A week after preorders began, the iPhone 16e went on sale Friday. If you preordered the device, your order should arrive today.
The newest member of the iPhone 16 family starts at $599, replacing the third-gen iPhone SE as the budget model in Apple’s lineup.
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iPhone 16e hits retail stores
Announced on February 19, 2025, the iPhone 16e is the most affordable model in the iPhone 16 lineup. It features the same internals as the non-Pro models, including an A18 chip and 8GB RAM. The design resembles the iPhone 13, with a 6.1-inch notched display at the front.
Besides its lower price tag, the iPhone 16e stands out for its C1 modem. It’s the first device to use Apple’s in-house modem, which is supposedly up to 25% more efficient than the hardware in other iPhones. Thanks to this, Apple says the iPhone 16e offers the longest battery life on a 6.1-inch iPhone. However, this efficiency comes at a cost, with the device missing out on mmWave 5G connectivity.
Other specs of the iPhone 16e include a single 48MP Fusion 2-in-1 rear camera, a 12MP front shooter, Face ID, a customizable Action button, and an IP68-certified design. The phone ships with 128GB base storage, with 256GB and 512GB being the other two options. It also supports satellite emergency features and car crash detection.
“Apple Intelligence, breakthrough battery life, fast performance, and a 48MP 2-in-1 camera system—it’s all inside the new iPhone 16e!” said Greg Joswiak, Apple’s chief marketer, on X. “And it’s available now!”
Apple Intelligence, breakthrough battery life, fast performance, and a 48MP 2-in-1 camera system—it’s all inside the new iPhone 16e! And it’s available now! https://t.co/H0meSCCbRz
— Greg Joswiak (@gregjoz) February 28, 2025
Yes to Apple Intelligence, no to Camera Control
The iPhone 16e is the most affordable way to experience Apple Intelligence on an iPhone. The device runs iOS 18 out of the box and offers Apple’s entire suite of AI features, like Genmoji (custom emoji), Image Playground (cutesy image creation) and Writing Tools for honing the written word.
However, the iPhone 16e makes several compromises to achieve its lower price point. You can go through our iPhone 16e vs. iPhone 16 comparison to decide whether the budget iPhone will work for you.
Based on the preorder rush (or lack thereof), it seems there’s not much demand for the iPhone 16e in the United States. If you did not place an order yet, you can likely find one in stock at your nearest Apple Store or authorized reseller today.
Buy from: Apple
Apple's budget entry in the iPhone 16 lineup is the first device to use Apple's efficient C1 modem. It delivers long battery life and Face ID but skimps on key features, including MagSafe.
- High-end Apple design at a lower price point
- Apple C1 modem
- Longer battery life than other iPhone 16 models
- No MagSafe, Dynamic Island or Ultra Wideband chip
- Only two colors: black and white
