The newly launched iPhone 16e became available in stores yesterday morning, marking a fresh entry into Apple’s iPhone range as it takes the place of the iPhone SE series. While the iPhone 16e showcases several significant enhancements over the iPhone SE 3, there are also some more subtle upgrades that may not have received as much attention.
The iPhone 16e starts at $599 for the model featuring 128GB of storage. It introduces a 6.1″ OLED display, Face ID, USB-C, improved Apple Intelligence, an action button, and more, making it a striking new option in Apple’s base iPhone category. While it boasts numerous impressive upgrades compared to its predecessor, I’ll highlight the more understated enhancements.
Satellite Connectivity
Alongside its debut in the iPhone 14 series, the iPhone 16e now includes Apple’s comprehensive satellite connectivity features. This comprises Emergency SOS via Satellite, Roadside Assistance via Satellite, and Messages via Satellite.
These features are ones you hope you never have to use, but when the need arises, they are invaluable. Unlike the iPhone SE 3, the iPhone 16e offers this enhanced capability.
Your purchase of an iPhone 16e grants you two years of complimentary satellite connectivity, though the cost after this free trial remains undisclosed. Apple previously offered an extra year free for early adopters of the iPhone 14.
Crash Detection
Continuing with the theme of prudential safety features, the iPhone 16e also incorporates crash detection. Leveraging the advanced high-g accelerometer, Apple can identify when you’ve been involved in a car accident and automatically contact emergency services if you are unresponsive. This feature has the potential to save lives.
Water Resistance Enhancements
The iPhone 16e comes with IP68 water resistance, allowing for underwater use up to 6 meters for a duration of 30 minutes or less. This represents a significant upgrade from the iPhone SE 3, which only provided IP67 support, limited to 1 meter underwater for up to 30 minutes.
Optical Zoom Capability
Equipped with a brand-new 48MP sensor, the iPhone 16e supports taking 2x optical zoom photos with its main sensor. Apple introduced this capability initially with the iPhone 14 Pro by cropping the middle 12MP of the larger 48MP sensor, ensuring each pixel is accurately represented in the photographs. Whether one considers this an optical zoom may vary, but the resulting quality surpasses that of a typical digital zoom taken at under 12MP.
Night Mode Photography
Apple introduced night mode in its iPhone 11 series, enhancing nighttime photography through longer processing algorithms. Despite the second and third generation iPhone SEs being launched after this feature’s debut, they did not include night mode support.
However, the iPhone 16e does support night mode, enabling better low-light photography for Apple’s latest entry-level iPhone.
What are your thoughts on Apple’s new iPhone 16e? Share your opinions in the comments below.
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