Apple iPhone 16e
The cheapest iPhone sure ain’t cheap, but this is a huge upgrade over the iPhone SE 2022
ABOVE
The iPhone 16e looks almost identical to the full-fat iPhone 16
SCORE
PRICE 128GB, £499 (£599 inc VAT)
from
apple.com/uk
O
riginally released in 2016, the iPhone SE was an attractive alternative to Apple’s shiniest handsets – a low-cost option whose design and update schedule were decoupled from the main iPhone line. Now, though, it’s been discontinued, in favour of a new approach: as the name implies, the iPhone 16e is a close relative of the regular iPhone 16, and I suspect it will be updated annually along with the rest of the family.
The pricing strategy has changed, too. The last iPhone SE, released in 2022 (see issue 332, p70), cost a deliciously affordable £419 inc VAT, but the 16e starts at £599 inc VAT with 128GB of storage – only £200 less than the standard iPhone 16. There are also 256GB and 512GB options costing £699 and £899 respectively, pushing you well outside “budget” territory.
Solid start
The iPhone 16e may be pricier than the iPhone SE 2022, but it looks much nicer too. The matte aluminium frame is solidly constructed and not as fragile as the glass-covered SE, and it does a fine job of repelling fingerprints and smudges. The casing is shorter and lighter than the iPhone 16, but it has the same flat edge and the same IP68 rating (indicating excellent resistance to dust and water intrusion).