Apple has unveiled its newest addition to the iPhone family - the iPhone 16e, featuring the company's latest artificial intelligence capabilities at a more accessible price point of $599.
The new model, which replaces the iPhone SE budget line, comes equipped with Apple's proprietary C1 cellular modem chip that powers various AI features. These include text and audio summarization, emoji creation, and enhanced Siri functionality.
A standout feature is Visual Intelligence, which allows users to gather information by simply pointing the phone's camera at objects. For instance, users can scan event posters to automatically add details to their calendar.
The iPhone 16e sports a 16.1-inch display and replaces the traditional home button with facial recognition technology. Apple has also improved the device's battery life and camera capabilities compared to its predecessor.
While the $599 starting price is higher than the previous SE model's $430, it offers a more affordable entry point to Apple's AI ecosystem compared to the standard iPhone 16's $800 price tag.
Pre-orders for the iPhone 16e begin Friday, with devices arriving in stores on February 28. However, availability of the full AI feature set varies by region, with some markets, including China, still awaiting access to these capabilities.
In related news, Apple has announced that existing iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max users will soon receive access to Visual Intelligence through a future software update, likely to arrive in early April.