iPhone 16e availability in the U.S. is less than 24 hours away, and ahead of the launch, I was provided a unit for review.
Going into today, I was looking forward to sharing the iPhone 16e with our community, especially as there has been much anticipation and excitement on AppleVis surrounding this phone in particular. Unboxing podcasts are a lot of fun, especially when the recording goes well. And I am of the opinion that as Apple no longer sells a device with a Home Button, we should be doing everything possible to ease the transition for people who are still on older devices for whatever reason. It’s a bigger deal than you might think, especially for the everyday blind, DeafBlind, or low vision user who really relies on that Home Button as an anchor.
All in all, there is a lot to talk about with the iPhone 16e, but I wasn’t going to say any of it today. But that changed when I actually experienced the iPhone 16e for myself.
The iPhone 16e is Apple’s most affordable phone at US$599, and, to be honest, I was disappointed by the price when it was announced. I see the iPhone 16e as the iPhone for the everyday person, the person who just needs an iPhone to do the basic things. And I really was hoping Apple could get the price down to something under $500 and make that phone available to as many people as possible. On the other hand, the iPhone 16e has a lot of advanced tech (a current-generation A18 processor, Apple Intelligence, the Action Button, an all-new Apple-designed modem, just to name four); so the starting price is more understandable when you consider what all you’re getting.
Concerns about price aside, I tried to approach reviewing the iPhone 16e with an open mind. I know what I like in an iPhone, and I also know that the iPhone 16e is meant for a different type of user than me. And yet, I interact with people from all walks of life; and for many of them, all they want is a basic iPhone. So the iPhone 16e interested me at first for those reasons: Is this the modern iPhone for everyone?
As interested as I first was in the iPhone 16e, I never expected that I would personally ‘like’ it—especially after only a few hours with the device. But I do like it—a lot.
Generally, I gravitate towards the bigger phones for their battery, speaker, and bigger ‘feel’. ‘Bigger’ has always meant ‘better’ to me. But the iPhone 16e challenges my assumptions in a pretty big way, no pun intended. Contrary to my expectations, I actually really like the thing. I like the way it feels in my hand. Picking it up, holding it while on the phone, even sending messages with Braille Screen Input—it feels great. And this was unexpected to say the least.
Perhaps just as unexpected and even better than the device’s ‘hand-feel’, are the speakers. Yes, I said ‘speakers’ because both the bottom speaker and earpiece speaker are noticeably better than my $600-more-expensive iPhone 16 Pro Max. In my review of the iPhone 16 Pro Max, I shared about issues with the quality of sound output from the speakers. Other members of the community have experienced similar issues.
I am happy to report that the sound on the iPhone 16e has none of these issues. At higher volume, the iPhone 16e puts out a lot of bass for its size. (I remember my iPhone 15 Pro being similar.) But, unlike my personal iPhone 16 Pro Max, the iPhone 16e better maintains this bass at lower volumes. There is none of the dramatic fluctuation in bass with volume adjustment that I see on my iPhone 16 Pro Max, and this is a subtle—but nevertheless huge—improvement.
And it is not just the bottom speaker that is improved; the earpiece speaker has more bass as well, making the sound fuller and more natural. I was on a FaceTime audio call shortly after setting up the iPhone 16e, and I actually called the person back from my iPhone 16 Pro Max to be sure I wasn’t just imagining things. I wasn’t—the speaker quality is just better. If the speakers are important to you, you will really like the iPhone 16e.
The iPhone 16e has a 6.1-inch display, similar to recent smaller iPhones. If you have seen an iPhone 13 or 14, or their Pro counterparts, for example, the iPhone 16e’s size will be familiar to you. The iPhone 16e has the same A18 series processor as other iPhone 16 devices, and VoiceOver performance is as snappy as on my iPhone 16 Pro Max.
In the iPhone 16e, Apple has tried to make the iPhone 16 experience available to more people at a lower price. The device has a lot to like: the same series of processor, support for Apple Intelligence, and other key features of the iPhone 16 family—even an Action Button. But there is no getting around the fact that the iPhone 16e’s starting price tag of US$599 is still way out of reach of a lot of people, which is both unfortunate and also a lost market opportunity for Apple. Nevertheless, everything I have seen with the iPhone 16e so far suggests that Apple may very well have a hit on its hands.
Watch this space.
Comments
I agree with you
I agree I think it has a huge hit on its hands. I can't wait to get mine.
