iPhone 16E review: Eh, it’s alright

The iPhone 16E is every little thing I like and hate about iOS. FaceTime at your fingertips. A dependable digital camera. Simplicity. Familiarity. They’re the pillars of the iPhone expertise, and Apple’s latest telephone has ‘em.

My husband picked up the 16E, involved that he must “study one thing new” to make use of it. He swiped round for a second and stated, “Oh. It’s similar to my telephone.” It is similar to his telephone — a six-year-old iPhone XR — solely up to date with just a few important enhancements (a sooner processor, nicer display, and a contemporary digital camera, that type of factor) and little else.

That’s the opposite pillar of the iPhone expertise: You get precisely what Apple provides you and nothing extra. On Android, you should buy a $500 telephone with a quick refresh-rate display, two rear cameras, seven years of software program assist, and wi-fi charging. On iOS, you should buy this $599 telephone with one rear digital camera, a normal 60Hz display, wi-fi charging (however no MagSafe), and an ample however unspoken quantity of software program assist. Apple has no competitors in terms of telephones operating iOS. The corporate can gatekeep these conveniences behind a better price ticket, and that’s merely the best way issues might be. I’m you, ProMotion.

That is the world the iPhone 16E enters. It’s Apple’s most cost-effective telephone, however it’s not low cost — in all probability for the aforementioned “lack of competitors” causes. It’s an iPhone that does iPhone issues, however it’s in all probability lacking not less than one main function for any given purchaser, whether or not that’s an additional digital camera or the comfort of a MagSafe ring. In case you’re clinging desperately to an older mannequin and desire a new iPhone for the least potential cash, the 16E is the one to get.

That’s the job of the 16E: be the trail of least resistance to blue bubbles. However for a extra discerning buyer the reply’s not as clear-cut.

The iPhone 16E is the religious successor to the iPhone SE, although Apple would moderately you not consider it that method. The SE was the corporate’s budget-friendly line, a type of close-out cut price bin provide on final era’s chassis with upgraded internals. The design was wildly outdated by the tip, however, hey, it solely price $429. That line seems to have ended with the 16E, which is totally a member of the iPhone 16 collection.

However as a substitute of an older design that’s a extremely whole lot, we have now a contemporary design that’s solely type of a deal. It’s $200 cheaper than the $799 iPhone 16 and has the same 6.1-inch OLED display. There’s no Dynamic Island — only a notch. And as a substitute of two rear lenses, you get only one: a 48-megapixel major digital camera and no ultrawide to go together with it. You get wired charging, however no MagSafe. The Motion Button, however no Digital camera Management. This, not that. And so forth.

There’s a type of equation that may assist decide how a lot it is best to care about this checklist of lacking options. How previous is your present telephone? Do different individuals in your family use MagSafe equipment that you simply need to share? Do you even know what MagSafe is? Would you prefer to comply with sports activities scores on the prime of your display when you do different issues in your telephone, or are you a Seattle Mariners fan? (Love hurts, guys.) I don’t know what that actual system is as a result of I barely scraped by in calculus, however simply bear it in thoughts as you learn the remainder of this evaluate.

The 16E’s display may be very probably a model of the iPhone 14’s display, full with a notch housing the Face ID and front-facing digital camera array. The common 16’s display will get just a bit brighter in principle, however in apply they appear about the identical to me, brightness-wise. The 16E’s display doesn’t go down to 1 nit just like the 16’s can, which is simply too dangerous as a result of it’s truthfully cool as hell and helpful if you’re attempting to not get up your partner with a shiny telephone display. The notch’s existence additionally means no Dynamic Island — that’s the pill-shaped cutout Apple launched with the iPhone 14 Professional, which homes tiny bits of well timed data you may need to see at a look.

All that time-sensitive info, like stay sports activities scores and the proximity of your incoming Uber, remains to be offered on the 16E’s lock display. However the Dynamic Island retains it on the prime of your display when you do different issues in your telephone. It’s helpful, and having gotten used to it, I missed it on the 16E. The additional visible affirmation is good when you may have a timer or display recording in progress. The Dynamic Island in all probability gained’t be an awesome loss when you’re used to a telephone with out it, although.

MagSafe is perhaps one other case of “when you’ve by no means had it then you definitely gained’t miss it,” however I’m rather less inclined to shrug off its absence on the 16E. Certain, there’s nonetheless Qi wi-fi charging. And you’ll at all times use a case with magnets as a workaround if you wish to use MagSafe equipment, even when it’s not a sublime answer. However the fantastic thing about MagSafe is the simplicity, and when you’re a case-hater like me then it’s a helpful method so as to add a Pop Socket or a low-profile pockets to your telephone with out committing to a case. Apart from the SE, each iPhone from the 12-series onward has MagSafe. It seems like a normal function now, and it’s exhausting to grasp why Apple left it out.

