iPhone 16e Fails to Win Over Apple Users, Pricing and Features Fall Short

In a surprise move late last month, Apple ditched its budget lineup iPhone SE and replaced it with a brand new iPhone 16e model as an affordable entry to the flagship iPhone 16 series. While it sits at the bottom of the lineup, the 16e packs Apple’s first-ever in-house 5G modem C1 and shares many of the same features as the standard iPhone 16 model, including a 6.1-inch OLED display, A18 chipset, 48MP rear camera, and Apple Intelligence. But unlike its pricier counterparts, it lacks several key features, including multiple rear cameras, MagSafe compatibility, a modern design with Dynamic Island display, a dedicated Camera Control button, and a relatively brighter display (1200 nits on 16e vs 2000 nits maximum brightness on iPhone 16).

With the iPhone 16e now released in stores across the US for a starting price of $599, we collected responses from more than 3500 iPhone users on what they think of the new budget iPhone, whether they would consider buying it over a higher-end iPhone 16, reasons why they would or would not buy one, and more. Furthermore, the survey also quizzed existing iPhone 16 users on whether they feel differently about their purchase now that a newer, cheaper iPhone is on the market.

Highlights from the survey

• iPhone users are largely unimpressed with the recently launched iPhone 16e model, with 72.9% indicating ‘slightly’ or ‘not at all’ impressed, 14.7% ‘somewhat’ impressed, and 12.4% ‘extremely’ or ‘very’ impressed.
• Most Apple users (91.6%) are unhappy with the pricing of 16e, with 72.7% suggesting it should be around $500 and 18.9% saying it should stay around $429 like the SE. Meanwhile, 8.4% think the price is fair given the improvements.
• Almost a quarter (23.8%) would like Apple to release a new budget ‘e’ version of every iPhone going forward, as opposed to 76.2% not interested in future iPhone ‘e’ iterations.
• Around two-thirds iPhone users (63.3%) believe the addition of a cheaper model to the flagship lineup will devalue the brand, as opposed to 36.7% who do not.
• Battery life (49.4%), Camera quality (45.2%), Brand loyalty (28.4%), Features (23.3%), and Performance (18.4%) are among the top factors influencing smartphone upgrade decisions for iPhone users.
• Only 7.3% of Apple users with an iPhone 15 or older model plan on switching to iPhone 16e as they upgrade, while the vast majority (92.7%) are opposed to buying the new budget iPhone.
• When those switching to iPhone 16e were asked to select up to 3 reasons for considering iPhone 16e, the top reasons were ‘Fits my budget’ (72.3%), ‘Longer battery life’ (67.4%), ‘Apple’s latest A18 processor’ (36.2%), and ‘Longer software support being a newer model’ (23.2%).
• In contrast, ‘Lack of multiple rear camera sensors such as wide angle or telephoto lens’ (52.6%), ‘I prefer a higher-end model as I want the best of what Apple has to offer regardless of the price’ (34%), ‘Relatively cheaper but not cheap enough to make it worthwhile over higher-end iPhone 16 models’ (25.3%), ‘Missing MagSafe compatibility for faster wireless charging speeds and magnetic accessories’ (16.1%), and ‘No significant upgrades compared to my current phone’ (14.3%) were among the top reasons for NOT considering the iPhone 16e.
• The data reveals most Apple users are unwilling to settle for a bargain and would rather spend more on a premium model with better hardware and features. Besides the 38% of older iPhone users not upgrading this year, ‘iPhone 16 Pro / Pro Max’ is the top choice at 23.7% among those looking to upgrade, followed by ‘iPhone 16 / 16 Plus’ (19.8%), ‘Switching to Android’ (10.4%), and ‘Older / Refurbished iPhone’ (8.1%).
• Most respondents with a premium iPhone 16 model are happy with their purchase despite the launch of a newer, relatively cheaper iPhone. In fact, 85.5% of existing iPhone 16 users consider their purchase ‘definitely worth it’, adding that the extra features (dynamic island, MagSafe charging, multiple rear cameras, brighter screen) justify the additional cost. Additionally, 94.3% are confident they made the right choice with a higher-end iPhone purchase, as opposed to a mere 5.7% who regret it.

iPhone users largely unimpressed with the new iPhone 16e model

We started by asking the iPhone users to rate on a scale of 1 to 5 on how impressed they are with the iPhone 16e model, and the results were:

• A mere 12.4% of iPhone users said they were ‘extremely’ or ‘very’ impressed with the new budget iPhone
• 14.7% of iPhone users consider themselves ‘somewhat’ impressed, while a majority (72.9%) indicated they were ‘slightly’ or ‘not at all’ impressed with the iPhone 16e

