iPhone 16e Release Date: When Can You Buy It?

The new iPhone 16 series has already impressed with its A18 chipset, enhanced durability, and Apple Intelligence features. However, it now features another addition to the lineup: the iPhone 16e. This latest model replaces the iPhone SE, Apple’s lower-cost phone that spanned three generations from 2016 to 2022.

Like the SE, the 16e is designed to be the standard 16’s more affordable counterpart – without sacrificing all of the premium features of the flagship series. This brings it closer than the iPhone SE to the iconic iPhone range, particularly in terms of design and performance.

A boosted battery life and powerful new chipset are just some of the benefits users can experience with the 16e – but the question is: When? In this article, we’ll cover the Apple iPhone 16e release date and explore the key features you’ll enjoy when it finally hits smartphone shelves.

When is the Apple iPhone 16e Available to Buy?

Rather than launching the fourth-generation model of the iPhone SE, Apple announced the iPhone 16e on February 19 2025, almost 3 years after the 3rd generation iPhone SE. 

Pre-orders started on Friday, February 21 and the device officially released a week later on Friday, February 28. This means that the iPhone 16e is available right now!

How Much Does the iPhone 16e Cost?

Rising smartphone prices mean that the iPhone 16e costs more than the 3rd generation iPhone SE, which started at:

• 1st generation: $399

• 2nd generation: $399

• 3rd generation: $429

However, the new iPhone does cost significantly less than the base 16 model, taking $200 off the price tag – not to mention that it’s $600 cheaper than the premium iPhone 16 Pro Max!

Prices start from $599 for the 16e, which will get you 128 GB of storage. 256 GB costs $699, while 512 GB is $899, but you may find exclusive deals and discounts depending on the carrier you choose.

The cost can be reduced even further by trading in your old phone through the official Apple Store, especially if you have a 2nd generation iPhone SE or an even newer device.

What Can You Expect From the iPhone 16e? Key Features

When designing the iPhone 16e, Apple has attempted to balance the durable design and powerful performance of the 16 series with a more affordable price point. But has the brand been successful in creating a good mid-range smartphone?

Since the release date has now passed, let’s take a closer look at some of the newest iPhone’s stand-out features:

A18 Chip

One of the biggest benefits of the iPhone 16e is its inclusion of Apple’s latest-generation A18 chip, which almost matches the powerful performance and speed of the rest of the 16 range – sacrificing just one GPU (graphics processing unit) core from the iPhone 16.

It also features the Apple C1, the first cellular modem designed by Apple itself. This delivers 25% more power efficiency versus the iPhone 15, providing the 16e with the best battery life of any iPhone this size. Choose the 16e and you’ll benefit from 12 hours more battery life than the previous iPhone SE, plus 26 hours of video playback.

This battery is supported by 20 W wired charging with a USB-C port and 7.5 W wireless charging, though the iPhone 16e unfortunately isn’t compatible with MagSafe accessories.

Apple Intelligence Compatibility

The new A18 chipset, combined with 8 GB of RAM and the C1 power-efficient modem, allows the iPhone 16e to facilitate Apple Intelligence just as well as the rest of the series.

Apple’s personalized intelligence system works for all devices that run on the iOS 18 operating system, using personal context to boost your productivity. Some of the newest AI features available on the iPhone 16e include:

• Visual Intelligence for text summaries and fast translations

• A Clean Up tool that removes unwanted objects from the Photos app

• Genmoji, which creates personalized emojis

• Image Playground produces original images based on your descriptions

• Seamless access to ChatGPT

48 MP Fusion Camera

Creating a well-priced smartphone with an advanced camera system is never easy, which has always been evident with the iPhone SE series. The 16e isn’t too different, although it does share the same 48 MP Fusion Main camera as the standard 16.

This offers a significantly better quality than the 3rd generation SE’s 12 MP Main, along with the 7 MP Front camera, which is upgraded to 12 MP for the 16e. It may sacrifice the 12 MP Ultra-Wide lens, but the 16e instead offers a 2-in-1 camera system. The Fusion camera comes with a built-in 2x Telephoto lens for enhanced optical zoom quality.

Choosing the more affordable iPhone also means you won’t benefit from the iPhone 16’s new Camera Control button, which adds shortcuts for opening the Camera app, capturing photos, changing the exposure, and zooming in or out.

Design & Display

The design of the iPhone 16e is much closer to that of the other iPhone 16 models when compared with the SE. It uses the same aerospace-grade aluminum frame and Ceramic Shield smartphone glass on the front and back, although the original 16 features the more durable latest-generation Ceramic Shield material.

The 16e replaces the home button with Face ID and the Dynamic Island with a camera notch. The Action button included on the iPhone 15 Pro series also makes its way onto this mid-range model, allowing you to program customizable shortcuts.

In terms of display, the iPhone 16e features the same 6.1-inch OLED screen as the 16, with a good-quality 460 pixel-per-inch (PPI) density, yet a slightly lower resolution. However, the 1200-nit peak brightness is much lower than the iPhone 16’s 2000 nits, making it harder to see the display in sunny conditions. 

Is the iPhone 16e a Good Entry-Level iPhone?

When compared to the iPhone SE, the iPhone 16e isn’t a great new release in terms of price. The newer model is less budget-friendly, but it does bring Apple’s mid-range devices much more in line with the rest of the flagship series.

Like any low-cost alternative, there are a few features missing, like the Camera Control button and an Ultra-Wide lens. However, it does offer an exceptional battery life and smooth performance that makes it a decent addition to the iPhone 16 range, for a lower price.

Want to know more about the iPhone 16e before purchasing? Check out our full in-depth review of Apple’s latest release today.