No MagSafe in the iPhone 16e: These are the reasons according to Apple
Some observers briefly thought it was due to the technology, but the manufacturer's reason for omitting MagSafe from the 16e is now completely different.
MagSafe technology: quick(er) charging thanks to magnet.
(Image: Apple)
The new iPhone 16e – costs 700 euros and is therefore no longer an entry-level product. Nevertheless, potential customers are confronted with a few omissions. The fact that there is only one camera, for example, was expected in advance. However, most observers do not understand why Apple has simply dropped the MagSafe magnetic charging standard, which has been part of all iPhones since the iPhone 12, with the exception of the SE. Apple did not comment on this for a long time, which led to some wild speculation – that the new Apple modem chip C1 could be incompatible. But there are apparently no technical reasons. The iPhone manufacturer has now confirmed this to a well-known Apple blogger.
Apple: Target group does not like MagSafe
As John Gruber writes in his iPhone 16e report on Daring Fireball, Apple argues something like this: people who are the target group for the 16e charge their phones "exclusively via a charging cable". According to Gruber, Apple's logic is that "[these customers] tend not to use inductive charging at all – and if they do, they may not care that the 16e gets by with a measly 7.5W Qi charging speed while newer, more expensive iPhones charge at 15 or even 25 watts via MagSafe."
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So Apple obviously believes that 16e buyers mostly come from the iPhone SE (3), which so far only supports Qi (without MagSafe and magnet), but which is supposedly rarely used. Accordingly, this crippling is being continued with the brand new iPhone 16e and the company is saving money on production. Apple blogger Gruber can surprisingly understand the argument: "I think Apple knows the target group of the 16e better than I do." The readers of his specialist blog are no more part of it than friends and family members of his readership.
Magnet-free: accessories suddenly drop off
It is unclear how much Apple will ultimately save by omitting MagSafe –, even though magnets such as those used in MagSafe often contain expensive rare earths and are somewhat more difficult to install. The fact that the 16e cannot be used with MagSafe accessories, such as MagSafe stands for the bedside table, handles and other accessories, is likely to be particularly annoying for customers.
This is despite the fact that these would actually fit perfectly due to the form factor of the 16e, which corresponds to that of the iPhone 14. The iPhone 16e has been on sale since last Friday. It costs 699 euros with 128 GB, but you can also spend 829 euros for 256 GB or even 1079 euros for 512 GB.
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