iPhone 16e: After months of speculation, it seems the wait is finally over for Apple fans. Or is it? On Wednesday, Apple quietly launched the "newest member" of the iPhone 16 family, the iPhone 16e. Now, early speculations suggested that the new upcoming iPhone could be the fourth variant of the iPhone SE, Apple's OG budget smartphone. In reality, what we got was just a watered-down version of the iPhone 16, which is neither smaller in size nor notably cheaper than the current series flagship. Has Apple completely lost the plot? For now, it seems so.
Apple's SE Series Was Never Intended To Be 'Small'
Let's get down to brass tacks here. While some Apple fans may claim that the iPhone SE series was designed for those who'd prefer to use a "smaller" phone, that was probably never the case, if discussions on Reddit are to be believed. As per Redditor u/Tabelel, "The SE was never about being small; it just reuses previous phone chassises to make a cheaper device."
The last time the Cupertino giant truly launched a "small" phone was the iPhone 13 mini back in 2021, which sported a 5.43-inch display.
Ever since then, all iPhone models have donned screens bigger than at least 6 inches. Since there aren't many smaller phone chassis to be "refurbished," it makes sense for Apple to switch to a 6.1-inch screen for the iPhone 16e.
iPhone SE Is Supposed To Be 'Affordable', iPhone 16e Is NOT
The whole point of the popularity behind iPhone SE series was its overall affordability. Budget phone users who didn't mind compromising on a few specs (camera, Face ID) could switch to an SE model and still boast of using the "latest model" of iPhone.
However, iPhone 16e has ditched that ethos entirely. In India, the iPhone 16e price starts at a whopping Rs 59,900. In comparison, the last SE model, 2022's iPhone SE 3 was launched at just Rs 43,990.
To clarify, the vanilla iPhone 16 was launched at Rs 79,900. Right now, going by the current e-commerce discount figures, you can grab the base iPhone 16 model at Rs 69,999 — just Rs 10k more than iPhone 16e. And for that amount, you are getting way more than Apple will have you believe.
What Does iPhone 16 Have That iPhone 16e Doesn't?
For starters, the iPhone 16 comes with a dual rear camera setup that adds a 12-megapixel telephoto sensor. While its zoom is nothing to write home about (especially if you compare it with the much cheaper Vivo models), it still is one extra sensor that you can play around with. iPhone 16e sports a single 48-megapixel snapper on the back, the same as iPhone 16's primary sensor.
Additionally, iPhone 16e does not feature MagSafe charging. A staple since the iPhone 12 series, the glaring omission of 15W Qi2 or MagSafe wireless charging on iPhone 16e is a bit surprising. To be fair, it does have wireless charging, but at a basic 7.5W Qi speed.
Apart from that iPhone 16e features the same A18 processor as the iPhone 16, which will enable Apple Intelligence features for the new device, as well as Apple's proprietary 'Action Button' for extra shortcuts and camera functionalities.
Probably the only area where iPhone 16e scores more marks is the battery department, which Apple claims can offer 26 hours of video playback, compared to iPhone 16's 22 hours.
So, Should You Buy iPhone 16e?
To answer that, we can pose a much simpler counter-question: Why?
As mentioned earlier, the iPhone 16 is currently just Rs 10,000 more than the iPhone 16e.
The last-generation (and still powerfully capable) iPhone 15 is currently retailing at Rs 64,999 on Flipkart, just Rs 5,000 more than iPhone 16e.
Of course, if you go down the Android path, there are many phones with way better cameras at eye-wateringly cheaper prices.
For starters, the Vivo V50, with its truly excellent cameras is priced at just Rs 34,999. The Samsung Galaxy S24+, with its biggest 6.7-inch screen, is now retailing at Rs 59,999. The camera and OG AI champion Google Pixel 8 is now available on Flipkart for just Rs 49,999.
So, considering all of the above, you will have to be a seriously dedicated Apple collector to go for iPhone 16e right now.
If you ask us, we'd advise you to wait for sales to get the iPhone 16e with some considerable discounts to truly justify your purchase.