Apple iPhone 16e: What We Know So Far
It's the most affordable member of the iPhone 16 series.
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(SPOT.ph) Let's be real, iPhones aren't exactly the most affordable smartphones on the market. Some people take months to save for the newest releases, or wait for older models to be sold at discounted prices—just being practical. We get it, and Apple does too. That's why they offer more budget-friendly phones through the SE series. Joining those ranks is the iPhone 16e, which they just launched last night, February 19. It's the newest, most affordable member of the iPhone 16 series family—and here's what we know about it so far.
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Apple launches iPhone 16e
The debut of the iPhone 16e comes months after the iPhone 16 series was announced in September of last year. It had four models then: iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, and iPhone 16 Pro Max.
Apple promises that the iPhone 16e cones packed with features users love about the iPhone 16 lineup: Apple's latest-generation A18 chip, intelligent AI features, and impressive battery life, among others, at an affordable price point starting at P39,990 (according to the PH website). Yep, that's about P20,000 less than the starting price point of the iPhone 16 (P54,990).
Unlike past SE models that have smaller screens and sizes (the last iPhone SE was the iPhone SE (3rd generation) with a 4.7" display), the iPhone 16e has the same 6.1" screen size as the iPhone 16. It also has the A18 chip with a new 6-core CPU (up to 80 percent faster than the A13 Bionic chip on the iPhone 11) with 2 performance and 4 efficiency cores, and a 4-core (the iPhone 16 has a 5-core one) GPU that allows you to take your mobile gaming to the next level. The iPhone 16e is also the first phone to feature the C1 chip, a.k.a. the "first cellular and most power-efficient modem designed by Apple."
As for the camera, the iPhone 16e has a 2-in-1 camera system, equipped with a 48MP fusion camera and 2x telephoto. The front camera is 12MP. It'll take super-high resolution photos and videos (Dolby Vision up to 4K at 60 fps, no less) for you, and includes portrait mode. No dynamic island on this model, though.
The iPhone 16e doesn't have the home button-slash-Touch ID anymore, instead using the Face ID for unlocking the phone. But it does include the Action Button, which means you can access your phone's features and functions with just a press of the button.
The charging port for the iPhone 16e is USB-C, whereas the iPhone SE 3 still uses a lightning port. For battery life, Apple promises that the iPhone 16e has "the best battery life ever on a 6.1-inch iPhone," allowing for up to 26 hours hours of video playback and 90 hours of audio playback. In comparison, the iPhone 16 can get you up to 22 and 27 hours of video and audio playback, while the SE 3 ofrees up to 15 hours of video playback and up to 50 of audio.
The iPhone 16e is also built for Apple Intelligence. ChatGPT is integrated into the phone's Writing Tools and Siri. It's free, so users don't even have to create an account for access. It is also packed with satellite systems like the Emergency SOS, and even the Crash Detection.
The iPhone 16e is available in white and black matte finishes and is splash-, water-, and dust-resistant.
iPhone 16e prices (according to PH website):
128GB — P39,990
256GB — P46,990
512GB — P58,990
Price of the iPhone 16 series
iPhone 16 starts at P54,990
iPhone 16 Plus starts at P62,990
iPhone 16 Pro starts at P69,990
iPhone 16 Pro Max starts at P84,990
Apple also has a flagship store in Lazada and Shopee where you can easily get your hands on the latest Apple drops, including the iPhone 16 series lineup. You can also check out more of Apple's offerings online through its website or trusted premium retailers like Beyond the Box, Power Mac Center, and Digital Walker, among others.
Australia, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, South Korea, Türkiye, the UAE, the UK, and the U.S., among other countries and regions, can pre-order the iPhone 16e starting February 21. It will officially be available on February 28.
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