Yesterday, Apple officially introduced the iPhone 16e, a new entry-level device that replaces the beloved iPhone SE. The iPhone 16e is now the cheapest iPhone in Apple’s lineup. But don’t let the word ‘cheapest’ fool you. In typical Apple fashion, the iPhone 16e packs a lot of power and brings a lot to the table.
Sure, the device isn’t as affordable as the iPhone SE, which sold for less than $500. But the iPhone 16e, which starts at $599, delivers a lot more in the way of features, including a 6.1-inch display, an A18 processor, improved battery life, and a far more advanced camera than we ever saw on Apple’s iPhone SE models. It’s also worth mentioning that the entry-level storage option on the iPhone 16e is 128GB, a welcome improvement over the iPhone SE, where the entry-level model had 64GB of storage.
The iPhone 16e signals the end of an era – No more small iPhones
That said, one of the more remarkable things about Apple’s iPhone 16e has nothing to do with its feature set. On the contrary, the iPhone 16e is particularly remarkable insofar that the device represents the end of an era for a few things that were long associated with the iPhone.
The arrival of the iPhone 16e – coupled with the recent discontinuation of the iPhone SE and the iPhone Mini back in 2023 – marks the first time that there is no longer a compact iPhone model in Apple’s lineup. For users who prefer a more compact form factor, it’s something of a bittersweet moment.
I say that as someone who, for years, preferred Apple’s smaller models. Perhaps it’s just nostalgia talking, but something about the iPhone 5s form factor was just perfect. This compact form factor lived on in the iPhone Mini and iPhone SE for years. That said, for as much as I loved the smaller form factors, I eventually gave in and upgraded to an iPhone Pro. I suppose that additional features and more power are sometimes more alluring than a compact device. Truth be told, if compact iPhone models sold in any meaningful quantities, there’s no way Apple would have stopped producing them.
Today, the smallest iPhone model you can buy is the iPhone 16e, with a 6.1-inch display. In short, the era of the compact iPhone is officially over. At the end of the day, the reality is that bigger-screened devices simply sell better.
The home button era is over
If we’re being honest, the home button era on the iPhone has been on its way out for some time now. Still, there was something nice – again, maybe it’s nostalgia – about having an iPhone with a home button in Apple’s lineup. The home button was, dare I say, iconic. Broadly speaking, it was part of a new paradigm in how we used mobile phones, and Steve Jobs really drove this point home when he introduced the iPhone nearly 2 decades ago.
But Apple is nothing if not forward-looking. I may be prone to nostalgia, but Apple is not. It embraces the future and isn’t afraid to say goodbye to the past. And, if I’m being honest, the eradication of the home button from Apple’s lineup shouldn’t come as much of a surprise. If anything, I’m impressed it stuck around for as long as it did. Even non-tech-savvy relatives of mine who, for years, would only buy iPhones with a home button recently decided it was time to embrace Face ID.
Apple officially enters the modem game
Apple has never been subtle about its desire to break free from Qualcomm as a modem supplier. There were even massive lawsuits between the two companies a few years back.
But there’s a reason Apple hasn’t been able to extricate itself from its longstanding relationship with Qualcomm: Qualcomm’s products are best-in-class, and Apple’s in-house designs haven’t been able to match their performance. And that’s not for lack of trying. Recall that Apple in 2019 acquired Intel’s smartphone modem business for $1 billion. For years, Apple has been working on designing its own 5G modems in-house, but the effort has been hampered by a variety of technical hurdles and setbacks
As far back as 2018, rumors spread that we might see an Apple-designed modem in an iPhone by 2022. Turns out, we had to wait until 2025. But going forward, if Apple’s custom C1 5G modem on the iPhone 16e performs well, it stands to reason that we’ll see Apple eventually phase out Qualcomm within a few years.
It’s worth noting that Apple’s C1 modem is more power-efficient than the Qualcomm chip that powers the iPhone 16. With a similar form factor to the iPhone 16, the iPhone 16e boasts four more hours of battery life.
The C1 modem on the iPhone 16e is just the beginning
So, while Apple’s iPhone 16e represents the end of an era in some ways, it also may mark the beginning of a new era. One in which Apple’s reliance on Qualcomm may eventually come to an end. Apple famously likes controlling all aspects of the components that go into its products, and entering the modem space has certainly been its most challenging endeavor yet.
Lastly, it’s worth noting that Apple analyst Ming Chi-Kuo published a note earlier today claiming that Apple’s slim iPhone 17 will utilize Apple’s C1 modem next year.
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