A new iPhone in February?! Apple launched the iPhone 16E on its site Wednesday, expanding the iPhone 16 line while also bringing a much-needed overhaul to the 2022 iPhone SE with an all-new name, design, processor and Apple Intelligence features.
The iPhone 16E starts at $599 (£599, AU$999), which is $170 more than the previous SE’s $429 starting price. By contrast, the regular iPhone 16 starts at $799. The price puts the phone towards the higher end of the affordable phone market, between rivals like the $499 Google Pixel 8A and Samsung’s Galaxy S24 FE, which starts at $650.
At a time when phone-makers have bet their success on implementing custom artificial intelligence features into their devices faster than their rivals, Apple makes it clear that its AI isn’t limited to its expensive flagship devices. Powering the iPhone 16E is Apple’s A18 chip (the same one found in the iPhone 16 and 16 Plus) so it can run Apple Intelligence. This makes the new Apple phone a rarity: a sub-$600 device that can run the same AI features as its more expensive siblings.
Otherwise, the iPhone 16E has a curious value proposition. On paper it seems like an upgrade in nearly every way to the iPhone SE. But it lacks the iPhone SE’s main appeals: a low price and a small design. That’s not to say that the iPhone 16E isn’t worth its $600 starting price, which will no doubt be lower with carrier deals and discounts at launch. But like the old iPhone SE, you have to wonder how long will this phone be relevant for?