Apple’s previous budget iPhone, the 2022 iPhone SE (3rd gen), launched at a starting price of $429, but the new iPhone 16e’s base variant costs $170 more at $599. When asked if they think this price bump is fair, the Apple users responded:

• More than nine in ten iPhone users (91.6%) responded negatively, with 72.7% suggesting the price should be closer to $500 and 18.9% saying it should stay around $429 like the iPhone SE
• The remaining 8.4% answered affirmatively, agreeing the price is fair given the improvements

With rumors swirling around a potential iPhone 17e next year, we asked the survey takers whether they think Apple should release a budget ‘e’ version of every iPhone going forward (e.g., iPhone 17e, 18e), and the responses were:

• An overwhelming majority of users (76.2%) indicated no interest in seeing iterations of the iPhone ‘e’ model in the future
• Meanwhile, less than a quarter (23.8%) would like a new, inexpensive iPhone ‘e’ release every year, along with standard and Pro models

Next, we questioned the respondents if they think Apple adding a cheaper model to its flagship iPhone lineup will devalue the brand in any way, and they responded:

• Almost two-thirds (63.3%) shared this concern and would rather have the cheaper models stay in a separate lineup like the SE
• On the other hand, 36.7% do not believe adding affordable choices to the flagship lineup would negatively impact the brand image

Only 7.3% of older iPhone users would consider switching to iPhone 16e; ‘Lack of multiple rear cameras’ is the top reason for not buying 16e

We further asked the iPhone users participating in the survey to pick the factors that influence their smartphone upgrade decision, and the responses – in order of the votes received – were:

Note: The respondents were allowed to select up to 3 options.

• Battery life – 49.4%
• Camera quality – 45.2%
• Brand Loyalty – 28.4%
• Features (Dynamic Island, Apple Intelligence, etc.) – 23.3%
• Performance / Speed – 18.4%
• Pricing – 15.1%
• Design and size – 11.3%
• Other – 3.2%
• Display / Screen technology – 2.2%

Note: The next set of questions in the survey was asked based on participants’ responses to which iPhone model they were currently using.

Respondents with an iPhone 15 or older models were asked if they would choose the new iPhone 16e as their next phone when considering an upgrade.

• Only a meager 7.3% of iPhone owners with an older model intend to buy a new iPhone 16e
• However, most pre-2024 iPhone users (92.7%) indicated no interest in purchasing the new budget iPhone

Pre-2024 iPhone users who said ‘yes’ to buying an iPhone 16e were further asked to pick the reasons why they would consider it, and the responses – in order of votes received – were:

Note: Respondents were allowed to select up to 3 options.

• Fits my budget (starts from $599) – 72.3%
• Longer battery life (26 hours of video playback) – 67.4%
• Apple’s latest A18 processor – 36.2%
• Longer software support being a newer model – 23.2%
• 48MP, f/1.6 rear camera with sensor cropping for 2x zoom – 14.7%
• Apple Intelligence features (Visual Intelligence, Image Playground, etc.) – 11.6%
• USB-C port for charging and data transfer – 5.4%
• 6.1-inch OLED display with 60Hz refresh rate – 3.6%
• Other – 2.2%
• Apple’s in-house 5G modem C1 – 1.8%

We then asked the respondents with an older iPhone model who said ‘no’ to iPhone 16e to pick the main reasons why they would NOT consider it, and the reasons – in order of votes received – were:

Note: Respondents were allowed to select up to 3 options.

• Lack of multiple rear camera sensors such as wide angle or telephoto lens – 52.6%
• I prefer a higher-end model as I want the best of what Apple has to offer regardless of the price – 34%
• Relatively cheaper but not cheap enough to make it worthwhile over higher-end iPhone 16 models – 25.3%
• Missing MagSafe compatibility – 16.1%
• No significant upgrades compared to my current phone – 14.3%
• No Dynamic Island secondary display for alerts and background activities – 11.3%
• Features an outdated 2022 iPhone 14 design – 9.4%
• My current iPhone is still performing well – 5.1%
• Screen is not as bright as the other models (1200 nits vs 2000 nits max brightness) – 2.8%
• No dedicated Camera Control button for opening the camera app and its settings – 1.5%
• Other – 1.3%

We further asked the same set of respondents who said ‘no’ to buying a 16e what smartphone they would consider instead, and these were the responses:

• Two in ten older iPhone users (19.8%) would rather buy a standard iPhone 16 or a 16 Plus than a 16e
• Close to a quarter (23.7%) said they would get one of the iPhone 16 Pro models – 16 Pro or 16 Pro Max
• 8.1% prefer buying an older or refurbished iPhone over the new iPhone 16e model
• Interestingly, one in ten (10.4%) noted that they are switching to an Android phone
• Four in ten (38%) said they don’t intend to upgrade their smartphone this year

No buyer’s remorse among premium iPhone 16 users despite budget iPhone release

We then checked in with survey takers who own a higher-end iPhone 16 model (iPhone 16, 16 Plus, 16 Pro, or 16 Pro Max) and asked whether they felt their iPhone 16 was worth the higher price they paid, now that a newer, relatively cheaper $599 iPhone 16e is in the market.

