The iPhone 16e joined the lineup as a cheaper alternative to the iPhone 16 earlier this year. Despite sharing most of their features, there are still more than 25 differences between the devices to be aware of.
Following the launch of the iPhone 17 lineup and the iPhone Air, Apple discontinued the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus, and bumped the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus down in price by $100.
This means that the iPhone 16e and iPhone 16 now represent the two cheapest iPhone options available directly from Apple, with just $100 between them. To justify this, the iPhone 16e misses out on features such as the Dynamic Island and MagSafe connectivity. However, it still features the A18 chip with Apple Intelligence support, the same main rear camera, and more. Here's everything that's different:
| iPhone 16e (2025) | iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus (2024) |
|---|---|
| "Notch" | Dynamic Island |
| Ceramic Shield front | Latest-generation Ceramic Shield front |
| 6.1-inch display | 6.1- or 6.7-inch display |
| 800 nits max brightness (typical) | 1,000 nits max brightness (typical) |
| 1,200 nits peak brightness (HDR) | 1,600 nits peak brightness (HDR) |
| 2,000 nits peak brightness (outdoor) | |
| 1 nit minimum brightness | |
| Glass back | Color-infused glass back |
| Available in White and Black | Available in White, Black, Ultramarine, Teal, and Pink |
| Camera Control | |
| 12-megapixel Ultra Wide camera | |
| 1x or 2x optical zoom options | 0.5x, 1x, or 2x optical zoom options |
| Optical image stabilization | Sensor-shift optical image stabilization |
| Portrait mode with Depth Control | Next-generation portraits with Focus and Depth Control |
| Photographic Styles | Latest-generation Photographic Styles |
| Macro photography | |
| Spatial photos and videos | |
| Cinematic mode for recording videos with shallow depth of field (up to 4K Dolby Vision at 30 fps) | |
| Action mode | |
| A18 chip with 4-core GPU | A18 chip with 5-core GPU |
| Apple C1 modem | Qualcomm Snapdragon X75 modem |
| mmWave 5G connectivity | |
| Wi‑Fi 6 connectivity | Wi-Fi 7 connectivity |
| Thread connectivity | |
| Ultra Wideband chip for Precision Finding | |
| 26-hour battery life | 22 or 27-hour battery life |
| Qi wireless charging up to 7.5W | Qi 2 wireless charging up to 15W |
| MagSafe wireless charging up to 25W with 30W adapter or higher | |
| Compatible with MagSafe cases, wallets, wireless chargers, and more | |
| 128GB, 256GB, or 512GB storage | iPhone 16: 128GB iPhone 16 Plus: 128GB or 256GB |
| Starts at $599 | Starts at $699 |
At a markedly more accessible price point, the iPhone 16e will be the go-to iPhone for many customers, especially those buying on a budget. Unlike the iPhone SE that came before it, the iPhone 16e has very few compromises and offers almost all of the iPhone 16's most important features. In fact, it has considerably better battery life, partly thanks to Apple's custom modem technology, which is also now used in the iPhone Air.
Some customers will not care about the lack of an Ultra Wide camera, camera control, additional color options, or Wi-Fi 7. The iPhone 16e is a newer device and many will not be able to justify the extra $100 to upgrade to the
However, the lack of MagSafe, a brighter display, the Dynamic Island, and a large array of camera capabilities may be a dealbreaker for some. Those who want a little more out of their iPhone, especially when it comes to the rear camera, should consider the iPhone 16 over the iPhone 16e.
That being said, most prospective customers should likely opt for the iPhone 16e over the pricier iPhone 16, unless the larger display of the iPhone 16 Plus is essential.
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