Entry-level iPhone: Apple completely relaunches iPhone SE as "16e"
Apple refreshes the mid-range iPhone with a new design and AI support, making it significantly larger and more expensive. A major innovation is hidden inside.
(Image: Apple)
Apple unveiled a successor to the iPhone SE on Wednesday; instead of iPhone SE 4, the newcomer is now called "iPhone 16e". Apart from that, the familiar concept remains the same: The manufacturer has always mixed the design and components of various already familiar iPhone generations for the entry-level model. This means a massive leap for the new iPhone, as the SE 3 was still based on the design of the iPhone 6 to 8 series introduced over 10 years ago.
The new design appears to be largely based on the iPhone 13 and 14, and the iPhone 16e is significantly larger than its compact predecessors with their small 4.7" displays (LCD). At the same time, the 16e now has a 6.1 OLED display with HDR support and a peak brightness of up to 1200 nits. It measures 14.8 Ă— 7.2 centimeters and is 7.8 millimeters thick. According to Apple, it weighs 167 grams.
New and old mixed – with Apple's first 5G modem
The home button and fingerprint scanner (Touch ID) are now history, at least on the iPhone, and the 16e now also relies on Face ID facial recognition. In the EU, Apple had to remove the iPhone SE 3 and iPhone 14 from its own stores at the turn of the year because they still have a lighting port. The new edition now comes – with USB-C (USB 2), just like all other current iPhone models –.
The 16e also inherits the action button on the side from the iPhone 16, which users can assign their own actions to. It also supports the AI function "Visual Intelligence", which is linked to the independent camera control on the 16 and 16 Pro. This additional button is not available on the 16e.
In contrast to the iPhone 14, the iPhone 16e also has a single camera on the back. There is therefore no wide-angle or dedicated telephoto lens. However, the 48-megapixel main camera now plays at the level of the iPhone 15 and 16 according to the data sheet. The 16e also supports the popular 2x zoom, which offers a 35mm equivalent focal length of 50mm.
The iPhone 16e features Apple's A18 chip, which made its debut in the iPhone 16 last fall. According to the specifications, it is also a 6-core processor and a 4-core GPU. There appears to be at least 8 GB of RAM on board, even if Apple itself does not specify a concrete value: unlike the iPhone 15, which is still being sold, the SE 4 supports the AI functions of Apple Intelligence.
Apple's first in-house 5G modem, called "Apple C1", is also making its debut. It works particularly efficiently and therefore contributes to a longer battery life, the company promises. There is still a physical SIM card slot in the version for Europe, and dual SIM (with nano SIM and eSIM or 2x eSIM) is supported. Like the iPhone 14 and its successors, the iPhone 16e can also switch to a satellite connection in a dead zone – to make an emergency text call or share its location with friends. This is free for two years. Apple has not yet announced the subsequent price for the in-house satellite service.
Teardowns will have to show whether other wireless components bear the Apple logo. According to reports, the manufacturer is also working on its own WLAN and Bluetooth chips. The iPhone 16e supports WLAN 6, support for the newer WLAN 6E and WLAN 7 standards is missing –, as is the ultra-wideband chip normally integrated in iPhones.
The iPhone 16e can be charged via USB-C cable or via Qi – Apple's own MagSafe system is apparently not supported, however.
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iPhone 16e: Prices and availability
The entry-level price is significantly higher than before: Apple sells the iPhone 16e from 700 euros with 128 GB of storage space. The only colors available are black or white. At this level, the predecessor last cost 600 euros. Apple is also offering the new edition with 256 GB for 830 euros. The 512 GB model of the 16e costs 1080 euros. The smartphone goes on sale on February 28, also in Germany. Pre-ordering is possible from February 21.
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