The iPhone 16E’s rear digital camera makes use of a 48-megapixel sensor that mixes pixels to assist it higher collect mild, and it delivers good photographs in most conditions. There’s no ultrawide digital camera and subsequently no macro images both. I missed the ultrawide greater than as soon as when stepping backward to border a large shot wasn’t potential. There’s a good portrait mode, although it’s the older model the place you possibly can’t change the main focus level after the actual fact. Photographic Types can be found to assist dial in coloration replica, although they’re additionally the previous-gen model and you may’t tweak undertones.

This can be a digital camera system most individuals might be completely pleased with. In case you’re in the least inclined photographically and wish extra flexibility — each in focal vary and processing choices — then think about an iPhone 16 or 16 Professional. But it surely’s an excellent digital camera for a basic viewers. There’s glorious 4K video recording, optical picture stabilization, and dependable coloration replica. A extra superior telephone digital camera would provide higher probabilities of capturing shifting topics in dim mild, however this one retains up in most conditions.

A lot of the 16E is acquainted, however there’s one completely new part: Apple’s C1 modem. That is its debut look, and the highway to Apple’s first in-house modem was reportedly stuffed with setbacks and delays. I’ve used it for the previous week to make FaceTime calls, add massive video recordsdata in crowded locations, and stream YouTube on the bus. I examined it alongside an everyday iPhone 16 outfitted with a Qualcomm-made modem — each on Verizon — and I didn’t see any constant distinction in efficiency between the 2.

Each time I believed the iPhone 16 was faring higher with video name high quality or add speeds, I’d attempt the identical check once more and the 16E would come out forward. If I had been none the wiser, I wouldn’t have given the modem a second thought as I used the telephone. Given the problem Apple seemingly encountered constructing this factor and the complexity of a mobile modem, “it appears advantageous” is definitely an awesome end result for the C1.

Apple claims switching to its personal modem has allowed it to squeeze a bit extra battery life out of the 16E, providing “the perfect battery life ever on a 6.1-inch iPhone,” in line with its press launch. Battery life actually appears good. I spent a day out of the home utilizing quite a lot of navigation, streaming a podcast, testing connectivity, and watching YouTube. I clocked about 5 hours of display time and was solely right down to 41 % by the tip of the day. I’m assured that most individuals may get via a day comfortably on this battery, however that’s not my greatest concern. I’m extra interested in long-term battery well being — Apple’s current monitor file right here is spotty — and there’s simply no method of understanding that after every week of testing.

The opposite improve right here is Apple Intelligence. Possibly you’ve heard of it? Or seen it on a billboard? Or in a industrial just a few dozen occasions? Apple would really like us to consider its AI as a marquee function on the 16E, however Apple Intelligence simply doesn’t really feel like one — not but, anyway. But it surely’s all right here: the AI writing instruments, Picture Playground, notification summaries, and the up to date Siri with a ChatGPT extension. It’s all fairly forgettable proper now.

Living proof: it took me a number of days to note that Apple Intelligence wasn’t operating on the 16E I used to be testing, regardless of having the Apple Intelligence choice turned on. I sorted it out — I assume one thing about the best way I set it up prevented the required AI fashions from downloading — however this says so much about how helpful Apple Intelligence is true now. Essentially the most attention-grabbing stuff is but to come back, and the 16E might be prepared for it, which is good. However I positively wouldn’t let Apple Intelligence be a deciding think about selecting this telephone versus, say, an iPhone 15.

That highlights the place I’m caught attempting to determine the 16E. In case you’re coming from an older iPhone like an 11, don’t need to spend so much, and don’t care about MagSafe or an ultrawide digital camera, then the 16E type of is sensible. However 100 {dollars} extra will get you a brand new iPhone 15 with MagSafe, the Dynamic Island, and an ultrawide digital camera, although there’s no Apple Intelligence or motion button.

The 16E feels prefer it ought to provide the necessities, however it’s exhausting to say what’s a necessary iPhone function and what’s not. It’s in all probability extra like a mix of options, and for some individuals, the 16E probably presents a mix they’ll be pleased with. Particularly, I imply individuals like my husband and anybody else with an previous iPhone who’s tired of studying what MagSafe is, hardly ever takes footage, and simply needs a dang iPhone. The 16E covers these necessities. For somebody who needs extra flexibility from their smartphone’s digital camera or its system of equipment, this isn’t the iPhone for you.

I’d moderately have a cool magnetic accent system and a neat quick-glance show function constructed into my telephone than Apple Intelligence, particularly for $600. It doesn’t fairly add up for me, however perhaps the mathematics appears to be like a bit totally different for you.