What does the letter „e” in iPhone 16e stand for?
Apple doesn't want to reveal whether the letter “e” in the iPhone 16e's name was meant to stand for essentials, everyone. Or maybe it's just the bewildered “eeee?” people utter after seeing its price.
Where is the iPhone SE successor?
For years, we've been waiting for a full-fledged successor to the iPhone SE, meaning a new version of the cheapest iPhone – one that sheds all unnecessary bells and whistles, offering top-tier performance, iOS, and many years of updates at a great price. Well, we'll just have to keep waiting for it.
iPhone 16e – the cheapest, but is it worth it?
Because the iPhone 16e is something a little different. Yes, it's still the cheapest of all new models in the manufacturer's lineup. But it's still quite expensive, and it's not short on compromises. Sometimes it seems like it was only made for us to curse under our breath and conclude that it's better to just add a few hundred to a higher version. Because when a Viking commits to something, they go all in! And the American invader cleverly exploits this fact.
No Dynamic Island? For many, it's not a problem
Because the iPhone 16e is like an iPhone at 50%, because they're a bit scared. They're a bit scared that if it were too attractive, it would harm sales of the regular iPhone 16s.
It doesn't bother me that it lacks the Dynamic Island, that pill-shaped cutout on the screen that sometimes shows useful information. Instead, we have a notch, like in older models. It doesn't bother me that the display under this notch only refreshes at 60 Hz, because most customers don't care, and it's the same in the regular iPhone 16s. It doesn't bother me that the processor – despite being the latest – received one less graphics core than the other iPhone 16s, because it still runs like crazy, and its performance will be sufficient for many years.
Apple ditches MagSafe in iPhone 16e
But some changes they really could have skipped – they removed things that make an iPhone an iPhone. For example, MagSafe magnets, which we use to attach accessories like power banks or credit card wallets to other iPhones, or to attach smartphones to chargers, docking stations, and holders. A revelation and part of the iPhone's character. But I don't know why I'm praising it, since they skimped those few cents on magnets in the 16e. And while we can buy a case with magnets, the phone still won't let us know if we've left a wallet somewhere, and charging will be limited to a paltry 7.5W, compared to up to 25W in other versions.
Camera in iPhone 16e
Photos here are typical for Apple devices – consistent, reliable, and very nice. Short exposure time, very useful Live Photo function – great, as always. But there's no wide-angle or portrait lens. And besides those, some camera features have also disappeared – the expanded portrait mode (here, background blur only works for photos of people and animals), spherical video recording (not very useful now, but you'll thank me in 10 years when watching commemorative 3D videos on VR glasses), cinematic recording mode with blurred background, action mode with improved stabilization, new photographic styles… Yes, these are all secondary things, but compared to every other new iPhone, this one seems exceptionally stripped down.
Hidden shortcomings and limitations
I like the minimalist look of the back, without the huge camera island. Clean, simple – like in the new iPad Pros. The only thing is, we only have two colors to choose from – white and black. And yet, iPhones are always known for their rich color options! Furthermore, the deeper we look, the more cuts we notice: lack of a chip for precise AirTag and AirPods location (and in non-Apple terms: thanks to it, navigation guides us to lost devices with centimeter accuracy), fast Wi-Fi…
Is it worth buying the iPhone 16e, or is it better to pay extra for the 15?
Overall, in almost every respect, the older iPhone 15 performs significantly better, which you can snag in stores for just 200-300 zlotys more. The only theoretically significant advantage of the 16e is access to Apple Intelligence, meaning new AI-related features, which don't work in Polish anyway. But, out of Viking duty, I'll mention that they are already available in Swedish and Danish. And battery life, because the 16e lasts exceptionally long on a single charge.
It seems to me that this will be a company phone. A workhorse on a reliable and stable iOS system, which corporations will buy by the ton. But for a lone Viking, for their own, honestly earned loot? 3000 zlotys is too much. Just as Apple probably intended: if you want an iPhone, add a little more for the more expensive one.
