There’s No Longer a Sub-$500 iPhone. Does It Matter?

Yesterday, the cheapest iPhone cost $429 if you wanted to buy directly from Apple. Today? It's $599. The new iPhone 16e replaced the iPhone SE, giving the aging device a much-needed cosmetic upgrade and power boost, but it comes at a cost. The overhaul is so big that the iPhone 16e is essentially a new class of device in Apple's smartphone lineup, hence the name change. (Apple didn't say what the “e” stands for.) Apple also took this opportunity to cut the $599 iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus from its roster, though it has kept the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus, which cost more than the iPhone 16e. All of this effectively means Apple no longer sells an iPhone for less than $500. Does it matter? It might not make much of a difference in the United States, where most people purchase phones subsidized through carriers, and globally, there's a “premiumization” trend where consumers are opting for higher-end phones. First, let's dig into the details. Photograph: Apple The iPhone 16e vs. iPho ... Read full article.