Apple’s new budget iPhone has been on my list of the best upcoming smartphones to watch. Now that it’s arrived, I’m happy to say that it matched up closely with rumours and my wishlist. The iPhone 16e is the closest a budget iPhone has been to the regular models.
A new design, updated display, the latest chipset from iPhone 16, and a new camera finally make this handset good value for money. In Apple’s camp, that is. Many users were still irked by a higher price than budget Android phones. But this Prime Day, Apple’s cheap iPhone just got even cheaper, and it’s better value than ever.
Right now, you can pick up the iPhone 16e from Amazon UK for £494. That’s an 18% saving from the regular price of £599. Now that the handset is sub-£500, it’s a much more compelling cheap phone. Unfortunately, US shoppers miss out on this deal.
One of the biggest changes to the budget iPhone is the screen. The iPhone 16e sports a 6.1-inch OLED panel, bringing vibrant colours, deeper blacks, and better contrast. The familiar notch is back rather than the Dynamic Island. Another welcome addition is the Action Button, which replaces the mute switch. First introduced on the iPhone 15 Pro, it allows users to quickly access shortcuts, launch the camera, or enable custom functions.
The back of the device features a single-lens camera setup. But don’t be fooled by the lack of multiple snappers – it’s a big upgrade. Apple has fitted the 16e with a 48MP sensor, allowing for sharper images, improved digital zoom, and the long-overdue addition of Night Mode.
The internals are equally impressive. Powering the iPhone 16e is Apple’s latest A18 chip, the same processor found in the iPhone 16. That means flagship-level performance in Apple’s budget phone. Sitting alongside this chip, is an upgraded 6GB of RAM. Whether you’re gaming, editing videos, or diving into Apple’s latest AI-powered features, the 16e handles it all with ease. One of the other big upgrades is the introduction of Apple’s first custom-made modem – the C1. It’s more power efficient than ever, and should deliver faster 5G speeds.
Battery life has also seen a much-needed improvement. The new 16e packs a larger cell. Apple promises its classic “all-day battery life,” without revealing an exact size. Rumours suggest its a 3279mAh cell – an increase of nearly 60%. Apple actually reckons its 12 hours longer than the previous SE models. Hopefully the larger battery and more efficient chipset actually allow this phone to last all day – something the previous iPhone SE (3rd-gen) struggled with. Charging is handled via USB-C, marking the end of the Lightning port across the iPhone line-up.
