iPhone 16e Many complain about 16e price, but their body action is the most honest

[novagamer]

watch my posted clip and find out that no iPhone capture this

watch my posted clip and find out that no iPhone capture this

What? The pro iPhone has excellent microphones… since the XS they have been stereo, and the 16 expands them even further with quad microphones. Apple also has best in class DSP that rejects artifacts and will self-limit so you can make shockingly decent recordings of very loud sources like a guitar amp.

iPhone recordings find their way into actual songs regularly, and have for many years. Voice memos is a crucial tool for a LOT of musicians and it’s a big part of the reason Apple added lossless recording and editing features once they abandoned the terrible music memos app.

I don’t know what the hell is going on in the clip you posted but I have music clips I’ve recorded going back to an iPhone 5 that sound better than that. I suspect they were using a case that blocked the microphone or had their hand over it, or else debris was involved, it sounds a lot worse than just being mono. If you are getting those results I’m guessing you’re using an old SE, but even then I don’t think it should be that bad.

 

[Eric_WVGG]

I predict that the 16e is going to outsell the 16. By a lot.

Most of the ways the 16e falls short — promotion, camera, dynamic island — are the sort of concerns that push people to the 16 Pro.

The only exception, which everyone hates, is MagSafe. A truly weird omission.

The middle iPhone is the worst of both worlds: too much money for too few features, not enough goodies to entice the people who have plenty of cash in their pockets.

 

[Siliconguy]

I'm probably the target customer for one, if I don't drift into a cheap Android phone instead.

I'm nearly 70.
I've turned off nearly all the alerts on my phone.
I travel a fair amount, but photography isn't a priority.
Pretty much the only thing I do on my phone is a couple of WhatsApp messages a day.
I don't use Siri and have no interest in AI on my phone.

I'm not nearly 70.
I've turned off nearly all the alerts on my phone.
Photography is handled by a Canon with real lenses.
Phone use is 6 to 10 minutes a month, and maybe a dozen texts only half of which are from Ana the scammer.
I don't use Siri and have no interest in AI on my phone.

If I had to replace my current phone right away I would likely get an Iris Easy Flip. But my battery is easily replaceable for $13 so it will probably be the keyboard that forces the replacement. I bought the phone in 2019.

 

[PC_and_Mac]

The 16e just isn't a good value IMO.

It's a nerfed 16 and it raises the floor of iPhone prices, the SE was a good value for what it was, but I just do not see it with the 16e.

I could've stomached $500, but I groaned and then said no at $600. The lack of MagSafe was the proverbial straw...I've had it since my iPhone 12, even the Oneplus 13 I bought to replace my 13 Pro basically has it because it's part of Qi2 charging standard, and yet...an oddly cheap omission.

It's a nice, simple thing to just use magnets to mount or charge the phone. It's so simple that it took someone (Apple) years to re-add what Palm did with the Pre, but it's a really nice to have with wireless chargers.

I guess a phone case could've added those magnets, but why put that decision on the case manufacturers.

As it happened, I was hoping that the SE 2025/16e was going to be that value to replace both of my parents 2020 SEs, but I ended up getting them like new 15's with 256 GB for $580 each. Better cameras, more storage, MagSafe...Apple Intelligence isn't the value add Apple thinks it is, and my parents won't care about it anyway.

In my case, Apple didn't lose, but they aren't really winning either, as I'm not buying the new thing as it looks worse IMO. I got them another iPhone as it's what they're mostly used to, although FaceID, the bigger size, lack of home button are going to present some learning curves.

 

[TgeekB]

Cook is not innovator at all

According to you. They don’t seem to be suffering at all.

 

[drugdoubles]

According to you. They don’t seem to be suffering at all.

I didn’t say Cook is not good at making money from Apple users

 

[bousozoku]

It'll probably sell just like previous SE products, maybe just slightly better. If it becomes a top 3 seller, it'll be a failure because Apple isn't aiming for cannibalization of the iPhone 15/16. The goal of 16e is to get XR/11 SE2 users to upgrade along with converting Android. That pool isn't very big to begin with.

Given that I just saw a deal on the OnePlus 13R with 12 GB and 256 GB of storage for US$599, I might just go the other way for a couple of years.

 

[Deine Mudda]

The 16e is just too big and heavy If Steve were still alive, and Jony back at Apple, we would have a fabulous small one-handed-operation SE4 ... it would look a million dollars and sell like hotcakes.

Jesus, it’s been what now? 15 years?
Get over it, Apple is doing fine, the products are excellent and fine to use.

 

[ayephoner]

Given that I just saw a deal on the OnePlus 13R with 12 GB and 256 GB of storage for US$599, I might just go the other way for a couple of years.

If you're motivated by specs, especially value relative to specs, android will always be the way to go. iOS is proven to get a lot of performance out of lesser specs though. I hate people claiming that one of the ecosystems is superior to the other. They are different. I often wish I could try out some of the cool android phones out there, but it just doesn't make sense for me.

 

[SpotOnT]

Phones are disposable. Buy one that suits your needs today and then when you need more, buy more. Many are treating this like an irrevocable life decision. It is not.

