iPhone 16e
The SE replacement: Face ID, the A18 and the Action button at $599, and the debut of Apple's own C1 cellular modem.
Released February 28, 2025 · From $599 (128 GB, unlocked)
Apple retired the SE name. The home button went with it. The 16e is a 6.1-inch iPhone with Face ID, the A18, a single 48-megapixel camera and the Action button, at $599, which is $170 more than the SE 3 it replaced. The interesting part is C1, Apple's own cellular modem, shipping here first after years of buying from Qualcomm and a long legal fight with them. It is more power-efficient than the Qualcomm part, which is part of why the 16e gets 26 hours of video. There is no MagSafe, only standard Qi charging, which is an odd omission on a phone at this price.
Reviews & Reception
Scored 77 out of 100, the lowest of any iPhone in this set. Reviewers rated it the cheapest way into Apple Intelligence and told most buyers the $200 to the iPhone 16 was worth paying.
The iPhone 16e is the most affordable entry into Apple Intelligence and the rest of the company's ecosystem, and is a solid option for anyone who doesn't care very much about smartphone photography.
Ultimately, though, unless you really can't fork over the $200 difference (which works out to a few dollars a month over two years), the iPhone 16 is a better buy for most people.