For nearly a decade, Apple positioned the iPhone SE as a budget-friendly alternative to its premium line-ups. It did pretty well, with its second generation in particular peaking at No 2 in terms of sales in 2020.
And it was only a matter of time before an overhaul was due – and here we are with the iPhone 16e. The National takes a look at the newest entrant in the mid-tier smartphone race.
Farewell, home button
Yes, we have to dedicate a whole section of this review to the good old home button, a staple since the original iPhone in 2007.
It was hugely popular as it was a convenient way to unlock iPhones, replace password inputs and authorise transactions such as Apple Pay. When it was removed from the iPhone X in 2017, a good segment of the Apple user base still favoured it over Face ID – which is now the iPhone 16e's security and authentication method.
While the iPhone 16e is technically a redesign in its category, it is a familiar look, as the device now dons the design Apple has implemented since the iPhone 12.
From a looks perspective, the iPhone 16e is a mash-up of the base iPhone 14 and iPhone 16: it has the notch from the former and the Action Button (the former silent switch) from the latter. Furthermore, the iPhone 16e's camera bump isn't as thick as the rest of its iPhone 16 peers. It also does not have the Camera Control button, an iPhone 16 Pro exclusive.
Aside from the aesthetics, here's how it stacks up against its predecessor, plus the base iPhone 16.
A good number of the specs are significant bump-ups from the iPhone SE 3, and some are on par with the iPhone 16.
Familiar feel but with more power
On performance, the iPhone 16e is on a par with what we experienced with the iPhone 16 Plus and iPhone 16 Pro Max. We'd also like to point out that the Action Button still triggers only one function and the choices remain limited to the current 12 options.
This is largely thanks to the A18 chip, which is also used in the mainline iPhone 16 line-up (the iPhone 16 Pros use the A18 Pro). That continues the tradition of the iPhone SE devices, which had also utilised the then-current Apple chips.
The iPhone 16e's power is also very much felt in its battery: Apple says it lasts 11 hours longer that the iPhone SE 3 and four hours more than the iPhone 16.
In our testing, the farthest it took us to charging-time was just over a day and a half. We'd like to stress that battery life depends on how much you use it; during one busy day (when it was gaming mode on) we had to reach out for the power cable before noon.
Another notable exception: while the iPhone 16e is compatible with Qi wireless chargers, it does not support Apple's own MagSafe tech.
It also lost only 6 per cent in our one-hour YouTube-at-full-brightness test, which beats the iPhone SE 3 and barely bests the iPhone 16 Plus.
And, of course, the headline here is Apple Intelligence. Apple's generative AI platform will help you spruce up your messages with Writing Tools, manage your schedules more efficiently, organise your emails, create pictures with Image Playground, and manage your photos and videos. One good showcase of Apple Intelligence is the recently launched Invites event-planning app.
One camera does the trick
You only get to work with one camera on the iPhone 16e but it's a powerful one: Apple put in a 48MP snapper, which has been in use since the iPhone 14 Pro.
However, you won't get some of the more premium features seen in the other iPhone 16 models, notably macro mode, wide angle and the ability to change the focal point of a portrait shot after taking it.
Despite that, the iPhone 16e's camera holds up very well, as it clicks nicely lit, natural-looking shots. Snaps during the daytime and in good lighting were great, as were those taken at night or in low light. Even its 4K video recording works very well.
Verdict
While the Apple iPhone 16e is a no-frills device, it could well be the newest go-to, no-frills device. The iPhone SE series did its job of providing an affordable iPhone alternative but it did look outdated, especially after the iPhone X and the iPhone 12.
With the iPhone 16e, Apple is bringing that no-frills offering into the modern iPhone era, packed with some additional features.
But the device largely overlaps with the base iPhone 16 in terms of price: the 512GB iPhone 16e's price is practically on a par with the 256GB iPhone 16 (and 128GB iPhone 16 Plus). This is largely a matter of preference right now and Apple is playing the "spoilt for choice" card here.
And it's putting mid-tier Android devices on notice, although there are smartphones with sturdier features (and multiple cameras) that are cheaper than the iPhone 16e.