Cult of Mac

iPhone 16e vs. iPhone 16 — it’s decision time for anyone considering an affordable iPhone. The iPhone 16e, Apple’s newest addition to its iPhone 16 family, costs $599. It iPhone replaces the iPhone SE 3 to become the cheapest Apple smartphone with an A18 chip.

At first glance, the iPhone 16e seems quite similar to the iPhone 16, despite a $200 lower price. So, how does the iPhone 16e compare to the iPhone 16? Should you save your money and get Apple’s newest iPhone? Or pay extra and go for the iPhone 16? If you’re wondering which device best suits your needs, our iPhone for life guide breaks it down in detail.

You can radically customize the Lock Screen of your iPhone with a bunch of widgets, aesthetics and styles. If you liked the themed custom Home Screens people were putting together using Shortcuts and Widgetsmith, you’ll love the level of creativity you can express with customized Lock Screens.

Read on to see all the features or watch our video.

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Released earlier this month, the Alogic Ark Pro power bank is a beast of a charger with a big 27,600mAh battery, up to 140 watts of charging power for MacBooks and other devices, an attached cable and a color display. IATA-compliant, it’s the biggest battery you can take on a plane, according to Alogic. The only question is, would you? It’s pretty hefty.

February 20, 2004: Music goes small as the iPod mini launch brings the reimagined digital audio player to Apple stores.

Released with 4GB of storage and in five colors, the diminutive device features a new “click wheel” that integrates control buttons into a solid-state, touch-sensitive scroll wheel. It also showcases Cupertino’s growing fascination with aluminum, which will become a hallmark of Apple design.

Despite its small size, the new music player’s market potential looms large. In fact, the iPod mini soon becomes Apple’s fastest-selling music player yet.

Visual Intelligence, which previously was reserved for the iPhone 16 models, will reportedly reach the two iPhone 15 Pro variants in the near future.

Realistically, there was no reason why the artificial intelligence feature shouldn’t have been added to Apple’s 2023 models with the debut of iOS 18. In fact, with the growing demand for AI-powered productivity tools, many users are looking for ways to AI take notes efficiently to enhance their workflow.

There’s never been an Apple TV+ show with more viewers than Severance. The deeply weird workplace drama even surpassed the beloved Ted Lasso in viewers, Apple itself revealed on Wednesday.

And ratings charts concur — Severance is extremely popular.

There’s one feature missing from the new iPhone 16e that makes it a big “no” for me, dog — MagSafe. Apple’s failure to include a few cheap magnets, which could have enabled a wonderful array of iPhone accessories, seems like the ultimate cost-cutting fail. If you’re comparing it with the iPhone 16, you’ll notice that Apple’s flagship model retains full MagSafe compatibility. For those looking for a long iPhone experience with the latest features, MagSafe might be a key deciding factor. If you frequently use MagSafe accessories like the MagSafe wallet, make sure to check out our list of the best iPhone 16e cases to find a case that fits your needs.

 If you’re comparing it with the iPhone 16, you’ll notice that Apple’s flagship model retains full MagSafe compatibility.

Today, Apple introduced the iPhone 16e. It features many top features from the iPhone 16 series, but at a lower $599 price point. The iPhone 16e replaces the former iPhone SE in the lineup.

If you don’t have twelve minutes to spare, you can watch the introduction in just 30 seconds.

To absolutely nobody’s surprise, the newly launched iPhone 16e is missing features found in higher-end models. But what exactly did Apple exclude from this stripped-down version of the iPhone 16? The two models have quite a lot in common — the same size screen, general design, A18 chip and more. But many secondary features don’t appear in the cheaper model.

Check this list of all the missing features in the iPhone 16e before deciding to buy Apple’s budget handset. You might not be able to live without some of them.

The iPhone 16e Apple rolled out Wednesday is a huge upgrade over its previous budget SE handsets. But the new handset only comes in black and white colors. So along with it the iPhone giant launched iPhone 16e silicone cases in five colors — including three that aren’t black or white. Those would be fuschia, blue and green.

And you can already find third-party cases for the new handset, as well, but many more are sure to come soon. Check out some options below.

Today’s Mac mini setup really pumps up the clear audio with Yamaha studio monitor speakers, suitable for the user’s music production. They mount the speakers on stands, which is great. But they mount them sideways, which is … odd. And despite having those, they love their HomePod mini for most uses.

Google is bringing Circle to Search, one of its best search features, from Android to iPhone. Like on Android, you can now circle on your iPhone’s screen to search for the on-screen content.

The feature is coming to Google Chrome and the Google app through Lens integration.

The new Apple C1 modem that powers the cellular connectivity of the iPhone 16e is the company’s first cellular modem designed in-house.

The C1 offers “fast and reliable connectivity, and it’s the most power-efficient modem ever in an iPhone,” said Kaiann Drance, Apple’s vice president of worldwide iPhone product marketing, in a launch video released Wednesday. Thanks to its efficiency — and an optimized internal design that allows for a bigger battery — the iPhone 16e offers an “unprecedented level of battery life in a 6.1 inch iPhone,” she added.

The Apple C1 integrates 4G, 5G, satellite and GPS radios in one chip. The C1 represents a brand-new direction for Apple silicon, alongside the company’s processors and other wireless chips. Recent Ookla speed tests suggest that the C1 modem holds its own against the Qualcomm chip in the iPhone 16, as detailed in this comparison.

