Apple Replaces iPhone SE with Larger, More Expensive iPhone 16e

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Originally published at: Apple Replaces iPhone SE with Larger, More Expensive iPhone 16e - TidBITS

Since 2016, the iPhone SE has catered to two audiences: those seeking a more affordable iPhone and those desiring the smallest possible model. For months, rumors have circulated about Apple’s plans for a new version of the iPhone SE, which seemed reasonable since the current model lacks support for Apple Intelligence and depends on Lightning. However, instead of introducing a fourth-generation iPhone SE, Apple expanded the iPhone 16 lineup with the new iPhone 16e and discontinued the third-generation iPhone SE. This decision invites comparisons between the iPhone 16e and both the iPhone SE and iPhone 16.

The iPhone 16e starts at $599 for the 128 GB model, with options for 256 GB at $699 and 512 GB at $899. The available colors are black and white. Pre-orders will begin on 21 February 2025, with availability coming a week later.

iPhone 16e

iPhone 16e Versus iPhone SE

While the iPhone 16e will undoubtedly still appeal to those seeking the most affordable iPhone, it falls short compared to the third-generation iPhone SE in both price and size. You’ll pay $120 more for the same storage capacity—$599 compared to $479 for 128 GB of storage, and the iPhone SE even offered a 64 GB model for just $429. In terms of size, the iPhone 16e is taller, wider, thicker, and heavier—it simply ignores those whose hands, bodies, and pockets would prefer a more compact iPhone.

Of course, the iPhone 16e delivers significantly more technology for the price and size. It features Face ID, a larger screen, significantly improved front and rear cameras, an A18 chip that is 40% faster and supports Apple Intelligence features, an Action button that will soon also grant access to Visual Intelligence, satellite connectivity, crash detection, enhanced water resistance, and more. It is undeniably a more advanced iPhone.

iPhone 16e spec card

However, those features aren’t new. You can get them and more in the similarly sized iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro.

iPhone 16e Versus iPhone 16

Unfortunately, the iPhone 16e pales in comparison to the iPhone 16, which was previously the entry-level model in the lineup. The iPhone 16 starts at $799 for 128 GB, making it $200 more expensive. (Considering the $400 price difference, it seems unreasonable to compare the iPhone 16e with the iPhone 16 Pro.)

For that extra $200, the iPhone 16 provides a brighter screen, the Dynamic Island instead of a notch, a Camera Control button, a more advanced dual-camera system featuring a 12-megapixel Ultra Wide camera, a slightly more powerful A18 chip, 25-watt MagSafe charging with compatibility for MagSafe accessories, and Ultra Wideband support for precise Find My locating.

Of the two, only the iPhone 16’s camera offers macro and spatial photography, and for videos, cinematic mode, action mode, spatial videos, and macro recording. It may also deliver better optical image stabilization. In “iPhone 16 Models Add Camera Control, Prep for Apple Intelligence” (9 September 2024), I suggested that the iPhone 16 presents a more compelling upgrade than the iPhone 16 Pro, and I now believe the iPhone 16 provides more worthwhile tech for the buck than the iPhone 16e.

The only area where the iPhone 16e outperforms the iPhone 16 is in battery life. Apple estimates 26 hours for its video benchmark compared to 22 hours for the iPhone 16, a significant improvement for an absurd measurement (who watches video for 26 hours?). The additional battery life is partly due to Apple’s new C1 modem chip, which the company claims is the most power-efficient modem available. Apple also said it redesigned the internals of the iPhone 16e to accommodate a larger battery.

Apple’s iPhone comparison tool provides all the comparative details, but this chart highlights the key differences between the three iPhone models.

Feature iPhone SE (3rd Generation) iPhone 16e iPhone 16
Height 5.45 inches (138.4 mm) 5.78 inches (146.8 mm) 5.81 inches (147.6 mm)
Width 2.65 inches (67.3 mm) 2.81 inches (71.5 mm) 2.82 inches (71.6 mm)
Thickness 0.29 inch (7.3 mm) 0.31 inch (7.8 mm) 0.31 inch (7.8 mm)
Weight 5.09 oz (144 g) 5.89 oz (167 g) 6.00 oz (170 g)
Price (128 GB) $479 $599 $829
Display Size & Type 4.7-inch Retina HD LCD 6.1-inch Super Retina XDR OLED 6.1-inch Super Retina XDR OLED
Dynamic Island No No (Notch) Yes
Port Lighting USB-C USB-C
Biometric Authentication Touch ID Face ID Face ID
Action Button No (Ring/Silent switch) Yes Yes
Camera Control Button No No (Action button for Visual Intelligence) Yes
Chip Type & Cores A15 Bionic A18 (6-core CPU, 4-core GPU) A18 (6-core CPU, 5-core GPU)
Screen Brightness 625 nits (typical) 800 nits (typical), 1200 nits (HDR) 1000 nits (typical), 1600 nits (HDR), 2000 nits (outdoor)
Front Camera 7 MP photos 12 MP photos 12 MP photos
Rear Camera System Single 12MP Wide camera Single 48MP Fusion camera Dual 48MP Fusion and 12MP Ultra Wide cameras
“Peace of Mind” Features Emergency SOS via phone Crash Detection, Emergency SOS via satellite, Roadside Assistance via satellite, Messages via satellite Crash Detection, Emergency SOS via satellite, Roadside Assistance via satellite, Messages via satellite
Wireless Charging Qi wireless charging (7.5W) Qi wireless charging (7.5W) MagSafe (15W) and Qi wireless charging (7.5W); compatible with MagSafe accessories
Battery Life (Video) 15 hours 26 hours 22 hours

