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iPhone 16e pricing is just Apple bracing us for the iPhone 17, isn’t it?

By Abdullah Asim

Published: Feb 20, 2025, 11:31 AM

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At long last, after what seems like forever accompanied by a million leaks and rumors, the iPhone 16e is official. The iPhone SE line has been made redundant and in its place Apple has given us a different variant of the iPhone 16. Unfortunately it’s not just the name that the company has discarded but the most appealing factor of the SE series as well: the cost.

The last iPhone SE started at $429 when it first came out which was a very minor increase from its predecessor’s $399. But with the iPhone 16e Apple has jumped straight to the minimum being $599, making entry into the iOS ecosystem markedly more financially challenging.

But why?

Is it the iPhone 16 premium?

The iPhone 16 lineup didn’t see price increases at launch. | Video credit — Apple

Apple surprised quite a few of us back in September of 2024 when it announced that the iPhone 16 series would cost the same as the iPhone 15. While unexpected it sort of made sense too: the iPhone 16 barely brought any upgrades to the table.

The iPhone 16e on the other hand has something very important in common with the iPhone 16 series. While it only sports a single camera it does feature 8 GB of RAM like the other iPhone 16 models. This, on a model that would traditionally have only had 6 GB of RAM, is to facilitate Apple Intelligence.

Apple Intelligence is one of the two major selling points for the iPhone 16 lineup. Does Apple think that supporting its AI tools makes the price hike justifiable? Because if we’re looking at the iPhone 16e with that logic then where’s the camera control button? That’s the second major selling point for the iPhone 16.

Yes the iPhone 16e also uses the A18 chipset like the iPhone 16 but it also uses Apple’s new in-house cellular modem that will likely be less powerful. And it doesn’t even have MagSafe! Perhaps Apple thinks that, after keeping the same prices for the iPhone 16, users will be more forgiving of the iPhone 16e.

But with a 60 Hz display, a giant notch and a single camera the iPhone 16e just doesn’t feel like it’s worth its asking price.

Is Apple bracing us for price hikes for the iPhone 17?

The iPhone 17 Air will replace the Plus model. | Image credit — Fpt.

I have another theory: Apple is trying to get consumers accustomed to higher price tags because it plans to make the iPhone 17 significantly more expensive. The iPhone is currently cheaper than its Galaxy counterparts (trade in deals not accounting for) and other factors have made the smartphone industry volatile.

Tariff trade battles threaten to make all future Apple products cost a lot more as Apple silicon chipsets are manufactured by TSMC (Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company). Furthermore the iPhone 17 lineup is expected to feature more impressive upgrades than the iPhone 16.

Perhaps making the iPhone 16e cost so much more than its predecessor will soften the blow of the iPhone 17 lineup following its lead. It sort of makes sense: Apple wants to introduce an ambitious new model in the iPhone 17 family. But this new model — the iPhone 17 Air — will likely cost a pretty penny too because all of its hardware will be packed into a very slim form factor.

Lastly, let’s be real, Apple wasn’t going to keep the same prices for two years in a row. And if Apple Intelligence had been complete at launch then you bet that the iPhone 16 would’ve cost more than the iPhone 15.

Even accounting for inflation the iPhone 16e should be less than $550 and so I think that Apple is definitely testing the waters. Kind of similar to how the phone is practically a field test for the company’s C1 cellular modem.

So is the iPhone 16e worth getting?

All of this isn’t to say that the iPhone 16e is completely pointless and won’t sell at all. It still remains the cheapest and newest entry point into the iOS ecosystem. The phone’s support for Apple Intelligence also puts it much closer to its flagship counterparts than anyone would’ve guessed months ago.

If the iPhone 16e is worth it or not solely comes down to what you’re looking for in a phone. Love taking hundreds of photos? You’re much better off getting an iPhone 15 for almost around the same price. Do you want Apple Intelligence and the upcoming revamped Siri for the least amount of money possible? The iPhone 16e is your best bet.

Or if you’re not opposed to Android you could wait for the Samsung Galaxy S25 FE or the Google Pixel 9a instead. Those two might be much better mid-range smartphones than the iPhone 16e.

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Abdullah loves smartphones, Virtual Reality, and audio gear. Though he covers a wide range of news his favorite is always when he gets to talk about the newest VR venture or when Apple sets the industry ablaze with another phenomenal release.