Apple’s budget iPhone SE morphed into the new iPhone 16e Wednesday, bringing a thorough redesign with a larger screen, longer battery life, a more robust camera, and a processor that can handle Apple Intelligence tasks. It’s a whole new “budget” iPhone, and it comes at a 40% price increase over the iPhone SE 3, at $599.

This is iPhone 16e with our latest-generation Apple silicon, breakthrough battery life, an incredible high-resolution, two-in-one camera system, and the powerful features of iOS 18, all in a durable and beautiful design,” said Apple CEO Tim Cook in a video about the new entry-level iPhone. However, unlike the standard model, the 16e lacks some premium features like the iPhone 16 Dynamic Island, which enhances user experience with interactive notifications and multitasking improvements.

“iPhone 16e joins the iPhone 16 family as its most affordable member,” he added. “And it has Apple Intelligence, our powerful personal intelligence system with features that help you save time, quickly get more things done, and express yourself in new ways.”

February 19, 1990: Adobe ships the first commercial version of its soon-to-be-iconic Photoshop photo editing software. The Photoshop launch, exclusively on the Macintosh, gives users powerful new tools for tweaking digital images.

The groundbreaking software debuts for Mac System 6.0.3. Priced at $895, Photoshop will quickly become the standard editing tool for graphics professionals. Whether they work for advertising agencies, news organizations — or, frankly, anywhere else — Photoshop users take advantage of the program’s digital darkroom tools to seamlessly manipulate images.

Photography will never be the same.

Norton 360 is a comprehensive “antivirus plus” tool that offers multiple layers of protection for your devices and personal information, all in one package. It’s more than just an antivirus. Norton 360 guards against a variety of online threats like malware, ransomware and hackers. And it offers other tools to keep you and your data safe and sound.

As effective as it is, you don’t need to be a tech pro to use Norton 360. Plus, the whole family can take advantage. Right now, you can snag a 15-month subscription covering up to 10 devices for just $32.99.

Nomad’s popular ChargeKey USB-C cable accessory, which can live on your keychain and help with gadget charging on the go, now handles up to 240 watts and delivers faster data transfer speeds, the company said Tuesday. So it can fast-charge all of your Apple gear, including MacBooks.

You can use the iCloud website to access all of your online Apple services from any computer, tablet or phone. This includes Find My, Mail, Photos, Invites, Files, Pages, Numbers, Keynote, Notes, Calendar and Reminders. It’s really convenient if you need to find a lost device, print a file or download a picture from a different computer you’re not signed into.

The iCloud website provides easy access to all of Apple’s cloud services — and it’s even customizable for those who use it often. Let me show you how it works.

Stop procrastinating on the new iPad, iPad Pro or iPad Air you’ve been wanting. You can buy one now and save up to $200 with the iPad sales currently available.

Apple’s tablets are great whether you only want something to watch video on or are looking for a light-duty notebook. And a wide variety of models are now on sale at up to 17% off!

Dio Node speakers connect to your Wi-Fi network and let you easily stream music, podcasts and more from your iPhone or Mac. Thanks to support for AirPlay, virtually any audio on the device can stream to one or more of these speakers.

I put an array of Node speakers to the test in my house. They invite an immediate comparison to HomePod mini, given the features and price, so I put them up against Apple’s smart speaker, too.

February 18, 2004: Apple CEO Steve Jobs sends an internal memo to employees revealing that the company is, for the first time in years, totally debt-free.

“Today is a historic day of sorts for our company,” he writes. This marks a big turnaround from the bad old days of the 1990s, when Apple carried more than $1 billion in debt — and faced the danger of bankruptcy.

Major League Soccer kicks off its milestone 30th season this Saturday, expanding its digital presence and viewer accessibility through its partnership with Apple TV. MLS Season Pass viewers can expect Vision Pro support, a new Android app a big interview with living soccer legend Lionel Messi,  a new documentary series and more.

“With new ways to watch, expansive programming, and incredible exclusive content, this will be Major League Soccer’s biggest season yet,” said Oliver Schusser, Apple’s vice president of Apple Music, Apple TV+, Sports and Beats. “We’re excited to bring fans around the world closer to the game than ever before.”

Months before its rumored release, a YouTube video gives us a possible first look at the iPhone 17 Air. The super-slim iPhone seemingly will feature flat sides with rounded corners and a horizontal camera island at the top with a single lens. With its new design and camera setup, recording on iPhone could see significant improvements, making the iPhone 17 lineup a game-changer in mobile videography.

The iPhone 17 Air renders come from FPT, run by a famous iPhone leaker with a mixed track record, Jon Prosser.

As airfares rise, finding discounted flights seems like an impossible task. But not with Dollar Flight Club. This service does all the searching for you so you can concentrate on the important things, like finding the perfect restaurant or exotic Apple Store to hit when you arrive at your dream destination.

Right now, you can get a lifetime subscription to Dollar Flight Club Premium Plus+ for only $99.99 (regularly $1,690). If you like to travel, you can’t afford to miss this opportunity. Dollar Flight Club serves up an array of discounted flights to domestic and international cities.

The Dvorak keyboard layout offers a different way of arranging the 26 letters of the alphabet. Dvorak puts all the most common letters right on the center row for increased typing speed. It also balances the most common letters across all 10 fingers to reduce strain. Physical Dvorak keyboards have been available for computers forever, but finally, you can get it on your iPhone and iPad.