Don't Buy The iPhone 16, The Cheaper iPhone 17e Is The Phone You Want
The iPhone 16 is the best-selling smartphone of 2025, according to Counterpoint Research, with the year's top 10 featuring no fewer than 7 iPhone models. The iPhone 16 is still available in Apple's 2025 lineup, starting at $699. But iPhone buyers looking for a brand-new device from Apple this year should skip the 2024 standard model and choose the iPhone 17e version instead. According to Bloomberg (via 9to5Mac), Apple's next-generation budget iPhone is "due imminently." The phone will reportedly retain the $599 price of the iPhone 16e, which is also available in its lineup. But the iPhone 17e version will include at least two notable upgrades that may make the handset a better value than the standard iPhone 16: The processor and MagSafe charging.
If Mark Gurman's information is accurate, the iPhone 17e will feature the same A19 chip as the iPhone 17, which suggests the handset should have 8GB of RAM. MagSafe support would be a fix for an inconvenience that the iPhone 16e model introduced. The handset doesn't feature MagSafe wireless charging, as the rear glass panel doesn't include magnets. Finally, Bloomberg indicated that the iPhone 17e will feature Apple's newest cellular and wireless chips.
The Bloomberg report makes no mention of two key details: design and storage. Some iPhone 17e rumors said the handset will feature a Dynamic Island display, but Gurman doesn't corroborate them. Also, it's unclear if the iPhone 17e will start at 256GB of storage like the other iPhone 17 models, or feature just 128GB of storage like its predecessor. The iPhone 16e turned out to be a success for Apple. It was the tenth best-selling smartphone of 2025, indicating there's been plenty of consumer interest in a $599 new iPhone.
The iPhone 17e may be a no-brainer over the iPhone 16
The A19 chip and MagSafe are two upgrades that make the iPhone 17e a more compelling device than the iPhone 16. The A19 isn't just faster than the iPhone 16's A18 chip; it's also more energy efficient. Put differently, the standard iPhone 17 features significantly better battery life than the base iPhone 16, thanks to the A19 chip and a slightly larger battery pack. On that note, the iPhone 16e also offers better battery life than the iPhone 16. As for MagSafe support, the iPhone 17 and iPhone 16 batteries can reach 50% in 30 minutes with a MagSafe charger connected to a 30W power adapter. It's likely the iPhone 17e will offer similar MagSafe performance. The Apple-made wireless chips may also improve the efficiency of the iPhone 17e.
The iPhone 17e's main downsides compared to the iPhone 16 may be the "notch display" reminiscent of the iPhone 14 (and earlier) models instead of the Dynamic Island cutout, and a single-lens rear-facing camera instead of the dual camera. These are the main features you'd get by choosing the iPhone 16 over the iPhone 17e and paying an extra $100. That's assuming Bloomberg's findings are accurate.
Consumers who want the Dynamic Island display and the dual-camera setup would be better off spending $200 more than the iPhone 17e's expected starting price for the iPhone 17. Counterpoint Research noted in its late January report that "the base iPhone 17 model has been the standout performer this year," thanks to its "significant upgrades" that brought it "closer than ever to the Pro variants." The standard iPhone 17 was the seventh best-selling smartphone of 2025, despite being on the market for less than a quarter.