Great to hear a review from…
Great to hear a review from a blindness perspective.
I know the price is a hard one to swallow but, as well as the upgrades you mention, we also need to remember that this starts at 128 gb and inflation.
It looks like, if this is successful, there will be an E line going forward, much like the A line of the pixels. I'd be very interested to see what the price of it is in a years time, presumably when the 16E takes that $599 slot. It they drop it to $499, the 17E at $599, the 16 at $699 etc... Things will get very interesting.
It's a phone, I think, that is good for light users, first phones or phones for older people. It is likely to last a good five to seven years with updates, so, I think, despite the cost, it probably will do well. Is it the best value phone in the lineup? No, I don't think so, but value is going to be based on the user. I like MagSafe, for example, have a Belkin charger that suspends my phone and watch. We don't get the better cameras on the 16E, which is fine by me.
I personally think, if they'd included MagSafe, this would have been a much better phone, rather than it being a little niggle that might step purchasers up the ladder, which is, of course, the whole point.
It's a diet 16, 25 % cheaper. Maybe that's okay.
USB-C FTW
This is a great overview of the phone, Michael. That said, I have my 16 Pro here and enjoy Magsafe. Also, no SIM tray? Have all carriors now eSIM in the US? My understanding from the internet, so it's probably wrong, is that the SIM tray is only available in certain regions of the world with the 16e.
eSim
I do think that all of the major carriers, as well as most of the MVNO companies, the ones that lease from the bigger ones, also support it. Also, I don't see it as a problem, as even when you travel, there are providers that can give you service in multiple countries.
Flossy Carter
Check out his review on the phone. Make sure you take something for a headache. Well done and very honest review. If you do not like people trashing iPhone do not watch it.
Silent Switch?
Sorry but did not have the time to listen to the unboxing podcast. I hear that the action button is physically located above the volume buttons. However, I am used to having the silence switch there, have they removed the silence switch? If not where have they put it OR is it that the action button can now perform the silent switch action? I am also imagining that the action button can be pressed once, twice or 3 times to perform different functions. If I imagined that right then it would be obvious I would set up my action button like this: either double press to silent, triple press to call emergency contacts I am full of thoughts as of now.
Another question I have around the comments thread here, when you give your iPhone away for a new one. How do you move to the new phone with your eSIM? I mean earlier you just remove the SIM and put it in your new phone. I am sure there is a way to do this, should read more on the internet about such things
Flossy Carter is just upset with the price, entertaining
It's just not him but most of us are upset with the price. Having said that we need to except the SE phone is no longer going to be spoken about and the E series phones are not what replaced the SE series. The E series are just another line up of phones with almost the same hardware specks but a few $ lesser in price. Take it or leave it but if you did, you cannot be branded as a Banana Head - ROFL!
Action button
As it stands right now, the Action button does not have the ability to be pressed multiple times for different functions. Having said that, there are shortcuts that sort of, kind of, do this for you. Also, by default Apple usually has it set up to be your silent/ring switch. You press and hold it once to swap between the two modes. However, you can go into settings and change it to various other functions, including setting it to shortcut, and then choosing from pretty much any shortcut you have installed on your iPhone.
As has been mentioned elsewhere, you can even set it up to be your new home button via a home button shortcut.
HTH.
Answers for Mister Kayne
Hi Mister Kayne,
The Action Button replaces the Ring/Silent Switch. It is located just above the volume buttons. With the screen awake, you press and hold the Action Button to activate whatever it is set to. (In an earlier version of this comment, I stated that the screen needed to be 'unlocked' in order to use the Action Button; it need only be awake.) As Brian said above, by default the Action Button is set to Ring/Silent, though this can be changed in Settings.
Regarding transferring over your eSim, this can be done during initial setup of the device if your carrier supports it. My carrier does, and the process was easy and hastle-free.
Regards,
Michael
Action Button only works when the phone is unlocked?
Sorry, I have an iPhone 15, so no action button. We have to unlock the phone to use the action button? Combine that with Face ID and now we have to take our phones out of our pockets and look at them before we can silence them?
iOS 18.4
The iOS 18.4 suppose to let the 15 pro use the action button for VI. AI will not be out until 2027. Nuts. Can not wait for Flossy review the new iPad and Airpad. Can you say Trash? Still love my 16 pro max.
Re: Action button only works when the phone is unlocked?
