Apple has officially taken the wraps off of the all-new iPhone 16e. The device features an all-new design paired with the A18 chip inside, a 48MP camera, and full Apple Intelligence support. It also features the first-ever Apple-designed 5G cellular modem, the C1 chip.
The new iPhone 16e starts at $599 for 128GB and will be available to pre-order Friday, with the first orders arriving on February 28.
iPhone 16e specs and features
The iPhone 16e features a 6.1-inch OLED display with a notch. There’s also Face ID support integrated into that notch. You’ll find a USB-C port at the bottom for charging and data transfer. The device also features the Action button instead of the classic mute switch.
In terms of performance, the iPhone 16e is powered by the latest A18 chip. Apple says the 6-core CPU is up to 80 percent faster than the A13 Bionic chip on iPhone 11. There’s also a 4-core CPU and a 16-core Neural Engine. Apple says the Neural Engine “is optimized for large generative models and runs machine learning (ML) models up to 6x faster than A13 Bionic.”
As such, the new iPhone 16e offers full support for Apple Intelligence. This includes things like Genmoji, Writing Tools, Clean Up in the Photos app, ChatGPT integration, and more. You can also access Visual Intelligence via the Action button.
Notably, the iPhone 16e features the C1 modem, the first cellular modem designed by Apple. The company says:
Expanding the benefits of Apple silicon, C1 is the first modem designed by Apple and the most power-efficient modem ever on an iPhone, delivering fast and reliable 5G cellular connectivity. Apple silicon — including C1 — the all-new internal design, and the advanced power management of iOS 18 all contribute to extraordinary battery life.
On the back of the iPhone 16e, you’ll find a single 48MP Fusion camera with an integrated 2x Telephoto option. By default, the iPhone 16e will take high-resolution 24MP photos, but you can also choose to take 48MP images. The integrated 2x Telephoto option lets you zoom in and retain that high-resolution image quality without having a second dedicated physical camera. There’s also support for HDR, Portrait mode, and Night mode.
The iPhone 16e also features a 12MP True Depth front-facing camera with support for autofocus.
As for video quality, the iPhone 16e offers 4K with Dolby Vision up to 60 frames per second. It records in Spatial Audio and supports Audio Mix to let users adjust the audio after the fact:
iPhone 16e takes stunning videos with the ability to record in 4K with Dolby Vision up to 60 fps, and users can stop and restart a recording for more flexibility when capturing the moment. iPhone 16e also records video in Spatial Audio for immersive listening with AirPods, Apple Vision Pro, or a surround sound system, and enables more ways to edit video sound with Audio Mix. Users can adjust their sound after capture to focus on the voice of the person on camera, make it sound like the video was recorded inside a professional studio, or position vocal tracks in the front and environmental noises in surround sound. With wind noise reduction, powerful ML algorithms automatically reduce unwanted noise for better audio quality.
More iPhone 16e tidbits:
- Battery life: “The best battery life ever on a 6.1-inch iPhone, lasting up to six hours longer than iPhone 11 and up to 12 hours longer than all generations of iPhone SE.”
- Up to 26 hours of video playback
- Wireless charging support
- Satellite connectivity: Messages via Satellite, Emergency SOS via Satellite, Find My via satellite
- Crash Detection support
iPhone 16e pricing and availability
The new iPhone 16e will be available for pre-order starting Friday, February 21. The first orders will arrive on Friday, February 28. Pricing starts at $599 for 128GB of storage. It’s available in black and white color options.
Apple has also discontinued the iPhone SE, which was previously the most affordable iPhone in the lineup with a $429 starting price. The iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus have also been removed from Apple’s website. The iPhone 14 will remain available from Apple’s channel partners, while the iPhone 14 Plus has been discontinued entirely.
The full iPhone 16e press release is available on Apple’s website.
9to5Mac’s Take
Apple’s newest iPhone is a milestone for several reasons. First, it’s the biggest update ever to Apple’s most affordable iPhone model.
It also marks the end of the Home button era. Apple no longer sells any products with a Home button. Instead, they all feature edge-to-edge displays. Every iPhone Apple sells now features Face ID with either a notch or Dynamic Island. The iPad, iPad Air, and iPad mini all have Touch ID embedded in their power buttons, while the iPad Pro features Face ID.
The new C1 cellular modem is also a notable accomplishment for Apple. The company has been working on its cellular modem technology for years, which marks the first time we see it in an iPhone. It’s a big step toward Apple reducing – and eventually eliminating – its reliance on Qualcomm.
Another element to the equation is Apple Intelligence. Apple is betting big on its suite of AI features to spur people to buy new iPhones. Analysts and researchers expect Apple Intelligence to be a big driver for iPhone sales, even as some of the most impressive features aren’t yet available.
What do you think of the new iPhone 16e? Did Apple tick all of the right boxes to make it a hit product? Let us know down in the comments.
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