Five iPhone 16e features that’ll make an upgrade from old iPhones

Apple unveiled the new iPhone 16e, the model that, while not as budget-friendly as the previous iPhone SE, is still a great option for those who want to upgrade their device without spending a lot of money. For iPhone 15 owners, the new model offers five significant upgrades over your current device.

9to5Mac writes about it.

Apple Intelligence support

Apple is known for reliable support for its devices for many years after launch. However, the basic iPhone 15 and 15 Plus models do not have Apple Intelligence support, even though they were launched only a year after the AI technology was introduced. By buying an iPhone 16e, you will get all the features that will appear in future iOS updates, while with an iPhone 15, you will be deprived of this feature.

A18 chip

Even though the iPhone 16e comes less than 18 months after the iPhone 15, its chip is two generations ahead of the iPhone 15. The embedded A18 delivers higher performance than the A16 Bionic iPhone 15 and is also more future-proofed with Apple Intelligence support.

Better battery life

The battery is one of the most important components of the iPhone. According to Apple’s standard figures for video playback:

• iPhone 16e — up to 26 hours;
• iPhone 15 — up to 20 hours.

This data indicates an approximate 30% increase in battery efficiency in the iPhone 16e.

Action button

The iPhone 15 was the last model Apple included the classic ring/silent switch with. That same year, the 15 Pro introduced an Action button in its place, and that same Action button is now included with the iPhone 16e. The Action button can be configured to perform practically any function you want, such as:

• launching the Camera app
• entering a Focus mode
• running a timer
• triggering a shortcut
• using Shazam to identify a song
• or activating any control available in Control Center

Of course, you can also still make it toggle between ring and silent, if that’s your preference.

8GB RAM

While the iPhone 15 has 6GB of RAM, the iPhone 16e comes with 8GB, a 33% increase. Not only does this Apple Intelligence support, but it also enables a smoother iOS experience, especially with future software updates.

Losses when upgrading to the iPhone 16e

It’s not all positives when upgrading from an iPhone 15. This should perhaps be obvious by the fact that the iPhone 16e costs $100 less—$599 vs. $699.

Here’s the list of noteworthy iPhone 16e omissions compared to the iPhone 15:

• No Ultra Wide camera or Macro mode
• No Dynamic Island, just a standard notch
• No MagSafe support, but you can still charge wirelessly
• Display isn’t quite as bright
• No Cinematic mode or Action mode for video
• No Ultra Wideband chip for precision finding

According to the user Mathieu Tournier, it’s worth keeping the iPhone 15 for a few more years because you don’t have to buy a new phone every 1-2 years. He notes that even the A18 and 8 GB RAM are not too revolutionary, as the iPhone 12 copes with most tasks flawlessly.

As a reminder, for the first time in three years, Apple introduced its successor to the iPhone SE 3. The new iPhone 16e is an attempt to provide a more affordable device that costs $600 instead of $430. This raises the question of whether it is worth paying such money if there are Android analogues with better features and lower prices on the market.

We also wrote that Apple introduced the iPhone 16e, which joined the iPhone 16 line. Given the price of the new product, the question arises whether it is worth underpaying for the iPhone 16.