Apple launched the iPhone SE 4, err, iPhone 16e on February 19, 2025. Sales are starting from today, February 28, i.e., about 10 days later. Billed as the most affordable option in the iPhone 16 series, the 16e brings the power of Apple Intelligence to more people. It is also the first iPhone to boot Apple’s first in-house modem, C1. But while the new iPhone 16e may have all the underpinnings of a breakthrough “budget” product, its pricing has left the internet divided and a quick glance at Google Trends confirms it: interest in the iPhone 16 is surging, particularly after the launch of the budget-friendly iPhone 16e.
Data suggests, there has been a clear uptick in searches for the iPhone 16 compared to its predecessors, the iPhone 15 and 15 Pro, and even the newly released iPhone 16e, over the course of last week—leading into today. For obvious reasons, we tracked the popularity of four search terms: “iPhone 16e,” “iPhone 15,” “iPhone 15 Pro,” and “iPhone 16.” You can get your hands on an iPhone 14, too, via third-party retail but since Apple has officially discontinued it, we decided to stay clear of it for this comparison.
What immediately jumps out is the prominent green line representing the iPhone 16. While all four lines exhibit fluctuations, the iPhone 16 consistently maintains a higher level of search interest than the others, especially as we approach the sale date of the iPhone 16e. This suggests more people have been looking for—and possibly eyeing—the iPhone 16 now, more than ever.
The red line, representing the iPhone 15, shows a steady but moderate level of interest, which again could mean that Apple may have subconsciously made it a more desirable proposition. It is the only relatively modern iPhone to lack Apple Intelligence, but the revised lower pricing more than compensates for it, so it seems. The iPhone 15 Pro has a lower but more stable interest. Apple doesn’t make it anymore, but you can get it at lower—often at discounted—priced online.
Finally, the blue line, representing the newly launched iPhone 16e, shows a significant spike in interest initially, likely due to the buzz surrounding its release. However, this interest appears to have tapered off, while the iPhone 16’s continues to climb.
iPhone 16e: What does “e” stand for?
Apple doesn’t say it in so many words, but the “e” in iPhone 16e probably stands for essentials. Essentially, it’s an iPhone 16 stripped off all its novelty to fit a new budget price segment though, with a starting price of Rs 59,900, that is open for debate. No wonder, it has had such polarising reactions with some referring to the “e” as “expensive.”
The iPhone 16e may be considered as a spiritual successor to the iPhone SE 3 but truth is, Apple has basically killed its budget line of iPhones with the latest release. The 16e has a chassis inspired from the iPhone 14 complete with its wide notch. The Action Button is a new addition. The screen size remains 6.1-inch OLED with 60Hz refresh rate.
There are two big headlining features. The 16e has the same A18 chip—in name—as the iPhone 16 family. Though, with one less GPU core compared to the iPhone 16, Apple is using a binned version here. The new chip and updates to RAM and storage bring Apple Intelligence AI features to the 16e. The other big highlight is the C1, Apple’s first true answer to Qualcomm Snapdragon modems it uses on other recent iPhones including the iPhone 16. The new modem is claimed to be super-efficient though it lacks support for mmWave 5G.
For photography, the iPhone 16e has a single 48-megapixel camera that does double-duty as a “2-in-1” with Apple promising 2x “optical” clarity. It can record 4K videos, though features like a dedicated macro and spatial video recording are not available.
The iPhone 16e supports the first-generation Qi wireless charging (up to 7.5W) but MagSafe charging is not available.
The iPhone 16e is priced at Rs 59,900 for 128GB, Rs 69,900 for 256GB and Rs 89,900 for 512GB, respectively.
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