Reputable leaker Digital Chat Station has a list of specs for us about the upcoming iPhone 16E, which is expected to be unveiled sometime in spring.
The iPhone 16E, or earlier rumored as the iPhone SE 4, is shaping up to be quite an attractive phone, at least judging by what's leaked so far and the most recent spec sheet. Digital Chat Station confirms the phone will get a redesign as was rumored earlier and will thankfully ditch the dated look of previous SEs. The leaker suggests you may look at the phone as an iPhone 14 with some differences.
The phone is said to sport the same 6.06-inch FHD+ LTPS OLED screen that the iPhone 14 rocks. It will be equipped with Face ID (and a notch to house it), a metal frame, and a single rear camera. Powering it will be the A18 processor, which is powering the iPhone 16 and the iPhone 16 Plus. It will come with a water resistance rating for peace of mind.
Digital Chat Station's post on Weibo, machine translated. | Screenshot credit - PhoneArena
Unfortunately for some iPhone enthusiasts though, the iPhone 16E will keep the 60Hz refresh rate instead of upgrading to the 120Hz rate, which has become the standard nowadays even for mid-range devices.
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The iPhone 16E could be the cheapest iPhone again according to the same source. The price of the new SE which is not called SE is rumored to be $499, which positions it as an upper mid-range device. The rumors seem pretty reasonable and Digital Chat Station's reliable reputation lead me to believe this could turn out to be true indeed. So likely, there would be a $70 price increase from its 2022 predecessor.
However, the upgraded design and fast A18 chipset would probably be worth the price increase. Also, earlier rumors suggest that the 16E will also support Apple Intelligence (which is great news) thanks to its rumored 8 gigs of RAM.
The iPhone 16E leaked specs seem like good news. The only possible downside of this rather sweet package is the lack of a fast display refresh rate, which ensures fluid scrolling and a modern feel. With a 60Hz display, the iPhone 16E may have some difficulty facing the likes of the Pixel 8a and Galaxy A55 which both come with the faster 120Hz refresh rate.
However, the A18 chip is likely to wipe the floor with the rivals for the best budget phone given the fact it's the same flagship chip that the current premium iPhones (the iPhone 16 and Plus) are sporting.
Rumors indicate the iPhone 16E will make its appearance sometime in April, and the excitement for the model is growing.
At this point, it seems there are not many things the iPhone 16 would sport over the 16E (a second camera, slightly bigger battery, Action button and Dynamic Island pretty much exhaust the list) and the similarities seem to outweigh the differences. Anyway, I'm quite excited to see which rumors will turn out to be true and I can easily see myself getting this phone if most of these turn out accurate.
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Iskra Petrova is a news writer at PhoneArena, where she covers mobile tech news and maintains the site’s device hubs with the latest leaked specs, rumors, and official details for upcoming phones. She joined PhoneArena in 2020 after three years in technical support for Microsoft Exchange, giving her practical experience with software infrastructure and troubleshooting. Iskra holds a Master’s Degree in Literature, which helps her translate complex tech details into clear, reader-friendly coverage. She is a daily Apple ecosystem user, while also closely following Sony Xperia’s camera-focused phones and Samsung’s Galaxy Z Flip series.
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