MODERN BUDGET MAKEOVER

Apple's most affordable iPhone has finally received its much-needed refresh, and it now goes by a new name: the iPhone 16E. The “E” might stand for “Essential” or “Economical,” but one thing is certain—Apple wants this phone to be seen as part of the iPhone 16 family. The recipe remains familiar: keep the essentials and trim the excess.

- KENNY YEO

From a distance, the iPhone 16E looks nearly identical to the iPhone 14. It features a notch at the top of the display, flat sides, an aluminum body, and a glass back. While the design might be starting to feel a little stale, it's miles ahead of the outdated iPhone SE with its thick bezels and Touch ID button. The iPhone 16E sports a 6.1-inch Super Retina XDR OLED display. While the brightness is slightly lower than the iPhone 16, the difference is only noticeable in direct sunlight. However, unlike its pricier siblings, the iPhone 16E sticks with a notch instead of Dynamic Island and lacks an always-on display or a high refresh rate. Another key design choice is the inclusion of the Action Button but the omission of Camera Control—a move likely made to keep costs down. The Action Button remains highly customizable, allowing users to launch the Camera app, trigger Visual Intelligence, or any other function of their choice. A big unseen change is Apple's new C1 modem, marking the first step in Apple's plan to replace Qualcomm modems. Apple claims it is the most power-efficient modem ever in an iPhone. In our speed tests, the iPhone 16E delivered 5G speeds similar to the iPhone 16 and 16 Pro. However, the modem only supports sub6GHz 5G, not mmWave.