Forward of Friday’s gross sales, journalists and influencers simply revealed their first hands-on, opinions, and unboxing of the iPhone 16e. This new addition to the iPhone 16 lineup, which is type of an iPhone SE successor or a Galaxy FE-like gadget, comes with an A18 chip, a 48MP predominant digicam, Apple’s first Wi-Fi chip with C1, and an iPhone 14-like design. Right here’s what everyone seems to be speaking about: this $599 telephone.
Reviewers agreed that the iPhone 16e is an okay telephone with perks however an odd addition to the lineup. For Wired, the most effective characteristic out there with this gadget is its battery life, because of the brand new C1 chip:
Contemplating this can be a 6.1-inch iPhone, which traditionally carry out the bottom in battery checks, this can be a welcome shock. With common use over the previous week, I struggled to carry the telephone beneath 50 p.c. (It normally hovered round 51 or 49 p.c by bedtime.) Sure, meaning the iPhone 16e has higher battery life than the iPhone 16.
Nonetheless, the reviewer was aggravated by the dearth of MagSafe, an ultrawideband chip, and a single rear digicam. The Verge agreed on that whereas additionally revealing that one of the crucial vital upgrades of this era, Apple Intelligence, isn’t as convincing proper now:
Living proof: it took me a number of days to note that Apple Intelligence wasn’t working on the 16E I used to be testing, regardless of having the Apple Intelligence possibility turned on. I sorted it out — I assume one thing about the way in which I set it up prevented the required AI fashions from downloading — however this says so much about how helpful Apple Intelligence is true now. Probably the most attention-grabbing stuff is but to come back, and the 16E will likely 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.
CNET, for instance, praises the only 48-megapixel iPhone 16e rear digicam, because it feels higher than a number of mediocre cameras out there from different distributors:
The iPhone 16E has a single rear digicam. I’ve stated it earlier than, however I’d fairly have one actually good digicam than the 2 or three mediocre ones that may typically be discovered on funds telephones. The 16E’s predominant digicam takes beautiful images, even when utilizing night time mode. It has a 48-megapixel sensor, which has sufficient decision for sensor cropping to supply a 2x magnification, and the outcomes are first rate. Pictures look sharp, have a pleasant dynamic vary (good for high-contrast lighting like sunrises/sunsets), and colours are attractively subdued.
USA As we speak thinks that is an price improve should you’re holding onto an previous iPhone for five+ years:
In the event you’re nonetheless holding onto an iPhone that’s 5 years previous or older or serious about switching from Android, the iPhone 16e is the most effective entry level into Apple’s ecosystem in years. It gives the core options of the iPhone 16 at a extra palatable worth and doesn’t really feel like a stripped-down model of a flagship mannequin. It’s a “adequate” telephone for a decent-ish worth.
You may also learn iPhone 16e opinions by Gizmodo, Engadget, and PCMag.
iPhone 16e movies
These are among the video opinions of the iPhone 16e:
