Apple launches new budget iPhone 16e with Face ID, Apple Intelligence
A new budget iPhone has arrived!
Apple introduced its latest smartphone, the iPhone 16e, during a Feb. 20 (Philippine time) event in Cupertino, California.
"iPhone 16e joins the iPhone 16 family as its most affordable member and it has Apple Intelligence, the tech giant's CEO Tim Cook said during the launch.
"With iPhone 16e, we're bringing Apple Intelligence to more people."
The new iPhone features the same look as the iPhone 14, making it the first iPhone SE to have Face ID and a notched screen.
In front, it features a 6.1-inch display with a notch on top housing the selfie camera.
At its back is a single 48MP Fusion camera, which Apple boasts is "like having two cameras in one." With this shooter, users can capture everyday moments in Night mode and Portrait mode. For videos, the camera shoots in 4K with Dolby Vision up to 60fps.
Like the rest of the iPhone 16 series, the iPhone 16e has an action button for programmable shortcuts. However, it doesn't have the new Camera Control button like its siblings.
Like the latest iPhone models, this device comes with a USB-C port and support for wireless charging. According to Apple's website, the iPhone 16e's battery life can last up to 26 hours of video playback.
Powering the device is the A18 processor, which is the same chip on the iPhone 16. Apple said this chip is up to 80% faster than the A13 chip on the iPhone 11.
It also carries Apple's first modem, C1, to deliver 5G cellular connectivity.
This budget phone is equipped with Apple Intelligence, which uses generative AI to create text and images and offers tools like Clean Up to erase distracting elements in photos. Additionally, ChatGPT is integrated into Writing Tools and Siri.
Siri was given a major update with Apple Intelligence as it's now more conversational and takes into consideration personal context by drawing from your photos, conversations, and calendar.
The iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max and the iPhone 16 series are the only phones so far that support Apple Intelligence.
The iPhone 16e is available in Black and White for the following prices:
- 128GB - P39,990
- 256GB - P46,990
- 512GB - P58,990
Apple's last budget smartphone, the iPhone SE 3, was launched in 2022. It looked a lot like the iPhone 6 with thick bezels at the top and bottom of the display, and it had a Touch ID button.
The tech giant launched the iPhone 16 series in September 2024. The new phones were Apple Intelligence-ready, had bigger displays for the Pro phones, a new camera layout for the iPhone 16 and 16 Plus, and a Camera Control button for snapping photos.
