• Apple has officially unveiled the latest device in its iPhone 16 series – the iPhone 16e.
• It features Apple’s first in-house 5G modem.
• The new device is set to retail from $599, but local availability and pricing has not been shared.

After weeks of teasing, Apple officially unveiled its latest iPhone SE, or should we say iPhone 16e.

The new device is the latest addition in the iPhone 16 series, borrowing elements from previous iterations of the company’s smartphones, as well as including some wholly new components.

As such, the SE naming convention as we know is being dropped for this new one, although it is unclear if we will see a new iteration each year as is the case with Apple’s main lineup of smartphones.

As rumours suggested in the lead to the unveiling, the iPhone 16e features the first-ever 5G modem made in-house by the company. It will also likely be the same piece of silicon that is embedded in the new iPhone models that the company will debut in September later this year.

“iPhone 16e delivers fast, smooth performance and breakthrough battery life, thanks to the industry-leading efficiency of the A18 chip and the new Apple C1, the first cellular modem designed by Apple. iPhone 16e is also built for Apple Intelligence, the intuitive personal intelligence system that delivers helpful and relevant intelligence while taking an extraordinary step forward for privacy in AI,” Apple explained in a release.

Other notable aspects of the device include the best battery life in an iPhone to date, according to Apple, but the Cupertino-based outfit has chosen not to disclose how many may the actual battery is. That said, up to 26 hours of video playback has been mentioned by Apple.

Added to this is a 48MP wide-angle lens on the rear as the primary shooter, with a 12MP option up front for selfies. “The 48MP Fusion camera takes gorgeous photos and videos, and with an integrated 2x Telephoto, it is like having two cameras in one, so users can zoom in with optical quality,” noted Apple.

Also worth mentioning is an Action Button akin to that of the iPhone 15 series which can be programmed for quick launching specific apps or functions, as well as Apple Intelligence being supported on the device. For South Africans, they’ll be able to access the on-device AI out of the box, with English being the only supported language.

In terms of pricing and availability, the iPhone 16e will cost from $599 (~R11 114), with three different storage options and two colourways. The device will be available to pre-order Stateside from 21st February and ship to customers on 28th February.

At the time of writing, no local availability or pricing has been detailed, but the iStore South Africa does have it listed as “coming soon“.

The full list of specifications for the iPhone 16e is as follows:

You can watch Apple’s presentation of the iPhone 16e in the video embedded below.