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Maybe the REAL iPhone SE was the iPhone 16e We Met Along the Way

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Greatest Price? Damn right it is!

You know how the iPhone SE 4 was anticipated for months now, and how leaksters say that Apple will definitely release a budget iPhone? Yesterday’s event saw the release of the iPhone 16e. Not quite the SE 4 but it’s pretty close. See, it has the body of the iPhone 14 and the AI features of the regular iPhone 16. By the way, “AI” in this case stands for “Apple Intelligence”. They REALLY want you to use that AI so they centered their most “budget-friendly” phone on that.

The iPhone 16e costs PHP 39,990 at the base level. This is PHP 15,000 (~USD 260) cheaper than the iPhone 16 at base price, which costs PHP 54,990. But really, is it worth saving that amount, or just save a bit more to get a more advanced iPhone?

The first thing you’ll notice is the ridiculously large bezels, the return of the bathtub notch, and a single 48MP camera. It’s like this iPhone was released 6 years too late, but hey, it’s budget, and it’s got the chipset and the AI to compensate for it. Similarities to the iPhone 16 include the 6.1″ 60Hz OLED display, A18 Bionic chipset, Apple Intelligence, and a hefty price tag.

The phone, due to the bathtub notch has no dynamic island, unsurprisingly. Also, it is slightly dimmer, from the iPhone 16’s 2000nits to the 16e’s 1200nits. For a regular user, both phones are bright as all hell.

While both iPhones feature the Action Button, only the iPhone 16 main series has camera control, so the iPhone 16e’s button is much more of a gimmick. Both phones have an IP68 rating and a headphone jackless. The iPhone 16 uses a Qualcomm modem for connectivity while the iPhone 16e uses Apple’s new C1 Modem which the company says is efficient and helps improve battery life.

So… what are you getting in the iPhone 16e that justifies the hefty PHP 40K price tag? We couldn’t tell, but since it is priced lower, it is a great start for people who are just getting started with iPhones… It has no standout features, not even Apple Intelligence. You can always buy a used iPhone 15 for a smaller price, or save more to get the iPhone 16 itself if you want those AI stuff so badly.

As for battery, the iPhone 16e supports 7.5W of Qi Wireless charging, boasts up to 26 hours of video playback, and supports both 20W charging and MagSafe charging options. Meanwhile, the iPhone 16 has a slightly smaller battery capable of only 22 hours of video playback. The longer battery life on the iPhone 16e was due to the aforementioned C1 Modem.

We’re hoping this is not another iPhone 5c situation. The iPhone 16e only has black and white, while the iPhone 16 comes with a myriad of colours including black and white, as well as teal, aquamarine, and pink. Face ID is available for both handsets. Both phones come integrated with iOS 18 ready to use out of the box.

The phone is not yet available in any authorized Apple resellers such as PowerMac Center and The Loop, but its price is already listed in Apple’s website. You currently cannot order one as of this writing.

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Source: Apple

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