iPhone 16e

Please be aware that this A3212 iPhone 16e model supports 27 different 5G bands but does not include mmWave bands n258, n260, and n261. It is equipped with dual eSIM support and lacks a physical nano-SIM card slot. This device is intended for carriers in the United States (and Puerto Rico) but is technically compatible with global carriers that support eSIM.

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.

In the US, this specific iPhone 16e is priced at US$599, US$699, and US$899 for the 128 GB, 256 GB, and 512 GB models, respectively, if paid upfront. It can also be financed over a two-year contract for US$24.95, US$29.12, and US$37.45 per month.

The US-market iPhone 16e provoked intense debate among American technology reviewers who struggled to position the device within Apple's carefully orchestrated product hierarchy. Critics widely praised the impressive battery life improvements and the inclusion of the C1 modem as evidence of Apple's ongoing innovation in connectivity technology. However, the $599 starting price generated significant controversy, with many reviewers arguing that Apple had stretched the definition of "economical" beyond reasonable limits. The absence of a physical SIM slot drew particular criticism from those who valued flexibility in carrier switching. Despite these concerns.