Apple has officially announced the iPhone 16e. The company’s newest phone, the iPhone 16e, is set to release February 28. The upcoming device will be available in black or white and will start at $599, making it the lowest-price iPhone 16 on the market. Here’s everything you need to know to preorder an iPhone 16e.
When Is the iPhone 16e Available for Preorder?
You can preorder the iPhone 16e starting at 5 a.m. PT (8 a.m. ET) on February 21.
Where to Buy the iPhone 16e
The iPhone 16e is Apple’s newest lower-priced smartphone, effectively replacing the iPhone SE, which was last updated in 2022. Unlike the SE, however, the 16e is closer to the standard iPhone 16 in terms of size and specs than the budget-priced predecessor. It’s also pricier, starting at $599, which is more than the SE’s starting price ($429), but still comfortably lower than the standard iPhone 16 ($799). It’s even cheaper than the iPhone 15, which Apple is still selling with a starting price of $699.
iPhone 16e Specs
So what do you get when you buy an iPhone 16e? The newest iPhone has a 6.1-inch OLED display, but with a notch at the top of the screen rather than the “dynamic island” on the standard iPhone 16.
Internals-wise, it sports the same A18 chip as the standard iPhone 16, but with a 4-core GPU, which is one less core than on the 16. That may make it a little less zippy, but it does support Apple Intelligence, so you’ll get all the AI features rolling out in iOS 18. It also has Apple’s brand-new C1 cellular modem, which ought to make it more power-efficient, resulting in better battery life. Apple claims you’ll get up to 26 hours of video playback, as opposed to 22 on the standard iPhone 16.
On the downside, there’s no MagSafe integration, so you can’t snap it onto a MagSafe charger to fill up the battery, which is kind of a bummer. It does support Qi wireless charging, so you can set it on a wireless charger, but it won’t magnetically attach. And since it’s only available in black or white, it’s not as colorful as the iPhone 16, which comes in an array of eye-catching options.
But all that being said, the iPhone 16e promises to be a fine, more budget-friendly addition to the iPhone lineup.
Chris Reed is a deals expert and commerce editor for IGN. You can follow him on Bluesky @chrislreed.com.