Apple’s newest phone, the $599 iPhone 16E, breaks with the company’s usual September launch timeline and instead will be released on Friday, Feb. 28. In fact, you can preorder the 16E right now. The new iPhone offers a unique appeal: Get some of the iPhone 16’s best features (a 48-megapixel camera, iOS 18 and an A18 chip for Apple Intelligence) for $200 less than the $799 iPhone 16. That makes the iPhone 16E basically a scaled-down version of the iPhone 16 that lacks certain features, like MagSafe charging and a second rear camera to keep the price low.
But the iPhone 16E isn’t the only phone Apple will release this year. We expect the iPhone 17 to launch in September. Rumors indicate that it might get a new ultra-thin design. So that begs the question: Should you buy an iPhone 16E now or wait six months for the iPhone 17?
Unfortunately, the answer is: it depends.
Watch this: The iPhone 16E Has Arrived
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iPhone 16E vs. iPhone 17: today
The iPhone 17 hasn’t been announced yet. In this picture, we used an iPhone 16 Pro and put the number 17 behind it since there aren’t any photos from Apple of its unreleased phone.
What will the iPhone 17 have that the new iPhone 16E doesn’t? I have no idea because Apple hasn’t announced anything yet.
But we can look at some of the many iPhone 17 rumors and postulate why it may or may not be worth waiting six months for. The biggest rumor is that Apple might debut a new iPhone model with an extremely thin design, as reported by The Information. Nicknamed the iPhone 17 Air or iPhone 17 Slim, it would have the usual year-to-year additions, like a new processor and new software, but its main appeal will likely be its new design.
Every phone Apple has launched since 2020 has looked similar to the iPhone 12 and had flat sides, except for the iPhone SE. That same iPhone 12 design can seen in the iPhone 16 series including the new iPhone 16E. And while many Apple enthusiasts want an iPhone with a truly new design, there is logic to Apple keeping what works for its large base of iPhone users.
The iPhone 17 Air’s thin design could have a large 6.6-inch display that slots in-between the 6.1-inch screens on the iPhone 16 and 16 E and the 6.9-inch display on the 16 Pro Max. The iPhone 17 Air is also expected to have Apple’s C1 5G modem, the same one that debuted in the iPhone 16E according to noted analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.
But even if the iPhone 17 were out today, it’s meant for a different person compared with the affordable iPhone 16E.
iPhone 16E vs. iPhone 17: Budget or flagship?
The iPhone 16E will no doubt be the most affordable way to get an iPhone before carrier discounts and deals.
Ultimately, if your current phone is broken or has a cracked screen and you need to buy a phone now, then do so. Apple’s regular iPhone 16 is an amazing option and, while we haven’t tested the iPhone 16E yet, on paper it looks like it will be a solid budget phone for most people.
If you are due for an upgrade from your carrier, then things get more tricky. Six months is a long time to wait, especially for a phone Apple hasn’t even announced or told us about. But if your current phone is working fine, hold onto that upgrade until September and reevaluate your situation then.
Apple iPhone 16E Specs vs. iPhone 16, iPhone SE (2022), iPhone 15