• Definitely worth it – the extra features (dynamic island, MagSafe charging, multiple rear cameras, brighter screen) justify the additional cost – 85.5%
• Somewhat worth it — but I might have considered the 16e if it launched earlier – 7%
• Not really — the 16e seems to offer what I need at a lower price – 4.1%
• I’m unsure — I need to see more reviews or comparisons first – 3.4%

The same set of iPhone 16 users was then asked, “Does the existence of a budget-friendly iPhone 16e make you feel differently about your own iPhone 16 purchase?”, and the responses were:

• Almost all iPhone 16 owners (94.3%) are still confident they made the right choice with a higher-end iPhone 16 purchase
• But a tiny 5.7% think the 16e would have been sufficient for them and regret buying an expensive iPhone

Conclusion

The survey reveals that Apple users are largely unimpressed with the new iPhone 16e, with 30.7% saying they are ‘not at all’ impressed, 42.2% ‘slightly’ impressed, 14.7% ‘somewhat’ impressed, 8% ‘very’ impressed, and only 4.4% ‘extremely’ impressed.

While relatively cheaper than its other iPhone 16 counterparts, a whopping 91.6% of existing iPhone users think the 16e is still overpriced at $599, with 72.7% suggesting it should be closer to $500 and 18.9% saying it should cost around $429 like the SE.

Only a mere 7.3% of Apple users with an iPhone 15 or older model intend to buy a 16e as their next smartphone, revealing ‘budget’ (72.3%), ‘longer battery life’ (67.4%), ‘A18 processor’ (36.2%), and ‘longer software support’ (23.2%) as the top reasons for considering it.

Among the top reasons for not buying a 16e included ‘Lack of multiple rear camera sensors such as wide angle or telephoto lens’ (52.6%), ‘I prefer a higher-end model as I want the best of what Apple has to offer regardless of the price’ (34%), ‘Relatively cheaper but not cheap enough to make it worthwhile over higher-end iPhone 16 models’ (25.3%), ‘Missing MagSafe compatibility for faster wireless charging speeds and magnetic accessories’ (16.1%), and ‘No significant upgrades compared to my current phone’ (14.3%).

Overall, the survey further uncovers a surprising trend — iPhone users are unwilling to settle for a bargain and would rather spend more on a higher-end model with better hardware and features. Barring the 38% not upgrading this year, ‘iPhone 16 Pro / Pro Max’ is the top choice at 23.7% among respondents looking to switch, followed by ‘iPhone 16 / 16 Plus’ (19.8%), ‘Switching to Android’ (10.4%), and ‘Older / Refurbished iPhone’ (8.1%).

Finally, the survey also shows that iPhone 16 owners feel little to no regret over splurging more on a higher-end model despite the existence of a newer, relatively cheaper iPhone, with 85.5% indicating the extra features are worth the additional costs. Further, 94.3% of iPhone 16 users reported they are still confident they made the right choice purchasing an expensive iPhone.

Methodology

The report is based on an online survey – conducted between March 1 to March 15, 2025 – involving more than 3500 Apple iPhone users, aged 18 years or older, based in the United States. Of the 3500+ survey-takers, 55% identified as ‘men’, 44% as ‘women’, and 1% as ‘other’.

The survey sample consisted of 442 iPhone 16 users (12.6%), 955 iPhone 15 users (27.2%), 825 iPhone 14 users (23.5%), 105 iPhone SE 3 2022 (3%), and 1181 users with an iPhone 13 or older model (33.7%). Of the 442 iPhone 16 users who participated in the survey, 180 identified as standard iPhone 16 users (40.7%), 34 iPhone 16 Plus users (7.7%), 76 iPhone 16 Pro users (17.2%), and 152 iPhone 16 Pro Max users (34.4%).

The responses to the survey were collected without storing any personally identifiable information of the involved respondents.

The motive of the survey was to study what iPhone users think of the new budget iPhone 16e, whether they would consider buying it over a higher-end iPhone 16, reasons why they would or would not buy one, and more. Furthermore, the survey also quizzed existing iPhone 16 users on whether they feel differently about their purchase now that a newer, cheaper iPhone is on the market.

Just a tip for those of you who are looking to upgrade to an iPhone 16e, don’t forget to sell your iPhone as soon as possible to avoid it dropping in value.