I mean same can be said for a car…or house for that matter…

 

[kp98077]

i bet the camera will work as well as the 16... given this, it will be popular..

 

[TgeekB]

I didn’t say Cook is not good at making money from Apple users

That’s the name of the game for every corporation. Do you think Jobs was just thinking of us?

 

[digimc]

If you intend to get a 17 model in the fall, you could get an older/used/refurbished iPhone instead and save money. It’s up to you whether you want the shiny new device of course, but a little odd if you don’t intend to keep it. It’s also possible Apple won’t process 16e trades by then. They’ll lowball you either way.

Do you think it would make more sense to purchase a used or renewed iPhone SE from Best Buy?

 

[nathansz]

The goal of 16e is to get XR/11 SE2 users to upgrade along with converting Android.

nope

the goal of "e" phones is to use up previous gen leftover parts

 

[JPack]

nope

the goal of "e" phones is to use up previous gen leftover parts

Like the C1 modem and A18 chip? The camera is not from any previous generation. The internal layout is completely different and uses a bigger battery.

 

[nathansz]

Like the C1 modem and A18 chip? The camera is not from any previous generation. The internal layout is completely different and uses a bigger battery.

It’s the iPhone 14 display

 

[mansplains]

Do you think it would make more sense to purchase a used or renewed iPhone SE from Best Buy?

If the price seems reasonable I don’t see why not, again, as a temporary device. Plus, whichever previous model chosen can be kept as a backup too.

 

[WarmWinterHat]

I mean same can be said for a car…or house for that matter…

Umm, wife and I are individually pretty high income, but neither consider a car or house as "disposable". We keep our cars longer than phones, though she did keep her last Pixel for 7 years.

 

[turbineseaplane]

That’s the name of the game for every corporation. Do you think Jobs was just thinking of us?

Steve was at least thinking about great products ... not just how to make the most money at every single decision

 

[roygnelson]

It'll sell very well for them. It's already been said a million times, this product is designed for your grandma and grandpa to finally upgrade once the carriers start throwing around cheap deals.

These people don't need anything beyond a solid phone that makes phone calls, sends texts, and lets them scroll facebook. You don't need an iPhone 16 for that. These people don't want to trawl eBay or Craigslist to get a second hand device. They just want to call up their carrier and say yes to any cheap offers and then get on with their lives.

Pretty condescending and also accurate. Signed, a grandpa.

 

[Dan From Canada]

A lot of people complain about 16e pricing while their bodies are moving to the Apple Store to buy one or more 16e once it is available.

16e should be one of the top 3 best selling phones. Very simple, a XR with a name sounds better, a big Apple logo on the back.

No complaining but I will pass on the 16e.
I stopped having to have the latest and greatest years ago.
To me, it's just a phone.

 

[Dan From Canada]

Its just a smartphone

It's just a phone. Make calls. Send/receive texts. Not much more.

 

[ThailandToo]

SE looking was too outdated with tiny monitor. 16e has better sales numbers for sure.

I agree with your sentiment. But some older people in my family like aunts and uncles or my father in law cannot operate a modern iPhone without a home button. They all wear glasses and want something that fits in their pocket they primarily use as a phone but will use for something on the go. I tried for over an hour to teach my father in law to swipe but he couldn’t get it. He’s 84 years old. Sometimes it just doesn’t work. I think Apple screwed up by eliminating everything that made the iPhone simple to use when Steve introduced it. People can complain about skeuomorphic designs and etc, but it let people know how to intuitively use something. The home button was just simple. And people without the best dexterity or understanding of tech could easily get it. F/cked up, hit home button and I will figure it out. Literally, Apple is missing a mark here. New users from Android, sure. Young people or those who want to save, sure thing. But I don’t think Apple can sell these to people who they think they are also targeting. My father in law cannot use a modern iPhone. Has to have that home button. Seen it with many elderly too. Young people have the mind to learn anything. Those who love tech will figure it out. But those who aren’t understanding the basic framework or fundamentals or capable of operating by them are screwed.

 

[casjohnr]

Any technology can be a learning curve for the elderly but the more they get exposed to it they start learning (like anything in life I guess)

When I first handed my iPhone X down to my dad he would constantly power it on, do the few bits he wanted to do (call my mum, send a text perhaps)...then power it off again until the next time he wanted to use it! Eventually he learnt he could leave it turned on all the time although we never quite got him out of the habit of thinking if he wasn't using it to then permanently need to have it connected to the wall charging!

He later ended up in hospital and long term care but was thrilled when I found a pair of headphones (the lightning connector ones), suddenly he worked out he could listen to the radio and watch some TV from his phone and there was no stopping him!

Sadly he passed away a few months ago and I've kept the iPhone X boxed up since, I'll never be able to force myself to get rid of it as it is now a reminder of my dad

 

[SpotOnT]

Umm, wife and I are individually pretty high income, but neither consider a car or house as "disposable". We keep our cars longer than phones, though she did keep her last Pixel for 7 years.

That is kind of my point….

Many people don’t consider a 1k phone disposable either. Claiming a 1k device is disposable just makes you sound out of touch with most people’s lived experience (and kind of outs you as a rich d-bag).