Apple iPhone 16e review

The 6.1-inch screen resembles that of the iPhone 14. (Image credit: Nandagopal Rajan/The Indian Express)

As you power on the iPhone 16e, you realise that the Super Retina XDR display is similar to what you would expect from any iPhone and not meeker. However, the bezel of this OLED display is a bit thicker than the flagships. Also, the phone has a display notch instead of the Dynamic Island. The design is very iPhone and you also get the new action button on the left, just above the volume rockers. Also, it uses a USB-C charger.

Apple has tried to pack the phone with a lot of innards that are similar to the iPhone 16 series flagships. The iPhone 16e is powered by the same A18 processor as the other iPhone 16s. It also is the first iPhone to use Apple’s own C1 modem, thus ending Cupertino’s dependence on Qualcomm chipsets. All this means the phone is faster and more powerful than other iPhones you can buy at this range — usually models that are 3-4 years older. Also, the iPhone 16e is more capable than the last iPhone SE (3rd gen) in processing power and battery life.

I had the iPhone 16e for daily usage and found that I was getting used to the size and questioning my choice of using larger phones over the past few years. For one, a phone this size won’t give you the kind of smartphone fingers I have ended up with.

Serves as an entry point to Apple Intelligence. (Image credit: Nandagopal Rajan/The Indian Express)

Using the phone with iOS 18.4, I had set up the Action Button to open Apple’s new visual intelligence. It works like a charm and you can query anything that the camera captures. For instance, you can open the camera and ask the phone to describe what it sees. Apple Intelligence invariably gets ChatGPT to help with the query, but the response comes in a few seconds. I love this feature also because it helps me study new plants I see at parks and nurseries — you had to click a photo to do this before and now you also get a detailed note. This is a great tool for curious people.

The iPhone 16e is now the cheapest entry point for Apple Intelligence as users can access all the new features, including the Image Playground and Genmoji. I loved using the writing tools, though I think writers like me should not use AI for anything beyond a spellcheck. But Apple’s take on writing seems much more evolved as it gives you multiple things you can do with a copy from rewrite to improve and even change the format to a bullet point note. You can also compose directly from the Notes app using ChatGPT. It is good that Apple also tells you every time it is using an external partner, like ChatGPT, to possibly summarise a webpage.

One reason people move to an iPhone is the camera. On the iPhone 16e, they will get a single 48MP fusion camera with 2X optical zoom. I know most of us don’t use more than the main camera on any phone, but at this price point, Android usually offers three cameras. And this will be a perception issue Apple will have to fight in Android-heavy markets like India.

iPhone 16e has a 48 MP single camera at the back. (Image credit: Nandagopal Rajan/The Indian Express)

Apple iPhone 16e camera sample. (Image credit: Nandagopal Rajan/The Indian Express)

Apple iPhone 16e camera sample. (Image credit: Nandagopal Rajan/The Indian Express)

Apple iPhone 16e camera sample. (Image credit: Nandagopal Rajan/The Indian Express)

Apple iPhone 16e camera sample. (Image credit: Nandagopal Rajan/The Indian Express)

Apple iPhone 16e camera sample. (Image credit: Nandagopal Rajan/The Indian Express)

Apple iPhone 16e camera sample. (Image credit: Nandagopal Rajan/The Indian Express)

Apple iPhone 16e camera sample. (Image credit: Nandagopal Rajan/The Indian Express)

Apple iPhone 16e camera sample. (Image credit: Nandagopal Rajan/The Indian Express)

Apple iPhone 16e camera sample. (Image credit: Nandagopal Rajan/The Indian Express)

Apple iPhone 16e camera sample. (Image credit: Nandagopal Rajan/The Indian Express)

The iPhone 16e camera works well and offers the results we expect from an Apple phone. From the subtleties of low-light photography to the details that you need while clicking photos of food, this camera can do it all. Along with that, the video comes with Dolby Vision recording and the ability to change the audio mix. I was impressed by the colour reproduction of this camera, especially with challenging spring flowers. This is also a portrait camera that offers natural results and not images that are done up to make you look better than in real life.

With a smaller iPhone, a lot of users will be worried about battery life. The iPhone 16e offers a better battery life than what was available in the last SE. On a full charge, you can squeeze out 12-15 hours depending on how stable your network is.

The iPhone 16e also has a USB-C charging port and an action button. (Image credit: Nandagopal Rajan/The Indian Express)

At a starting price of Rs 59,900, the iPhone 16e is a good option for those looking to enter the Apple ecosystem. Compared to the iPhone SE or older iPhones, the iPhone 16e offers such users the ability to be current while buying the new phone and stay relevant for a few years given that the phone has mostly the latest features from Apple. In fact, I would suggest that this is a better phone for many people who end up over-investing in the iPhone tag.