iPhone 16e - 5 things you need to know, Camera and C1 chip

The iPhone 16e is officially. After months of rumours, Apple announced its new phone on the 19th of February and the extremely feature-rich device (which we initially thought could be named"the iPhone SE 4) looks like it will be one of the top phones fora  budget that will be released in 2025.

The iPhone 16e is replacing two models, its predecessor iPhone SE (2022) as well as it replaces the iPhone 14 of Apple's iPhone range and, as such, provides significant upgrades over its older models.

We're responding to the announcement in our live iPhone 16e blog and below, we've put together five points you need to be aware of concerning the new iPhone, starting with its cost and availability, to its display, chip and software updates.

One of the first things to be noted regarding the new iPhone is the name. Previous generations of the iPhone SE have been marketed as distinct from their mainline counterparts. For instance, the iPhone SE (2022), in particular, was thought to be totally distinct from the then-flagship iPhone 13 line - but the iPhone 16e has been presented as being an integral part of the iPhone 16 family.


The iPhone 16e was released by Apple the term SE meant 'Special Edition'. The three SE models launched prior to iPhone 16e came out in a variety of times (2016 the year before, 2020, as well as 2022). The transition to a new name convention - specifically "[generation number]e" - may permit Apple to launch a low-cost iPhone each year, just like Samsung offers lower-spec "FE" models of their flagship Galaxy devices each year.

Of course, 'the iPhone16e is also more expensive than the 'iPhone SE (2025) or the more popular 'iPhone SE 4,' which means that the move could just Apple trying to enhance the appeal of what's basically, the new entry-level iPhone.

A bigger, better display

The first thing to take note of with this iPhone model is the screen size. While it was the case that iPhone SE (2022) used the 4.7-inch LCD display however, the iPhone 16e sports a massive 6.1-inch OLED display, which makes the SE series into line with the base model iPhones of Apple as well as that of the Pixel 8A from Google (so big, long phones). The iPhone 16e is stuck with a 60Hz display refresh speed, but once again the base model iPhones are also Apple's iPhones.

The shift towards a larger display size also implies the removal of the Home button that is physically located in the 16e iPhone. There aren't any Touch ID capabilities to speak of here. It's Face ID or nothing, the parts are hidden inside a notch that is visible in the upper right corner of the display on the iPhone 16e.

The design of the iPhone 16e is much like the now-defunct iPhone 14, but the upgraded phone has the Action button (first made available by iPhone 15 Pro) iPhone 15 Pro) and an improved (albeit single) main camera. More on this in the next paragraph.

An isolated (but strong) lens

Let's discuss that camera. The iPhone 16e comes with one wide lens with a resolution of 48MP on its back. This is followed by a 12-megapixel selfie camera at the top.

Since it's a lower-end iPhone isn't a surprise to find Apple use a single lens rear camera for its most recent affordable model. The phone's main camera of 48MP is identical to the one on the standard iPhone 16 - it's Apple's "Fusion" lens that includes a 2x telephoto built-in that allows you to zoom in using high-quality optical resolution.

In light of the fact how the iPhone SE (2022) used an image sensor of 12MP, the iPhone 16e's aforementioned 48MP lens is a significant step up, even though you'll be missing an exclusive telephoto and ultra-wide lens when you choose Apple's latest model. Camera Control, also is still exclusive to the remainder of iPhone 16 models. iPhone 16 line

Internals of the Flagship grade

Under the the hood, The iPhone 16e is miles above the iPhone SE. iPhone SE (2022) as well in fact, many other iPhones have been launched since then.

The iPhone 16e is powered by an A18 chip that is similar to the chip used in the iPhone 16 and the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus and Apple has also added the larger, longer-lasting battery for the iPhone 16e as compared to that of the 2022 iPhone SE. We're not yet able to provide specifics however, if the original iPhone 16 managed 15 to 16 hours of screen time during our tests We'd think that the iPhone 16e will provide the same endurance. (Apple has stated that it can provide as long as 26 hours playback time this is definitely an increase).

Other internal upgrades to the iPhone 16e are the first Apple-designed 5G modem called the C1. Since Apple purchased Intel's modem division for $1 billion, the company has been putting in the effort to create its own modem way that will reduce the dependence on Qualcomm The iPhone 16e will be the initial to benefit from this ten-year-old initiative.

It's unclear what the difference between it is that the Apple C1 is versus the Qualcomm 5G modems you'll find within the iPhone 16 lineup, but better battery efficiency may be in the works for owners of the iPhone 16e.

It's cheaper, but it's not cheap.

The big question is which is: how much will an iPhone 16e run? The basic 128GB storage model costs £599.00, and there are also 512GB and 256GB options to pick from.

However, the 128GB model on iPhone 16 is priced at £799. iPhone 16 costs£799; which means that Apple's new iPhone is still cheaper than the standard model by a substantial margin. It's not inexpensive however, it's less expensive when compared to the iPhone terms. Of course, this does not necessarily mean it's the best value. We'll need to run it through our complete test before deciding that one way or another.