Thoughts

Although the iPhone 16e now sits at the low end of the iPhone lineup (even last year’s iPhone 15 costs $100 more), increasing the baseline price will not boost sales in price-conscious markets like India and China. From that viewpoint, the new model doesn’t appear to advance Apple’s ambitions in emerging markets.

In conversation, Glenn Fleishman suggested that the $200 price difference between the iPhone 16e and iPhone 16 may allow for deeper wholesale discounts for the carriers, who could pass these savings on by requiring extended contracts. We’ll have to see if the carriers begin promoting the iPhone 16e below the $599 list price.

Apple’s replacement of the iPhone SE with the iPhone 16e is another nail in the coffin of smaller iPhones. Previously, the hope—or at least the fantasy—was that Apple might revive the iPhone 13 mini form factor. The only remaining option for a less bulky iPhone is the rumored iPhone 17 Air, but it would only be thinner and lighter, not necessarily easier to hold or fit in a pocket.

I have no particular opinion about Apple’s introduction of a new letter suffix. The e doesn’t signify anything specific, although some have suggested “everyone” or “efficiency.” A more intriguing question is whether we’ll see an iPhone 17e, iPhone 18e, and so forth. I doubt it—annual changes cut into Apple’s margins, which partly explains why the iPhone SE went several years between its three revisions. In fact, the dimensions of the iPhone 16e are identical to those of the iPhone 14, which Apple was selling for the same $599 price until discontinuing it alongside the iPhone SE. Reusing aspects of the iPhone 14 case may allow Apple to utilize existing manufacturing lines to lower assembly costs.

The A18 chip is essential for supporting Apple Intelligence, not because Apple Intelligence is useful at the moment but because Apple has focused so much marketing effort on it. All new Apple devices must support Apple Intelligence—a new base-level iPad can’t be far off for that reason alone. It’s noteworthy that the iPhone 16e uses an A18 with only 4 GPU cores instead of 5 like the iPhone 16; utilizing those “binned” chips (those whose GPU cores didn’t all pass testing) boosts the overall A18 yield.

The big news Apple hopes will go unnoticed by users is the debut of its new C1 modem chip. The company has been developing its own modem since acquiring Intel’s modem unit nearly six years ago (see “Apple Buys Intel’s Troubled 5G Smartphone Modem Business,” 26 July 2019). By launching the C1 chip in the iPhone 16e, Apple may get the real-world testing it needs to know whether the C1 is ready for prime time in the iPhone 17 lineup. The target audience for the iPhone 16e may be less likely to detect networking performance issues in the C1 and may be more tolerant of initial problems that Apple would address in software updates.

Apple’s overall goal with the C1 is to eliminate its dependence on Qualcomm, with whom Apple has had a contentious relationship over the years. Eventually, the C1 chip’s capabilities may migrate onto the main A-series chip, but it would be even more intriguing if they were to extend to the M-series chips, providing Mac laptops with the possibility of full cellular connectivity.

Some of Apple’s other choices regarding which features to remove from the iPhone 16e are strange. I understand switching to a less expensive camera system and dropping the Camera Control button, but why remove MagSafe along with the entire ecosystem of MagSafe accessories?

Overall, the iPhone 16e will likely sell well based on price alone, as it is now the least expensive iPhone available. However, if price isn’t your prime mover, the iPhone 16 is a better value for the additional $200.

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For those like me attached to the se3, I think you can still get them from people like Total Wireless for $150 or so.

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I have always preferred the smaller form factor – iPhone 5s, iPhone SE original and the iPhone SE3. I also prefer a phone that does not try to do it all. The SE did all that I wanted at a price that I liked. The new 16e is bigger and heavier (16% heavier, in fact) and too expensive.

I think you are right: you might as well pay a bit more and get the regular iPhone 16 if that form factor works.

I will be keeping our two SE3 for a long time.

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iPhone SE replacement. A18 but one fewer GPU core than the iPhone 16. No Camera Control button, no Dynamic Island (but the notch). Similar camera system but no Ultra Wide. Does have satellite & AI capability. Qi wireless charging rather than MagSafe. Much more expensive ($599) than the SE

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What this essentially means is that there is no more small factor budget iPhone. The previous 14 was being sold at $599. This will take over that slot since they just EOLed the 14 (first time they remove an iPhone mid cycle). And the SE with its smaller form factor and lower price ($429) is gone.

Guess Apple is afraid not many would pay +$250 just for a 2nd camera, MagSafe, and the dynamic island on the regular 16. So they likely felt the 16e couldn’t come in too cheap. Curious to see if folks will let their wallets communicate to Apple how they feel about such an upshift in the current economic climate.

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Leaves the lineup in an ‘interesting’ state.

iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, iPhone 16 Pro Max, iPhone 16e, iPhone 15, and iPhone 15 Plus.

The 16e has modern guts supporting Apple Intelligence like the regular 16, but with no Dynamic Island or 2nd camera. The 15 has the Dynamic Island, MagSafe (and not just Qi like the 16e), and 2nd camera but outdated internals without support for Apple Intelligence.
$599 vs. $799 vs. $699 says Apple feels Apple Intelligence support is worth less than Dynamic Island, 2nd camera, and MagSafe. Considering all their recent hype around Apple Intelligence I would have not guessed they see it that way.

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Or it’s just an artifact of the transition to having AI-ability as the minimum competence for a phone, one that will disappear when the 17 shows up and the 15 goes away. I generally don’t take these “lineup misalignments” as saying anything about how Apple sees things in a broader sense. It’s just the result of product scheduling.

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It’s got an Apple modem rather than a Qualcomm one, so caveat emptor on that one.

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Apple claims their C1 is the reason the 16e gets the great battery life they say it has. They, however, do not mention anything about cellular performance under eg. low-SNR conditions. If it does that well, they might have a real winner on their hands (mm wave notwithstanding).

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I can’t help but wonder if the high price is due to the tariffs on China. It may be a sign that the prices on other models will go up soon as well.

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At the same $599 price as the iPhone 14 was yesterday, you get a much better phone which basically is missing only the Dynamic Island and the wide-angle camera (and Qi charging instead of MagSafe and Qi :man_shrugging:) and which likely will be supported for 1-2 years longer with iOS updates.

There was just a story that I saw today that so far Apple has absorbed the higher cost for laptops imported from China so far. but, yes, I would not be surprised to see Apple change the pricing on iPhones in September when they introduce new models and realign the existing models to older model pricing.

I believe that this is not a replacement for the SE but a combination of a replacement for the iPhone 14 and the SE at the bottom of Apple’s line at the same price the iPhone 14 was, but a better choice for people looking for a phone at the bottom of Apple’s iPhone pricing. They may end up losing some potential customers to low-cost Android phones, though.

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It will indeed be interesting to see how this thing does against the regular 16. There’s a $230 gap (the 16e doesn’t have the bogus $30 carrier discount). That’s a lot of moolah for essentially just the wide angle camera and Dynamic Island.

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And an extra 64GB of RAM. The base SE came with 64; the base 16E comes with 128.

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… until they are able to ramp-up production in their non-Chinese factories. We know that Apple does some assembly in India and Brazil, and Foxconn has factories in Thailand, Malaysia, Czech Republic, South Korea, Singapore and the Philipenes.

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One more thing: I just remembered that Apple stopped selling the iPhone SE and the two-year-old iPhone 14/14 Plus models in the EU at the end of 2024 because they did not have USB-C ports, so this brings the lower-end back into that market.

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The Apple website indicates that this model includes emergency SOS via satellite so that is a plus for me.

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Yeah but I paid less for my SE 3rd gen with 128GB and need to double it for the photos, songs I’ve loaded on it, along with the iOS updates and apps. $600 for a 256GB 16e is a bit more than I want to spend. However, if a refurb 16Pro with 256GB was $900, I could justify that…magsafe, lidar, more cores, USB-3 speed vs 2, more ram, more screen and brighter screen, titanium frame, better battery, and better modem (5G Ultra is missing from the 16e, as well as 2 cores less in the GPU). I cannot see having 128GB phone with a 48MP camera. You will take more picts. (Apple is cattlechuting more to iCloud subscription storage…yup.)

RIP Home button. Oh and Apple trade in value of my 128GB Red SE 3rd Gen…$100. Got the Home button! Someone will pay me double that (phone is clean, unlocked).

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Yep, there’s no comparison with the 3rd gen SE.

Even with 128 GB that thing was going for $479. A whopping $120 less than the new “SE”, i.e. the 16e. The era of “budget” iPhones is over.

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MASSIVELY disappointed with this. Too big, too heavy, too many bells and whistles, and at NZD 1,200 for the base model WAY too expensive.

Had been eagerly looking forward to the announcement and with 3 SE 2 models to upgrade was anticipating buying immediately. Replacements will now be non-iPhones.

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The case size and display specifications match the iPhone 14 exactly.