Apple
I might be the one and only person who’s genuinely excited about the iPhone 16e. On paper, there’s nothing crazy about Apple’s new mid-range phone — it only has one camera, brings back the notch for Face ID, and comes in two bland colorways, black and white. But hear me out — that’s why I’m excited. For the first time in a long time, it feels like Apple is making a phone for people who don’t want to be completely glued to their phones, and I think that will make the iPhone 16e a success. Here’s what I mean.
Are you excited for the iPhone 16e? 30 votes Yes 47 % No 53 %
What’s old is new again, with a twist
Ryan Haines / Android Authority
As they say, what goes around comes around. All you have to do is follow a few Gen Alpha kids on social media to know that’s true. They’re out there using flip phones and camcorders instead of powerful smartphones, citing that they don’t really want to be glued to their screens all the time. But, as either one of the oldest members of Gen Z or one of the youngest Millennials, I’ll admit that I really like my phone. I’d much rather have a large, colorful display and screen time that I’m ashamed of than pretend that T9 texting is cool again. The closest I’ve come to using a throwback device recently was when I reviewed Apple’s last iPhone SE in 2022, and I couldn’t stand it.
Even though it packed a powerful A15 Bionic chipset, the fact that I was revisiting an iPhone 8 body nearly five years later was enough to quickly relegate the iPhone SE (2022) to life on a shelf. Although I enjoyed having Touch ID back for the first time in years, it wasn’t worth living with a tiny 4.7-inch display or the smallest iPhone battery I’d used in years. And yet, rumors about a new, modernized iPhone SE always persisted. I’d heard tell that Apple would give up on its home button and switch to a more flagship-like design, but it wouldn’t go all the way to making a proper iPhone Mini again.
I don't want a flip phone or a camcorder, but I'll take a simplified iPhone any day.
Now that the iPhone 16e is here, that’s exactly what happened. Apple has finally retired the iPhone 8 body, upgrading its mid-ranger to something more modern — a single-camera iPhone 13, if you will. Although I’d previously complained about the limitations of a single rear camera, Apple upgraded that sensor from a lowly 12MP to a flagship-grade 48MP (with an optional 2x telephoto crop), giving it some much-needed flexibility when your subject is a little further away. On top of that, it picked up a notched display for Face ID and paired it with modern touches like the programmable Action Button and flat side rails that make the iPhone 16e just a bit thicker, presumably making room for a larger battery — something Apple’s smallest iPhone desperately needed.
What excites me most about Apple’s mid-range upgrade is that it sounds like an iPhone I’ll be able to use but might not depend on. Sure, I’ll be able to check off the basics, like responding to out-of-control group chats, logging runs on Strava, and keeping up with work tasks on Asana, but I won’t feel as motivated to spend time doom-scrolling Instagram on a smaller, notched display, nor will I find myself lost in endless camera menus while I try to capture the perfect shot at a concert. If I find myself in the first few rows, it’ll be great, but otherwise, the limited hardware will encourage me to live in the moment.
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