Apple’s most affordable iPhone for 2025, the iPhone 16e, has had its full specifications leaked ahead of launch. The device seems to bring several premium features from the iPhone 14 series while keeping the price more accessible. Here’s a detailed look at what’s coming.
Design and Build
The iPhone 16e will arrive in Black and White color options with an aluminium frame, Ceramic Shield protection on the front, and a glass back. It carries an IP68 rating, making it resistant to water (up to 6 meters for 30 minutes) and dust.
Dimensions:
- Width: 71.5 mm
- Height: 146.7 mm
- Depth: 7.8 mm
- Weight: 167 g
Display
Apple is sticking with a 6.1-inch Super Retina XDR OLED panel (15.4 cm), offering 2532×1170 resolution at 460ppi. Other highlights include:
- HDR support
- True Tone & Wide Color (P3)
- Haptic Touch
- Up to 1200 nits peak HDR brightness
- 2,000,000:1 contrast ratio
This makes the iPhone 16e’s screen one of the best in its class for sharpness and color accuracy.
Performance
Under the hood, the iPhone 16e is powered by the A18 chip, featuring:
- 6-core CPU (2 performance + 4 efficiency cores)
- 4-core GPU
- 16-core Neural Engine
This combination not only delivers flagship-grade performance but also powers Apple Intelligence, Apple’s new AI-driven personal assistant system.
Storage Options
The iPhone 16e will be available in 128GB, 256GB, and 512GB storage options.
Cameras
The iPhone 16e gets a significant upgrade with a dual rear camera system:
- 48MP Fusion main sensor (ƒ/1.6, OIS, Hybrid Focus Pixels)
- 12MP 2x Telephoto (ƒ/1.6, OIS)
Features include:
- Super-high-resolution 24MP & 48MP shots
- Photonic Engine, Deep Fusion & Smart HDR 5
- Night Mode, Portrait Mode, Panorama, and Photographic Styles
- Up to 10x digital zoom
- 4K video recording at up to 60fps
- Dolby Vision HDR video, Night Mode Timelapse, Slow-motion (1080p at 120/240 fps)
Selfie Camera
- 12MP TrueDepth front camera (ƒ/1.9, autofocus with Focus Pixels)
- 4K video recording at up to 60fps
- Night mode, Portrait Lighting, Animoji & Memoji
Battery and Charging
- Up to 26 hours video playback
- Up to 90 hours audio playback
- Fast charging: 50% in 30 minutes with a 20W adapter (sold separately)
- Wireless charging supported (Qi standard)
Connectivity
The iPhone 16e supports:
- 5G (sub-6 GHz)
- Gigabit LTE
- Wi-Fi 6
- Bluetooth 5.3
- NFC & Apple Pay
- GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, QZSS, BeiDou, NavIC
It also includes dual SIM support (Nano-SIM + eSIM, or Dual eSIM).
Software & Features
- Ships with iOS 18 out-of-the-box
- Apple Intelligence for AI-driven tasks
- Face ID for secure authentication
- Action button for quick toggles (Silent Mode, Camera, Flashlight, etc.)
- Siri improvements with more natural voice and privacy-focused intelligence
Audio & Media
- Stereo speakers
- Spatial Audio support
- Dolby Atmos, Dolby Vision, HDR10+, and HLG support for video playback
Verdict
The iPhone 16e looks like a refreshed iPhone 14 with big upgrades — an A18 chip, OLED display, dual 48MP camera setup, and Apple Intelligence support. Expected to be priced around $499 (~₹42,000 in India), it could be the most budget-friendly way to experience Apple’s 2025 ecosystem.
