When Apple’s entry-level iPhone SE was available, its upgrade arrived every few years. The iPhone 16e may spark a new strategy. Going by the new naming structure, Apple now has the scope to offer the entry-level phone regular updates and older models may reduce its price over time. There are many users of iPhone SE and for them (and those of, say, iPhone 12, 13 or 14), an upgrade to iPhone 16e will feel like a 10-year quantum leap. I downgraded from iPhone 16 Pro Max to iPhone 16e for the review and came out impressed.
A light touch
Belonging to the latest iPhone 16 family, you get the same, powerful chip, top-drawer camera, excellent battery life, Action button and much more.
At the same time, compared to its iPhone 16 siblings, the first difference you’ll notice as soon as you pick it up is that it’s over 15 per cent lighter than the iPhone 16 Pro. The difference between 199g and 167g is substantial when it comes to holding the phone for long hours. The iPhone 16e strikes the perfect balance of screen size and weight.
The next big difference is the absence of a triple camera system dominating the rear. I can hold it in my left or right hand and sweep my pointer finger across the back of the phone without touching the camera. It feels natural.
Beyond that, you’ve already probably seen a few of the design elements: It has flat sides, the aluminium band around the outside is softly textured, the back glass has a matte finish, it has circular speaker and microphone holes on the bottom and a USB-C port. Instead of a ring/mute switch, there is an Action button that can be programmed. For example, I have it set to bring to life Shazam. You may set it to pounce on the camera app.
A beacon of stability
Perhaps the biggest update involves the switch to the first cellular modem designed by Apple. Called C1, it’s a component we are seeing on an iPhone for the first time.
Look at it this way: Apple switched the Mac from Intel processors to Apple silicon in 2020. The benefits have been gigantic — an immediate boost to performance and battery life.
The 16e’s main camera takes lovely photos, even under uneven lighting. Picture: The Telegraph
The C1 modem is getting a more modest introduction. Qualcomm is still supplying cellular modems but it is only a matter of time before Apple modems get better and more powerful. In fact, the new iPhone 16e offers excellent connectivity.
I live and work in areas where connectivity is usually not an issue. And it’s difficult to confirm what kind of an improvement C1 brings as far as connectivity goes. Sure, signals are steady and speed tests give C1 a slight edge over iPhone 16 Pro Max. Be it GPS signal or general connectivity, it’s very stable. Even in crowded areas, the 16e performs slightly better when it comes to GPS and connectivity.
Where C1 is doing a fantastic job is helping battery life. At the end of a day packed with GPS navigation, YouTube streaming, playing games like WGT Golf and the usual thumbing through social media feeds, the iPhone 16e is losing significantly less battery. Compared to my iPhone 16 Pro Max, I usually ended the day with at least 45-50 per cent battery remaining on the 16e while its more powerful sibling was down to 30-35 per cent. You may say it has to do with the absence of a Dynamic Island on the 16e — the place for interactive alerts. Yet, the gains on the battery front are substantial.
Processing the future
Also important is the chipset running the show. There is the latest A18 processor that supports Apple Intelligence. The 6-core CPU is up to 80 per cent faster than the A13 Bionic chip on iPhone 11. The 4-core GPU powers graphics performance and unlocks next-level mobile gaming on the go, enabling graphically demanding AAA titles and hardware-accelerated ray tracing for more realistic lighting and reflections. Further, the 16-core Neural Engine is optimised for large generative models and runs machine learning (ML) models up to 6x faster than A13 Bionic.
The new iPhone 16e case can make the phone look colourful. Picture: The Telegraph
Even though users of iPhone 16e won’t only be gamers, Apple has thrown in the latest chip to ensure the phone works for years to come, especially as more and more Apple Intelligence features are released.
Remarkably capable camera
Amul, Bournville, Ghirardelli, Lindt… here’s the deal: Once we move from one brand to another, there is a tendency to forget the previous brand. The same goes for iPhone photography. Some years ago, I was perfectly fine with the iPhone SE camera and then came the dual-camera system of the iPhone 11, followed by the iPhone 12 Pro with a triple-camera system. It’s about perspective.
The camera on the iPhone 16e is brilliant. Apple is calling it a 2-in-1 camera system. What you get is a 48MP Fusion camera (26 mm, ƒ/1.6 aperture, optical image stabilisation) that can take super-high-resolution photos (24MP and 48MP). It also allows 12MP 2x telephoto (52 mm, ƒ/1.6 aperture, optical image stabilisation) and digital zoom up to 10x. There is no broken-hearted melody giving up the ultra-wide.
(Left to right) iPhone 16 Pro Max, iPhone 16 and iPhone 16e: Buy an iPhone depending on your demands from the camera
Even videos have all the sparkle iPhones are known for. Shooting 4K@60fps is all we need to future-proof memories. You may have a hard time finding a standalone camera (at the same price) that takes better photos and videos than the snapper on iPhone 16e. It also helps that the phone comes with Apple’s fancy new Audio Mix feature that allows users to edit the audio of videos captured on the phone.
Make the call
What I think is a missed opportunity is colour options. Agreed that most would buy a colourful case but it would have been a delight to see the phone beyond black or white options. Lately, iPhones have become so sturdy that many use it without slapping on a case.
The official case itself is nice and feels soft in the hand. The buttons have a rubbery material, making them easier to spot and use.
Apple designed the C1 modem and it offers stable connectivity. Picture: The Telegraph
Speaking about the case, here is a first-world problem that wouldn’t bother most people in India. The phone lacks MagSafe charging. MagSafe and wireless charging are two different things. The phone supports wireless charging, that is, you can use Qi chargers. Barring the 16e, the rest of the iPhone 16 family supports MagSafe charging. There are magnets around the centre of the phone, so you can attach different accessories or even a puck charger. Many people add a wireless magnetic charger or a wallet. You can’t do that with the 16e. But you can always buy a third-party cover that comes with magnets around the centre. Not everyone uses MagSafe, but once you are in, you will begin buying MagSafe accessories. iPhone 16e will be — for many — an introduction to the iPhone. Who knows, you may like the phone so much that in a few years, a Pro version will become your companion.
And that’s exactly what iPhone 16e will do. It will draw you into the Apple universe and before you know it, AirPods, iPads and Apple Watch and MacBook are attached to your name.
There is hardly any overlap between iPhone 16e and iPhone 16 Pro users. The new phone is beautiful, feels modern, the chip can withstand years of use and there is excellent battery life. It’s a perfectly designed device to anchor the iPhone 16 family... and beyond.
At a glance
Device: iPhone 16e
Price: ₹59,900
High notes
A18 chip promises years of reliable performance
Battery life is among the best
Rear camera is as good as on any iPhone 16
Allows all Apple Intelligence features
Excellent gaming performance
Muffled notes
There could have been more colour options
MagSafe is missing but not many would miss it
