The iPhone 16e is finally here. Apple released the long-awaited successor to the iPhone SE 3 on Wednesday, and tech sites everywhere have been quick to have their say.
In case you missed the unveil, the new handset, called the iPhone 16e, is Apple Intelligence-ready and features a 6.1-inch OLED display (with a notch) that, in a first for the renamed SE series, covers the entire front of the handset. But the iPhone 16e starts at $599, which is $170 more than the iPhone SE 3 that it’s replaced.
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Skipping across to the the first reports from professional phone critics, Digital Trends described the iPhone 16e as “everything we hoped for,” adding that “if you’ve been looking out for a cost-effective way to get into iPhone ownership, it should probably be at the top of your list.”
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Gizmodo looked at what the iPhone 16e can’t — rather than can — do, pointing out things like its lack of MagSafe charging. It also called into question its “budget-friendly” status, comparing its $599 price tag to better-priced alternatives from competitors.
The Verge asked a bunch of its writers for their personal take — one loved that Apple included the customizable Action Button to its newest, most affordable handset, while someone else also lamented the absence of MagSafe. Another really liked the screen size, describing it as “the perfect medium between too big and too small.”
In its take, TechRadar found the notch “odd,” saying that it “feels like a throwback,” but it said that with all of its new features, including a 48-megapixel main camera, it “truly feels like a part of the new [iPhone 16] family.”
Cnet noted the new phone’s readiness for Apple Intelligence, but said the iPhone 16e “has a curious value proposition,” adding: “On paper, it seems like an upgrade in nearly every way to the iPhone SE, but it lacks the iPhone SE’s main appeals: a low price and a small design.”
Phone Arena also focused on the price, calling it “a disappointment for buyers on a budget.” But at the same time it noted that “the iPhone 16e beats the competition in performance speeds and video quality.”
“The iPhone 16e is the cheap phone to beat,” proclaimed ZDNet, while speculating as to what the “e” in 16e stands for, suggesting economy, enhanced, essential, exceptional, expansive, and extra as possible contenders.
Apple Insider claims that with the new iPhone 16e, the tech giant is “very clearly setting out its stall” that the new handset “is for people who last bought an iPhone in 2019 or 2020” — in other words, the iPhone 11 and 12.
Overall, the news sites appeared to agree that the iPhone 16e is a significant update to Apple’s entry-level smartphone, though opinions varied on whether its features justify the increased price when compared to the previous SE model.
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