Apple today announced the iPhone 16e, a new addition to the iPhone 16 lineup that delivers powerful capabilities at a more affordable price. The iPhone 16e offers fast performance and breakthrough battery life, thanks to the efficiency of the A18 chip and the Apple C1, the first cellular modem designed by Apple. Built for Apple Intelligence, the intuitive personal intelligence system enhances user experience while maintaining privacy in AI.
The 48MP Fusion camera captures stunning photos and videos, and with an integrated 2x Telephoto lens, users can zoom in with optical quality. When outside of cellular and Wi-Fi coverage, Apple’s satellite features—including Emergency SOS, Roadside Assistance, Messages, and Find My via satellite—help users stay connected in critical situations. The iPhone 16e comes in two matte finishes, black and white, with colorful cases available for customization. Pre-orders begin on Friday, February 21, with availability starting on Friday, February 28.
Kaiann Drance, Apple’s vice president of Worldwide iPhone Product Marketing, expressed excitement for the device, stating, “iPhone 16e packs in the features our users love about the iPhone 16 lineup, including breakthrough battery life, fast performance powered by the latest-generation A18 chip, an innovative 2-in-1 camera system, and Apple Intelligence. We’re so excited for iPhone 16e to complete the lineup as a powerful, more affordable option to bring the iPhone experience to even more people.”
The iPhone 16e is designed for durability, featuring IP68-rated splash, water, and dust resistance, a Ceramic Shield front cover tougher than any smartphone glass, and the strongest back glass in a smartphone. The 6.1-inch Super Retina XDR display with OLED technology provides an edge-to-edge design ideal for HDR videos, gaming, and crisp text. Battery life is the best ever in a 6.1-inch iPhone, lasting up to six hours longer than the iPhone 11 and up to 12 hours longer than all generations of iPhone SE. Face ID enables secure unlocking, purchases, and app sign-ins, while charging options include wireless charging and USB-C compatibility.
Powered by the latest A18 chip, the iPhone 16e delivers smooth performance and efficiency. The 6-core CPU is up to 80% faster than the A13 Bionic chip, while the 4-core GPU enhances gaming experiences with hardware-accelerated ray tracing. The 16-core Neural Engine supports large generative models and runs machine learning up to six times faster than the A13 Bionic. The new Apple C1 modem provides fast and reliable 5G connectivity, contributing to extraordinary battery life.
Apple Intelligence unlocks exciting new features such as the Clean Up tool for removing distractions in images, natural language search in Photos, and enhanced Siri capabilities. Users can interact with ChatGPT seamlessly through Writing Tools and Siri without switching apps, with built-in privacy protections ensuring data security.
The iPhone 16e also introduces the Action button, allowing users to access various functions with a single press. It can launch the camera, flashlight, voice memos, or accessibility features like Magnifier, and even activate in-app actions such as unlocking a car door with FordPass. The Action button enhances visual intelligence by identifying objects, translating text, and detecting contact details.
Equipped with a 48MP Fusion camera, the iPhone 16e captures high-resolution photos with exceptional light and detail. The integrated 2x Telephoto lens allows optical-quality zoom, while the front-facing TrueDepth camera ensures sharp selfies and group photos. Advanced HDR delivers vibrant skin tones and lifelike contrast. The iPhone 16e records 4K videos with Dolby Vision at up to 60 fps, Spatial Audio for immersive listening, and advanced audio editing tools for professional-quality sound.
With iOS 18, the iPhone 16e introduces more customization, redesigned Control Center access, new privacy protections for locking and hiding apps, and enriched messaging features. The Messages app now supports RCS for improved media sharing and reliable group messaging across different platforms.
The iPhone 16e offers a compelling balance of power, intelligence, and affordability, making it a strong addition to Apple’s lineup.