Apple Unveils iPhone 16e: A18 Chip, Apple Intelligence, and $599 Starting Price

Nick Papanikolopoulos

February 20, 2025

Apple introduced yesterday the iPhone 16e (and not the iPhone SE 4), its newest entry-level smartphone. The device succeeds the third-generation iPhone SE, which has now been discontinued. The iPhone 16e features a larger 6.1-inch OLED display, up from a 4.7-inch LCD on the iPhone SE. The display has a notch for Face ID, which means Apple no longer sells any iPhones with a Touch ID fingerprint button, marking the end of an era.

The iPhone 16epacks the A18 chip, which enables support for Apple Intelligence features, such as notification summaries and Genmoji for creating custom emoji. In the iPhone 16e, the A18 chip has a 6-core CPU and a 16-core Neural Engine, but a binned 4-core GPU. The A18 chip in the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus has a 5-core GPU.

iPhone 16e: comes with special hardware

The device is also equipped with an Apple-designed 5G modem called the C1, whereas other iPhones have a Qualcomm modem. Apple says its own modem is so power efficient that the iPhone 16e offers the longest battery life of any 6.1-inch iPhone model ever. For example, Apple says the iPhone 16e can get up to 26 hours of battery life for video playback, up from 22 hours on the standard iPhone 16.

Apple on the C1 modem:

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“Expanding the benefits of Apple silicon, C1 is the first modem by Apple and the most power-efficient modem ever on an iPhone, delivering fast and reliable 5G cellular connectivity. Apple silicon — including C1 — the all-new internal design, and the advanced power management of iOS 18 all contribute to extraordinary battery life.”

On the back of the iPhone 16e is a single 48-megapixel Fusion camera, which provides a 2x “optical-quality” Telephoto option, according to Apple. On the front, there is a 12-megapixel camera with autofocus.

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Other key features

Other key features include an Action button with Visual Intelligence support, a USB-C port instead of a Lightning port, a Ceramic Shield front cover, IP68-rated water resistance, Wi-Fi 6, and Bluetooth 5.3. The device does not have the Camera Control button that all the rest of the iPhone 16 lineup has since last year. In addition, the iPhone 16e lacks MagSafe.

In the U.S., the iPhone 16e lacks a physical SIM card slot, but it is still present in other countries. The iPhone 16e supports Apple’s satellite features. When outside of cellular and Wi-Fi coverage, the iPhone 16e supports Emergency SOS, Roadside Assistance, Messages, and Find My via satellite. Availability of the features varies by country.

Apple will be accepting pre-orders for the iPhone 16e starting at 5 a.m. Pacific Time on Friday, February 21, and the device launches on Friday, February 28 in 59 countries and regions. In the U.S., pricing starts at $599. The device is available in white or black, and with 128GB, 256GB, or 512GB storage capacities.

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