I swear Apple is acting like half their phones never existed. This marketing page makes it seem like there are way fewer iPhones than I remember.
Just check the compare page, you can match it up with any iPhone from the last ten years.
They only show the models they expect people to upgrade from. Comparing a $600 phone to one that costs over $1,500 is just setting yourself up for disappointment.
Lane said:
They only show the models they expect people to upgrade from. Comparing a $600 phone to one that costs over $1,500 is just setting yourself up for disappointment.
Why not compare it to something in the same price range, like the iPhone 14?
@Lian
You mean comparing the 16e’s launch price to a 2-year-old phone? That phone has older internals. If they had the same processor or features, I’d get it. I’m not defending the 16e, but Apple priced it like this because they know people who wanted a Mini might settle for this. Honestly, if it was closer to $500, it would still be ‘too expensive’ for those comparing it to discounted older models.
@Lane
Fair enough. The whole ‘$600 vs $1,500’ thing still makes no sense, though. Could’ve just compared it to the regular iPhone 16 ($600 vs $800), but I guess they wanted to make it sound more dramatic.
@Lian
Yeah, I get you. People love making things seem worse than they are. It’s an entry-level phone meant for a different audience. They’re not trying to sell this to people who already have newer iPhones. If anything, this is for those still using the SE2 or other older models. Is it a great deal? Not really. But it’s a way for Apple to push those users into upgrading.
Apple isn’t aiming this phone at people with recent models. They want those people to buy the pricier ones.
Niko said:
Apple isn’t aiming this phone at people with recent models. They want those people to buy the pricier ones.
This phone is just bait for people still using much older models.
@Zenith
You mean… like yourself?
@Zenith
I get what Apple is doing, but when I saw that page, I legit thought they had scrapped the newer models. For a second, I was like, ‘Did I time travel?’
They really should change how that page looks. The way it is now, it feels like a compare tool rather than a list of every iPhone they sell.
People need to realise this is an upgrade path for those still using much older models. It’s not here to compete with recent iPhones. If you never had MagSafe before, you’re not losing anything by not having it now. And the chip having one less core? Come on, this phone was never meant to match the top-tier models.
Only comparing it to iPhones from three or more years ago is weird, but I guess this is Apple’s way of making it clear who they’re targeting for upgrades.
Apple knows exactly how many of each model are still in use. They’re focusing on the people most likely to upgrade, not those with newer devices. If someone with a newer phone upgrades, great, but that’s not their main target.
I get why people are complaining, but you can still go to Apple’s site and compare it with any model you want.
I’ve been using an iPhone 11 for five years, waiting for a real upgrade, and then Apple drops this. What a joke. The ‘improvements’ are a smaller notch, USB-C, MagSafe, 5G, and minor camera and chip upgrades. And they removed the ultrawide camera? I’ve had enough of this. Time to switch to Samsung.
@Hollis
There’s no MagSafe either…
Battery life is probably gonna be worse than the 15 Pro and 16 Pro.
Thinking about upgrading to the 16e from my second-gen SE.
Apple is mainly focused on people still using these older phones. They know exactly who they’re trying to push into upgrading.