Apple's Lower-Priced iPhone 16E Could Be Its Biggest Opportunity of 2025

Apple's $599 iPhone 16E is the biggest refresh ever for the company's lower-cost phone, formerly called the iPhone SE, and it couldn't arrive at a better time. With generative AI requiring beefier specs, and US tariffs on imports from China possibly bringing an increase in costs, Apple's entry-level iPhone might provide enough new features to be worth the upgrade from an earlier iPhone SE. But those prior iPhone SE owners will be facing a substantial price hike, with the iPhone 16E costing $170 more than the $429 iPhone SE from 2022. Economic considerations aside, the iPhone 16E is one of those rare times when Apple rethinks its entry-level phone. The last iPhone SE refresh, in 2022, primarily added 5G connectivity and the processor of the iPhone 13. This allowed the iPhone SE to capably access faster cellular speeds and run most apps. But compared with similarly priced 2025 Android phones, Apple's iPhone SE was woefully behind. New Android phones costing $500 or less have large 120Hz ... Read full article.