The home button is extinct with the debut of the iPhone 16E, which replaces the iconic Touch ID with a Face ID notch. This new model, starting at $599.99, incorporates an A18 chip and introduces Apple Intelligence, drawing from the 2022 iPhone 14’s design for its camera setup.
ALSO READ: How Visa’s ‘Tap to Add Card’ feature works
The iPhone 16E sports a 6.06-inch OLED screen, making it nearly identical in size to the 6.12-inch iPhone 16, with the 16E being slightly less wide and shorter by just a few millimeters. The Action Button is present, but the Camera Control feature seen in the 16 series is absent. The shift to USB-C from Lightning aligns with EU regulations, yet it omits MagSafe and fast wireless charging, sticking to 7.5W Qi. The phone will not have support for MagSafe.
Internally, the 16E matches the iPhone 16 with its A18 processor, enabling Apple Intelligence features like notification summaries, which even the non-Pro iPhone 15 lacks. It’s speculated to have at least 8GB of RAM, with storage starting at 128GB, phasing out the 64GB option.
Photography is handled by a solitary 48-megapixel rear camera, a notable reduction from its siblings. Despite this, it maintains wireless charging capabilities and an IP water-resistance rating.
This model introduces Apple‘s first in-house modem, signaling a shift from Qualcomm modems. The performance of this new modem remains a point of interest, along with potential implications for future models like the iPhone 17.
Preorders for the iPhone 16E begin Friday at $599, a jump from the $429 iPhone SE of 2022, with shipping set for February 28th.
