and notification summaries.
The new iPhone 16e boasts a significantly larger display than its predecessor, measuring 6.1 inches, up from the 2022 iPhone SE’s 4.7 inches. It is also the first entry-level model to adopt the full-screen design with Face ID found in modern iPhones. (The now-retired home button is no longer present.) However, it does not feature the Dynamic Island found on recent higher-end models.
The iPhone 16e also includes the Action button, a customizable physical shortcut on the side of the phone, which first appeared in the iPhone 15 Pro series and is found in all iPhone 16 models.
The iPhone 16e complies with EU standards by switching from Lightning to USB-C, a change that was expected. It also lacks MagSafe charging, supporting standard Qi wireless charging at up to 7.5W instead.
A list of technical specifications does not tell the whole story, but it can serve as a starting point for comparison. Here’s how the new entry-level iPhone stacks up against Apple’s previous model and its two biggest Android-running rivals, the Google Pixel 8a and Samsung Galaxy A35 5G. (Although the A35 is not in the same price range, it serves a similar niche in Samsung’s lineup.)
iPhone 16e | iPhone SE (2022) | Google Pixel 8a | Samsung Galaxy A35 5G | |
Price | $599 / $699 / $899 | $429 / $479 / $579 | $499 / $559 | $400 |
Dimensions | 146.7 x 71.5 x 7.8 mm (5.78 x 2.82 x 0.31 inches) | 138.4 x 67.3 x 7.3 mm (5.45 x 2.65 x 0.29 inches) | 152.1 x 72.7 x 8.9mm (6 x 2.9 x 0.4 inches) | 161.7 x 78 x 8.2 mm (6.37 x 3.07 x 0.32 inches) |
Weight | 167g (5.88 ounces) | 144g (5.09 ounces) | 188 g (6.7 oz) | 209 g (7.37 oz) |
Screen size | 6.1 inches | 4.7 inches | 6.1 inches | 6.6 inches |
Screen resolution | 2,532 x 1,170 (460 ppi) | 1,334 x 750 (326 ppi) | 1,080 x 2,400 (430 ppi) | 2,340 x 1,080 (389 ppi) |
Screen type | OLED | Retina HD LCD 60Hz | Super AMOLED up to 120Hz | |
SoC | Apple A18 | Apple A15 Bionic | Tensor G3 | Exynos 1380 |
RAM | N/A | 4 GB | 8 GB | 6 / 8* GB * Non-US only |
Battery | “up to 26 hrs video playback” | 2,018mAh | 4,492 mAh | 5,000 mAh |
Storage | 128 / 256 / 512GB | 64 / 128 / 256 GB | 128 / 256 GB | 128 / 256* GB MicroSD up to 1TB * Non-US only |
Rear camera(s) | 48MP, f/1.6 | Wide: 12 MP, f/1.8 | Wide: 64 MP, f/1.89 Ultrawide: 13MP, f/2.2 | Wide: 50MP, f/1.8 Ultrawide: 8MP, f/2.2 Macro: 5MP, f/2.4 |
Front camera | 12MP, f/1.9 | 7 MP, f/2.2 | 13MP, f/2.2 | 13MP, f/2.2 |
Water / dust rating | IP68 | IP67 | IP67 | IP67 |
Wi-Fi | Wi‑Fi 6 (802.11ax) | 802.11ax | Wi-Fi 6E | Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax) |
Bluetooth | v5.3 | v5.0 | v5.3 | v5.3 |
OS | iOS 18 | iOS 18 | Android 15 | Android 14 One UI 6.1 |
Colors / finish | Black / White Aluminum | Midnight / Starlight / (Product)Red Aluminum | Obsidian / Porcelain / Aloe / Bay | Navy / Lilac |
Update, February 19 2025, 1:46PM ET: This story has been updated to add more context about the iPhone 16e in the intro, covering the speculation that Apple was planning to launch a new model of the iPhone SE.
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