iPhone 16e: Apple's New Budget Phone—Now with Fewer Features for More Money!
February 19, 2025
Apple has done it again. Just when you thought they couldn’t possibly release another phone that somehow costs more while offering less, they unveil the iPhone 16e—the latest in their ever-growing lineup of devices that seem designed to make your old phone feel obsolete overnight.
For years, the iPhone SE served as Apple’s "budget" option for those who wanted an iPhone without having to sell a kidney. But now, Apple has retired the SE, replacing it with the iPhone 16e, a phone that’s more expensive, slightly fancier, and missing just enough features to make you wonder if you should’ve just coughed up the extra cash for the standard iPhone 16.
The 'e' Stands for 'Expensive'
The iPhone SE was known for being one of the few Apple products that didn’t completely obliterate your bank account. At $429, it was a solid deal. But with the iPhone 16e starting at $599, Apple has made sure that the term "budget iPhone" now requires a much bigger budget.
If you're wondering what that extra $170 gets you, the answer is: an updated design, a bigger screen, and... well, fewer features compared to the flagship models. It's essentially a slightly stripped-down iPhone 16—except not stripped-down enough to actually be cheap.
Design: It's an iPhone, Alright
Apple has finally done away with the iPhone SE’s ancient home button, bringing the iPhone 16e into the modern age. With a 6.1-inch Super Retina XDR OLED display, the 16e looks like an actual 2025 smartphone instead of something that time-traveled from 2017.
However, before you get too excited, Apple has also removed the Dynamic Island—a feature that’s included on the iPhone 16 and 16 Pro. So while you’re getting a bigger screen, you’re also missing out on the tiny floating widget at the top of the display that Apple has been marketing as a game-changer. Will you survive without it? Probably. But Apple will definitely make sure you feel its absence.
The 16e comes in black and white, because why offer fun colors when they can make you upgrade to a more expensive model for that? It’s made from aluminum and glass, meaning it’ll feel premium in your hands right up until the moment you drop it.
Performance: A Chip Off the Old Block
At the heart of the iPhone 16e is Apple’s new A18 chip, paired with their custom C1 modem for improved connectivity. It’s fast, efficient, and will absolutely make your current iPhone feel sluggish in comparison. Apple Intelligence, Apple’s latest AI-powered software, is also included, which means your phone can now suggest things before you even think about them—whether you like it or not.
While the A18 chip is undoubtedly powerful, it’s not the same as the A18 Pro found in the iPhone 16 Pro models. Apple has reserved its top-tier performance for those willing to shell out even more cash, as usual.
Camera: More Pixels, But Only One Lens
Here’s where things get interesting. The iPhone 16e features a single 48-megapixel Fusion camera, a major upgrade from the previous SE’s 12-megapixel shooter. But before you get too excited, remember that this is the only camera on the back of the phone.
That’s right—no ultra-wide lens, no telephoto, just the one lonely camera. If you were hoping to capture sweeping landscapes or zoom into your friend’s embarrassing moments from a distance, you’re out of luck. But hey, at least Portrait Mode is still here to convince you that blurry backgrounds are a personality trait.
Say Goodbye to Familiar Features
With the iPhone 16e, Apple continues its trend of forcing us to say goodbye to things we didn’t realize we’d miss.
Home button? Gone. If you're still attached to Touch ID, this isn't the phone for you.
Lightning port? Nope—USB-C is now standard, whether you like it or not.
Mute switch? Replaced by the Action Button, which can be customized to do everything except bring back the features you actually wanted.
Pricing: A "Budget" Phone That’s Not Really Budget
The iPhone 16e starts at $599 for 128GB of storage, with options to upgrade to 256GB if you enjoy paying Apple even more money.
For comparison:
The iPhone 16 starts at $799 and includes an extra camera and Dynamic Island.
The iPhone 15 (which is still available) costs $699 and arguably offers more value.
Apple has positioned the iPhone 16e in such a way that it feels like a deal—but only when compared to Apple’s own more expensive products. It’s just cheap enough to tempt you, but just expensive enough to make you question your life choices.
Availability: Mark Your Calendars
Pre-orders for the iPhone 16e begin on February 21, with the official release on February 28. That gives you just enough time to debate whether this is the right upgrade for you or if you should just ride out another year with your current phone and its shattered screen.
Final Thoughts: Who Is This Phone For?
The iPhone 16e exists in a weird space. It’s too expensive to be considered truly budget-friendly, yet too basic to compete with flagship models. It’s for the person who wants a new iPhone but refuses to spend $1,000, even if it means settling for fewer features.
In short, the iPhone 16e is Apple’s latest experiment in seeing how much they can remove from a phone before people start complaining. And so far, it looks like they’ve found just the right balance of upgrades and downgrades to make you hesitate at checkout.
