This is the iPhone 16e, Apple's new 'cheap' phone

BarcelonaApple has announced the highly anticipated iPhone 16e, the new phone model that will use artificial intelligence features and will have a much lower price than the others smartphones from the American brand. "The iPhone 16e comes with features of the iPhone 16 range that users are winning over, such as its unprecedented autonomy, superior performance thanks to the latest generation A18 chip, an innovative two-in-one camera system and Apple Intelligence," explained Kaiann Drance, vice president of mar.

What can we expect from the iPhone 16e?

The new iPhone 16e is designed to use Apple Intelligence, the brand's artificial intelligence, and runs on the iOS18 operating system. ChatGPT is integrated into the writing tools and Siri, and this way users who want to use this service will not have to change applications. In addition, users will be able to access ChatGPT for free without having to open an account, and thanks to the integrated protection systems, IP addresses will be hidden and OpenAI will not store requests. Users will decide whether they want to activate the integration with ChatGPT and will be able to control when it is used, as well as the information that is shared with ChatGPT.

As for the camera, it will have a 48-megapixel Fusion optic and a built-in 2x telephoto lens. "It's like having two cameras in one, so users can zoom in with quality," they say from Apple. The new phone has a 6.1-inch Super Retina XDR display with OLED technology and an edge-to-edge design.

In areas without Wi-Fi or cellular coverage, satellite-based features such as SOS emergencies, search, messages, and satellite roadside assistance allow iPhone 16e users to stay connected and call for help if they need it. In addition, the new phone can be charged wirelessly or via the USB-C connector, which also allows you to connect all kinds of accessories. The model will be available in three storage memory options: 128 GB, 256 GB, and 512 GB.

What will the iPhone 16e cost and how will it differ from the iPhone SE?

Apple's new phone is billed as one of the company's cheapest. It will be launched in Spain with a price starting at 709 euros, or 29.54 euros per month for 24 months. Apple is offering its customers the chance to save part of the price if they trade in an iPhone 11 or later through the online store or at an Apple Store.

The low price of the new model – compared to other Apple devices – is one of its main attractions. It should be noted that the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro have prices starting at 800 and 1,000 euros, respectively, depending on their storage capacity. With this new strategy, Apple hopes to attract new customers after the 1% drop in mobile phone sales during the last quarter of last year.

This is not the first time that Apple has opted for a cheaper model, since it already did so with the iPhone SE, as it was called then, which was updated in 2020 and 2022, but cost around $430 at launch. The iPhone SE will no longer be manufactured.

iPhone 16e release date

Starting this Friday, February 21, customers in up to 59 countries, including Spain, will be able to reserve the iPhone 16e. The reservation system will open at 2:00 p.m. The phones will be available to customers a week later, that is, starting on Friday, February 28. The iPhone 16e will be available to purchase in two colors: matte black and white.