iPhone 16e

Please be aware that this A3408 iPhone 16e model supports 27 different 5G bands, but excludes mmWave bands n258, n260, and n261. It offers dual eSIM and physical nano-SIM card support. This device is intended for carriers in Canada, Mexico, and several Middle Eastern countries (Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE), as well as the US territories of Guam and the USVI, though it is technically compatible with carriers globally.

Introduced as an entry-level, budget-friendly successor to the iPhone SE 3, the iPhone 16e shares many external similarities with the iPhone 14. However, it forgoes MagSafe in favor of USB-C, a higher-resolution single-lens camera, and an "Action" button. Internally, it is more akin to the iPhone 16, featuring the A18 processor (though with one less GPU core), but it lacks 5G mmWave, Wi-Fi 7, Ultra Wideband, and Thread networking support, while offering improved battery life.

All iPhone 16e models feature a 6.1-inch (diagonal) haptic-touch capable "Super Retina XDR" display (2532x1170, 460 ppi) that covers almost the entire front. It has two cameras: one front and one rear. The front "TrueDepth" camera, housed in the "notch," supports Face ID, has an f/1.9 aperture, captures 12-megapixel photos, and shoots 4K video. The rear camera, marketed as a "2-in-1 camera system," is a single 4K-capable 48-megapixel "Fusion" camera (f/1.6 aperture) that supports both 24 and 48-megapixel photos.

The iPhone 16e has an aluminum case with flat sides, along with a glass front and back. The front is protected by a "Ceramic Shield" cover for durability, and the device is splash, water, and dust-resistant to the IP68 standard. It is available only in matte white or black finishes.

Inside, the iPhone 16e is driven by a 4.0 GHz "Apple A18" processor with a six-core CPU (two performance, four efficiency), a 4-core GPU, and a 16-core Neural Engine. It includes 8 GB of RAM and 128 GB, 256 GB, or 512 GB of flash storage. The device also supports 802.11ax Wi-Fi 6 with 2x2 MIMO, 5G wireless, Bluetooth 5.3, NFC for Apple Pay, "Express Cards with power reserve" for transit, Crash Detection, and Emergency SOS via satellite.

Apple's battery life estimates for the iPhone 16e are up to 90 hours of audio playback, 26 hours of video playback, and 21 hours of streamed video playback.

Pricing is country-dependent, but in Canada, this specific iPhone 16e costs C$899, C$1049, and C$1349 for the 128 GB, 256 GB, and 512 GB models, respectively, if paid in full. Alternatively, it can be financed over a two-year contract for C$37.46, C$43.71, and C$56.21 per month.

The iPhone 16e emerged as a controversial yet strategically significant addition to Apple's lineup, generating mixed reactions from technology reviewers who struggled to reconcile its premium pricing with budget-oriented feature set. Professional evaluators acknowledged the device's impressive A18 processor performance and extended battery life, recognizing these as genuine achievements in the mid-range segment. However, critics consistently highlighted the perplexing absence of MagSafe support and the limitation to a single rear camera as decisions that undermined the model's value proposition. The retention of the notch design rather than adopting the Dynamic Island drew particular scrutiny from reviewers who questioned Apple's component choices. Despite these compromises, industry analysts noted that the iPhone 16e successfully filled a crucial market gap, providing Apple Intelligence capabilities at a lower entry point while maintaining the core iOS experience that defines the brand.