Earlier today, Apple released a new member to the iPhone 16 family – the iPhone 16e. Apple touts the iPhone 16e as a device “featuring the fast performance of the A18 chip, Apple Intelligence, extraordinary battery life, and a 48MP 2-in-1 camera system — all at an incredible value”. Introduced to replace both the iPhone 14 and the iPhone SE (3rd generation), the iPhone 16e was released by Apple as a device to introduce people into the Apple ecosystem. While all of this is indeed true, I personally do not believe that the iPhone 16e successfully fills the “budget” tier of the iPhone family.

First Look

At first glance, the iPhone 16e is definitely an upgrade compared to the outgoing iPhone SE. The 16e boasts a larger, brighter, and more vibrant display, a faster chip, improved camera quality, Face ID, USB-C, and of course, Apple Intelligence. It has been well known that the 3rd generation SE was falling behind and due for an upgrade, considering it was using a similar form factor first seen with iPhone 7 in 2016.

Of course, some features must be cut to afford the “budget” title. iPhone 16e retains the notch instead of Dynamic Island, omits the new Camera Control button, and most disappointingly, does not feature MagSafe. iPhone 16e also features a simplified colour scheme, with only Black and White options available. Unlike the previous iPhone SE, there is no (Product)RED version of the phone.

The Catch

With all the additional features, iPhone 16e appears to be a no brainer for individuals looking to purchase their first iPhone. But there is a massive catch. iPhone SE started at $579 CAD (64GB) and $649 CAD (128GB) respectively prior to iPhone 16e’s release. This meant that you could conceivably purchase two iPhone SEs for less than a single iPhone 16 Pro. The iPhone 16e does not start at as friendly of a number. iPhone 16e starts at $899 CAD, much more expensive than both devices it sought to replace (iPhone SE and iPhone 14 – a phone that started at $849 CAD prior). 

Alternatives

Considering the above, purchasing an iPhone 16e begins to make less and less sense. For individuals who do not care for flashy features like Apple Intelligence or camera quality, it would be quite disappointing to discover that the base model of iPhone shot up over $300 CAD. In my opinion, it would make more sense to try to seek out old stock of iPhone 14 or even iPhone 13/13 Pro from an authorized reseller (e.g. Best Buy) if you do not care about specs. Both of these phones are “good enough”, and still offer decent camera quality, a “fast enough” chip, and 5G. Furthermore, these devices still have the mute switch (rather than the new Action Button) alongside the 0.5 lens for capturing large group action.

If you are like me and want a device that is capable but not overly expensive, then the iPhone 15 is a far better offer. Like the above mentioned devices, iPhone 15 still retains the mute switch and 0.5, but also includes a quality enhancement in the camera department. iPhone 15 features Dynamic Island, providing additional functionality to the camera array at the top of the screen. Lastly, iPhone 15 contains USB-C, a feature largely requested by both Apple and Android users. iPhone 15 starts at $999 CAD and can still be purchased directly from the Apple Store. Although this option is slightly more expensive than iPhone 16e, I would rather spend $100 more for MagSafe and Dynamic Island. While this option does lack Apple Intelligence, I wouldn’t consider this feature a “necessity” at the present state. 

Conclusion

Most of the time, I try to find a “target demographic” for each device that Apple releases. This time around, I am having trouble doing that. Should you be coming from an iPhone 13 or 12, I would suggest either of the options I stated in this article, and anyone with a iPhone 14 or later should frankly just hold off. Although the outgoing SE was in dire need of an upgrade, the $900 pricetag is hardly considered budget to me when there are clearly better options available.