Specs Appeal: iPhone 16 features you won't find on iPhone 16e

Apple has finally launched the unsaid successor to its iPhone SE series, the iPhone 16e. The Cupertino giant said goodbye to the SE branding introduced in 2016 (at least for iPhones). iPhone 16e's arrival also means Apple has stopped selling iPhones with a Lightning port. However, there is an Apple device with Lightning ports bigger than you've ever seen.

iPhone 16e has a 6.1" display, a '2-in-1' camera system, and the A18 chip inside to support Apple Intelligence features. It is the first to feature the company's home-baked modem (Apple C1) and offers better battery backup than the iPhone 16. The device is priced at $599 for its base model, which is $200 less than the iPhone 16 but $170 more than the launch price of the iPhone SE 3.

It burns a smaller hole in your pocket, but the iPhone 16e lacks features that many users might take for granted, as they have existed for years. A trip to the specifications sheets of iPhone 16e and iPhone 16 gives us an idea of what all is missing with the $200 difference in the pricing:

Features	iPhone 16e	iPhone 16
Form Factor/Display	No color-infused glass back Ceramic Shield front Notch 800 nits max brightness (typical) 1200 nits peak brightness (HDR) No 2000 nits peak brightness No 1 nit minimum brightness	Color-infused glass back (Ultramarine, Teal, Pink, Black) Latest-generation Ceramic Shield front Dynamic Island 1000 nits max brightness (typical) 1600 nits peak brightness (HDR) 2000 nits peak brightness (outdoor) 1 nit minimum brightness
SoC	Apple A18 chip with 4-core GPU	Apple A18 chip with 5-core GPU
Camera	No Camera Control button No Spatial photos and videos No Macro photography Portrait mode with Depth Control Photographic Styles 1x, 2x optical zoom options	Camera Control for quicker access to photo and video tools Spatial photos and videos Macro photography Next-generation portraits with Focus and Depth Control Latest-generation Photographic Styles 0.5, 1x, 2x optical zoom options
Video recording	No Cinematic mode No Action mode No Macro video recording Optical Image Stabilization	Cinematic mode for recording videos with shallow depth of field Action mode Macro video recording with slo‑mo and time‑lapse Sensor-shift optical image stabilization
Charging	No MagSafe Qi wireless charging up to 7.5W	MagSafe wireless charging up to 25W with 30W adapter or higher Qi2 wireless charging up to 15W
Connectivity	Wi-Fi 6 No Ultra Wideband (UWB) No Thread networking technology 5G (sub-6 GHz) with 4x4 MIMO	Wi-Fi 7 Second-generation Ultra Wideband chip Thread networking technology 5G (sub-6 GHz and mmWave) with 4x4 MIMO

There are several differences between the iPhone 16 and 16e. While some features, like the lack of Qi2 charging support or mmWave, may matter less to the users, the lack of MagSafe and, eventually, compatible accessories that stick to the back of the device might be a surprise.

People might feel another pinch when hearing there is no UWB chip inside the iPhone 16e. It powers several useful features, such as precision finding in AirTags and offers spatial awareness so your iPhone can identify devices in proximity to enable faster AirDrop transfers. With the feature-packed iOS 18 update, you can unlock smart locks with UWB chips simply by walking up to the door with your iPhone in your pocket.

Another area where Apple has cut costs is in the processor department. It remains to be seen how much of a real-world difference the 4-core GPU on the iPhone 16e will bring compared to the iPhone 16's 5-core GPU when handling resource-hungry tasks.

iPhone 16e doesn't come fitted with Apple's new Camera Control button to quickly access tools like exposure, depth, zoom, and more. However, you can rest assured that the device supports Visual Intelligence through the Action Button.

While the iPhone 16e is an upgrade over the iPhone SE 3 in most cases, it might be a tough decision to ignore all the differences from the iPhone 16 for a $200 discount. It's interesting that Apple is selling its cheapest iPhone at a higher price now but 'offers a little more' for every extra $100 you can take out of your pocket.

One thing to note is that the iPhone 16e doesn't put the extra burden of $30 on your shoulder when you buy it without a carrier. In comparison, the iPhone 16 will cost you $829 instead of $799 if you buy it unlocked. Similar is the case of other devices, such as the $699 iPhone 15, which will cost you $729.

Note: This article may not include everydifferences between the iPhone 16 and the iPhone 16e.