Apple's iPhone 16e features significant upgrades over the previous entry-level iPhone, including Apple Intelligence, Face ID, and an Action button.

First, the company shifted away from the “SE” branding after nearly a decade. Then it priced the budget phone higher than expected at $599 – a notable jump from the $429 iPhone SE.

The iPhone 16e doesn't feature MagSafe support. Apple explained why it left this beloved iPhone function behind on this model.

Apple delivered its latest budget handset, the $599 iPhone 16e, without pomp. There was no big event in person, nor was there one online. No journalists

Apple has responded to iPhone 16e critics, and says that engineering choices like a lack of MagSafe that make the device unappealing to the tech-savvy don't matter to the larger market.

Before the iPhone 16e’s arrival, the best budget iPhone option was the SE, which had a decade-plus-old design and a tiny IPS screen with a lower resolution and an IPS panel. Replacing the SE with a product with modern design, top-tier specs, and Apple Intelligence is a major leap forward for Apple’s entry-level smartphone.

If you simply must have blue text bubbles—but don't require all of Apple's newest phone technology—the iPhone 16e could right for you, reviewers say. Apple (AAPL) announced the 16e last month, a comparatively low-cost iPhone that includes its latest AI features but not such capabilities as MagSafe wireless charging technology and the Dynamic

As of today, the iPhone 16e is officially Apple's cheapest iPhone, as it has just been released by the company. Here's if you should buy it.