- Apple’s new iPhone – the 16e – is the newest member of the iPhone 16 household
- Even with comparable appears to be like, there are some lacking options
- A single digital camera stands proud essentially the most, however it additionally lacks ultra-wideband, mmWave, and a GPU core
While the iPhone 16e is the newest member of the iPhone 16 household, Apple needed to rebalance the characteristic listing and {hardware} inside to cut back the value to $599 / £599 / AU$999. After all, that’s $200 lower than the iPhone 16’s beginning worth within the United States, so some performance merely needed to go.
That’s to not say it isn’t feature-filled, although. The iPhone 16e nonetheless will get an A18 processor for swift efficiency and the flexibility to run Apple Intelligence. It additionally pairs with a 6.1-inch Super Retina XDR show, a single digital camera on the rear, Face ID, and a design that makes it suitable with the iPhone 16, 16 Plus, 16 Pro, and 16 Pro Max.
So what’s lacking? Well, except for dropping some connectivity, it’s additionally a story of cameras and the way you cost the iPhone 16e – let’s dive into it.
One much less GPU core than the iPhone 16
Considering it’s extra inexpensive than the iPhone 16, this small tweak with the Apple-made A18 processor isn’t stunning. The iPhone 16e nonetheless comes with the A18 chip, however as a substitute of a 5-core GPU just like the iPhone 16, it solely will get 4-cores. It nonetheless includes a 5-core CPU and 16-core Neural Engine, so it’s seemingly this barely much less highly effective graphical processing unit received’t make a lot of a distinction in day-to-day utilization.
Apple seemingly created this barely much less highly effective A18 chip to maintain it throughout the household. Alternatively, it may have used the A17 Pro chip, which has a 6-core CPU, 5-core GPU, and 16-core Neural Engine, because it did with the iPad mini.
Even so, count on the iPhone 16e to behave and carry out like an iPhone 16 – which means that iOS 18 and varied apps ought to run with out a hitch.
Last-gen Photographic Styles and one lens
The very first thing regarding the digital camera is pretty apparent – the iPhone 16e merely has one lens, identical to the iPhone SE that got here earlier than it. Without the ultrawide you’ll be a bit of extra restricted within the varieties of photographs you’ll be able to seize, and it guidelines out the flexibility for the telephone to take macro photographs.
Still, you’re left with a big improve over the iPhone SE third-generation as the primary lens here’s a 48-megapixel fusion digital camera that may shoot at 1x or 2x. You’ll have entry to edit your captures within the Photos app with the flexibility to make use of AI to ‘clear up’ your photographs. However, if you wish to add your individual flare or take to how the iPhone shoots, you received’t get the newest and biggest Photographic Styles from Apple.
This isn’t a deal-breaker, however you received’t essentially be capable to finesse and tweak these to your liking. The different lacking piece of {hardware} is the Camera Control – it’s not right here. Though, with the arrival of the Action Button, you possibly can set this to open the Camera app.
MagSafe is lacking
One of my favourite elements of the iPhone, because it was launched with the iPhone 12, is MagSafe – it makes wi-fi charging a lot simpler and powers an ever-growing accent ecosystem. I had excessive hopes that Apple would have tossed the round magnetic ring onto its subsequent inexpensive iPhone, however that’s not the case.
The iPhone 16e merely gives wi-fi charging utilizing the unique Qi commonplace, identical to the iPhone SE’s third-generation predecessor. It can even cost at a most of seven.5 watts, which is a bit lower than MagSafe or Qi-2.
One potential benefit, although, is with no ring and a slimmer charging coil, Apple may need been in a position to make use of an even bigger battery cell inside. Apple guarantees as much as 26 hours of video playback, which tops the iPhone 16.
No mmWave or ultra-wideband connectivity
Lastly, concerning the numerous issues lacking, the iPhone 16e solely helps Fifth Generation Sub-6 Ghz. This means this iPhone can’t hook up with the mmWave spectrum for doubtlessly sooner speeds. The iPhone 16 helps this, however it’s price noting that Apple is preserving this commonality with the earlier iPhone SE.
A bigger lacking type of connectivity right here although is Apple’s second-generation ultra-wideband chip, which permits issues like Precision Finding with AirTags or newer AirPods and can also be being utilized by some forthcoming sensible residence devices like door locks. This an odd omission, although it’s seemingly executed to cut back prices and separate the iPhone 16e from the iPhone 16.
While the iPhone 16e helps Bluetooth 5.3 just like the iPhone 16, it solely rocked Wi-Fi 6 versus Wi-Fi 7. Thread connectivity can also be lacking right here.
Only two colours
One of my, and plenty of others’, favourite elements of the iPhone 16 lineup was the usual and Plus colours. Simply put, they had been pleasant, enjoyable, and vibrant – really including some flare to the iPhone and permitting you to select the one which matched your private type.
For those that needed to see an Ultramarine or Pink iPhone 16e, although, that is not occurring … at the very least at launch. The iPhone 16e solely is available in black or white, each matte choices.
