Apple stopped treating its affordable iPhone as a second class citizen. We expected a new iPhone SE, but we got the iPhone 16e, which sits at the same table as the other iPhone 16 models. It’s not just the name,

There’s no question: the new modem makes a difference to the exceptional battery life in the iPhone 16e. After all, Apple says it’s the most power-efficient modem ever in an iPhone. So, the company is right to point out that the new phone has the best battery life of any iPhone with a 6.

Before the iPhone 16e’s arrival, the best budget iPhone option was the SE, which had a decade-plus-old design and a tiny IPS screen with a lower resolution and an IPS panel. Replacing the SE with a product with modern design, top-tier specs, and Apple Intelligence is a major leap forward for Apple’s entry-level smartphone.