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Apple has ended the iPhone SE lineup and made some of the older iPhones more relevant for the buyers with the 16E launch.
Yes, someone had to say it.
The iPhone 16E debate has started since Wednesday evening when Apple announced the product. The biggest topic is around its supposed affordability which to be fair is nowhere close to the earlier price mark of the iPhone SE model that the 16E is effectively replacing.
The use of the word affordable for Apple usually brings a smirk on people’s face but even then the iPhone SE managed to stand apart because of its price tag. But the iPhone 16E upgrades made it pretty evident that the company is not going to stick with its older policy anymore.
The Affordable Days Are Over
The iPhone SE model was selling for around Rs 47,000 in the Indian market but even that price was seen high for a model that had the look and feel of the iPhone 8. Now we are getting the 16E which tries its best to get close to the flagship 16 model but falls way short of what you expect from a device when you spend around Rs 60,000 these days.
Apple feels that a single rear camera is justified in 2025, something that even Google decided to change with the recent Pixel a models in the market. Yes, Apple is bringing the new AI features to this device which sounds interesting but is it really better than having two cameras or a brighter display, we doubt it.
The A18 chipset is a huge upgrade on anything we have seen on the previous iPhone SE models and its performance will be a close match for the best flagships in the Android space. However, the cutbacks feel all too heavy which tells you how Apple seems to have gone with this pricing, that goes up to Rs 90,000 if you want the iPhone 16E 512GB model.
Does Price Matter?
The $599 price tag for the iPhone 16E was always going to become Rs 60,000 in India because Apple’s usual conversion takes the $ at Rs 100. But in this case the value of the 16E is much closer to the Rs 50,000 range than what it is actually going to cost in the country. In fact, the best thing about this launch is that Apple has made the iPhone 15 relevant again for many consumers. Why, not because of its lack of support for the AI features but the flagship features that the model gives you for the same price and more cameras too.
The general consensus about the iPhone 16E price is that it could be worth buying with some special offers and deals. And even then, the 15 might come up higher on the interest chart. The battle is surely there and now it remains to be seen if Apple has found the right formula for its growth in the region.
- Location :
Delhi, India, India
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