I have an iPhone 15 Pro with the Action button set to activate silent mode, and I do not need to unlock the phone to use it; just press and briefly hold the button with the phone in my pocket. I'd imagine for certain things, like running a shortcut, the phone would need to be unlocked, but I'm not exactly sure.
A Correction for Smhy
Hi Smhy,
I am sorry for the error in my above comment. With the iPhone 16e, the screen needs to be awake (vs. unlocked), and then one can press the Action Button. This is what I meant but was writing a little too fast. So, you could tap the screen or press the Side Button, and once the Lock Screen is displayed, you can press the Action Button.
Best,
Michael
That is interesting. Out of…
That is interesting. Out of curiosity, do you know if the requirement for the screen to be awake is unique to the iPhone 16E or other 16 models, or does it depend on what action you have the Action button mapped to? For me, I can silence my 15 Pro with it in my pocket, without needing to wake the screen first.
action button
You need to open phone to use it. I set message for it and when I press it, the phone need to be open by scanning face. 16 pro max.
RE: Action Button
My action button is also set to switch between ring and silent mode. It does not need to be unlocked to switch. Just tap once and it will tell you the status, whether ring or silent mode. Tap and hold and it will switch. Easy as you please. I'm running a 15 pro.
My Experience and Additional Correction
I currently have an iPhone 16 Pro Max that is my personal device, as well as the iPhone 16e review unit. My Action Button is set to turn on and off a Focus.
On my iPhone 16 Pro Max, I can indeed use the Action Button without waking the device just as others report. It is also possible to toggle Ring and Silent Modes on the iPhone 16e without waking the device.
What does not appear to be possible right now on the iPhone 16e is using the Action Button for other functions without waking the screen. I tested this with my Focus setting as well as with toggling VoiceOver. On the iPhone 16 Pro Max, I was able to toggle both the Focus and VoiceOver without waking the screen; pressing the Action Button wakes the screen on its own.
found a bug in iPhone 16E and my review
first, I like my new iPhone 16E, especially the camera. The speakers sound quite good, and I like to use be my eyes with it. I also get good cell phone service with USMobile on the dark Star or at7t network. But i also found abug. When you hold in the action button, it says silent mode, but if you hold it in again for a few seconds, it does not say "ring mode" it just vibrates. So that is a bug they have to fix.
My thoughts on the iPhone 16E
I have verified Josh's bug report as far as it not saying ring or silent. The phone demonstrates exceptional performance, with high-quality speakers and outstanding battery life. The camera
is also excellent, contributing to an overall impressive device. I intend to continue using the E line of phones for the foreseeable future.
I just can't justify the extra on a pro or pro max phone.
Thots on the action button
Apple mest this up, they could have done a lot more with it like adding a single press to do something, double press to do something else and triple press to do something else, comparing it to my Samsung i have it setup so double pressing the power button opens a app and long pressing gives me Gemini, pressing once locks the screen like on apple
Action Button Bug, My Thoughts on 16E
The bug is that pressing the button briefly tells you what would happen if you held it down, not whatever you think it should do, i.e. activate the action, speak current status of the setting, or doing something alternative to or additional to whatever it does when you hold it. So for instance, with my sleep focus off, if I press button briefly, it says, "Focus, Sleep, on". This is obviously a bug and wrong.
As to the 16E, yeah, "E" is clearly for "Economy". Trouble is, that don't mean much when the price difference is small compared to the functionality lost. I think not having MagSafe and UWB are reasonable, but not at a mere £200 difference. I really think people should save those pennies to make it up to the standard phone, for a good value. In my opinion, of course.
I understand there are some…
I understand there are some issues with bluetooth, have you experienced these?
Bluetooth, on the hole, with apple products, is pretty flaky, I find. AirPods Pro 2 USB-C have issues, as do my AirPods Max usb-c with stuttering audio. I know it's been reported on the 16E too, but wonder if it's just apple's general lack luster bluetooth performance.
Saying all that, funnily enough, bluetooth to other devices, B&W PX8, Sonos Roam 2, etc, seems pretty rock solid, so it's probably more down to the AirPods lineup. Oh, also have a similar issue on my Beats Pill 2024...
This does all sound like a humble brag, and I feel slightly ashamed by the number of audio devices I own.
No bluetooth issues
I haven't had any bluetooth issues. I did see the macrumors article your talking about though.
Michael Hansen
I understand that on iOS 18.4, the action button can be use to bring up VI. Waiting for it to try it.