Apple has finally unveiled the long-awaited refresh of its budget-friendly iPhone SE, but this time, it’s different. The iPhone 16e, starting at $599, ditches the SE branding entirely, signaling a shift in Apple’s approach to affordable smartphones. Available for pre-order on February 21 and shipping February 28, the 16e is not just another budget phone—it’s Apple’s most accessible gateway into the AI era.
The biggest upgrade is Apple Intelligence, the company’s answer to ChatGPT and Google Gemini. The 16e now joins the iPhone 16 lineup and the iPhone 15 Pro as one of the few devices capable of running Apple’s AI tools. These on-device AI models enable text summarization, email drafting, and image generation without relying on the cloud. Siri also integrates ChatGPT for free, meaning users can access OpenAI’s chatbot without an account.
