iPhone 16e Challengers: OnePlus 13, Vivo X200, More
iPhone 16e Alternatives: iQoo 13, Samsung Galaxy S24+, and more smartphones to choose from.
iPhone 16e Challengers: Apple was teasing the world with the idea of a new iPhone and while the tech world mostly had predicted it to be an SE, the Cupertino giant decided it was time to shake things up a bit.
Apple released an all-new iPhone called the iPhone 16e which it has positioned as a member of the 16 series. It is the most affordable iPhone in the lineup with a starting price of Rs 59,900 for the 128 GB variant but still comes with specs that align it well with an iPhone 16.
The phone has a 6.1-inch Super Retina XDR display and runs on the same Apple A18 processor as the iPhone 16. It actually has a better battery life at 26 hours (claimed by Apple), a 48-megapixel fusion main sensor, and a 12-megapixel selfie sensor. The phone is also equipped with a USB Type-C port, comes with support for wireless charging and has an IP68 rating as well. The phone runs on iOS 18 out of the box.
It does lose out to the iPhone in some regards, though - it has a lower peak brightness at 1200 nits, it misses out on Dynamic Island and has the traditional Notch instead, and while it comes with an Action Button, the phone misses out on the new Camera Control button and there is no MagSafe support either.
Similarly, while you get Apple Intelligence support on the iPhone 16e, you will miss out on the secondary 12-megapixel camera. So, while Rs 59,900 is a competitive price for an iPhone, it still is expensive and comes with its share of spec-cuts, reasons that put a target on its back and open the door for competition.
Here are five devices that can be lethal to the success of the iPhone 16e in the market when it arrives in a few days:
iPhone 15: An Added Camera, Dynamic Island, More
Price: Rs 61,499 onwards
The biggest threat to the iPhone 16e’s success is another iPhone, the iPhone 15. It may be a year old but offers a number of advantages over the iPhone 16e. The iPhone 15 has a 6.1 inch Super Retina XDR display with Dynamic Island notch and comes with a dual camera setup on the back which features a 48-megapixel main sensor along with a 12-megapixel ultrawide one, and there is support for MagSafe charging as well.
The display of the iPhone 15 is also brighter at 1600 nits peak brightness, and you get more colour options too. The phone comes withan IP68 rating and iOS 18 out of the box.
Yes, it runs on an A16 Bionic chipset, which is a couple of years old, has significantly lesser battery life at 20 hours (claimed by Apple) and misses out on Apple Intelligence and the Action button as well but if you are looking for an iPhone with a more versatile camera setup, a Dynamic Island, and MagSafe the iPhone 15 is a solid contender.
iQoo 13: A Smartphone Beast
Price: Rs 54,999 onwards
The iQoo 13 has been a device from the depths of tech hell for all its competitors in the budget flagship (and even the premium flagship) segment and for good reason. The phone not only has a very premium design but also comes with a power-packed spec sheet.
It has a 6.82-inch AMOLED display with 3168 x 1440 resolution a high 144 Hz refresh rate and a peak brightness of a whopping 4,500 nits. It is powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite processor, paired with plenty of RAM and storage. The phone features a set of triple cameras on the back comprising three 50-megapixel sensors– one main, one telephoto with 2X optical zoom and one ultrawide - and brings a 32-megapixel sensor on the front.
It is IP68 rated, has stereo speakers and comes with Android 15 out of the box, topped with slightly cluttered FunTouchOS. Round that off with a huge 6,000 mAh battery with support for ultrafast 120W charging and a charger in the box, all at a price that's the lowest in this group and you will realise why we call this phone the nightmare for all others on flagship street.
OnePlus 13: Typical OnePlus Flagship
Price: Rs 69,999 onwards
OnePlus packs its premium flagship with high-end specs and the OnePlus 13 is no exception. The smartphone comes with a beautiful, tall, 6.82-inch AMOLED display with Quad HD+ resolution, 120 Hz refresh rate and 4500 nits peak brightness.
Running the OnePlus 13 show is a Qualcomm 8 Elite processor, paired with insane amounts of RAM and storage – the OnePlus 13 actually has a 24 GB RAM/ 1 TB storage variant - making this phone an absolute monster in terms of power.
The device has three 50-megapixel sensors on the back– a main sensor with OIS, a telephoto with 3x zoom and OIS, and an ultrawide sensor, all designed in partnership with Hasselblad and equipped with special shooting modes.
A 32-megapixel sensor on the front handles selfies and video calls. The phone runs on Android 15 out of the box with OxygenOS on top and has a large 6,000 mAh battery, which comes with 100W wired and 50W wireless charging support and yes, there is a charger in its box too. It also comes with an IP68 rating and has stereo speakers.
Enough to make any phone in the vicinity sweat, even one from Cupertino.
Vivo X200: A Spec-star with Zeiss Touch
Price: Rs.65,999 onwards
Vivo has started making its presence felt in the premium segment and phones like the Vivo X200 are just one of the reasons why. The phone has an impressive spec sheet, featuring a 6.67-inch AMOLED display with a resolution of 2800 x 1260 and 120 Hz refresh rate and pa eak brightness of 4,500 nits. It runs on the MediaTek Dimensity 9400, a flagship chip that can easily handle anything that you throw at it, coupled with ample RAM and storage.
Most significantly, the X200 also has three 50-megapixel cameras on the back made in collaboration with the iconic Zeiss - a main sensor with OIS, a telephoto with 3x optical zoom and OIS and an ultrawide one.
A 32-megapixel sensor on the front takes care of selfies and video calls. The phone features a big 5800 mAh battery with speedy 90W charging support and has a charger in the box as well. It comes with Android 15 out of the box with FunTouch OS on top and has stereo speakers and an IP68 rating, making this a spec star, with a touch of Zeiss magic in the camera department.
Samsung Galaxy S24+: Standard Samsung Threat
Price: Rs 54,999 onwards
If there's an iPhone, there surely must be a Samsung phone looking to give it a tough time. So it is hardly surprising that the Samsung Galaxy S24+ is one of the devices standing in between iPhone 16e and glory.
The phone boasts a big 6.7-inch Dynamic LTPO AMOLED QHD+ display with 120 Hz refresh rate, and 2600 nits peak brightness, topped with Gorilla Glass Victus 2 for protection. The phone has a triple camera setup with a 50-megapixel main sensor with OIS, a 10-megapixel telephoto with OIS that offers 3X optical zoom and a 12-megapixel ultrawide sensor.
A 12-megapixel sensor sits on the display for selfies and video calls. It is powered by Samsung’s in-house Exynos 2400 processor which packs a powerful punch and is paired with tons of RAM and storage.
It runs on Android 14 out of the box with OneUI on top but has been updated to Android 15 and comes with seven years of assured security and Android updates. The Galaxy S24+ brings a 4,900 mAh battery to the table with 45 W wired charging, 15 W wireless and 4.5 W reverse charging support, although there is no charger in its box. The phone has stereo speakers, an IP68 rating and a very typical Samsung design, all of which make it a standard Samsung threat to the latest iPhone on the block.
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