The iPhone 16th replaces the iPhone SE in the entry level of Apple, with the same recipe, including a proven design and enough power to resist time. And two other major changes: a large screen and a sharp increase!
After several months of sometimes contradictory rumors, some were almost starting to lose patience, but that’s it, replacing the iPhone SE of 2022 has arrived. And, first surprise, he does not take up the usual name by dropping the SE: it will therefore be the iPhone 16th. A tiny “e” for economy? Apple does not specify it.
For this fourth edition, Apple takes up the elements that have always made the success of its entry -level iPhone: rely on the design of one of the previous models, do not skimp on power by including one of the latest chips , while making some compromise on the equipment, in order to reach a more reasonable price.
That said, the iPhone 16th marks a real break compared to the two previous models that were based on the design of the iPhone 8… of 2017. The newcomer takes up the dimensions of the 2022 iPhone 14. The fingerprint with fingerprint button under the screen has therefore definitely left the scene to be replaced by facial recognition Faceid and a screen occupying the whole front. This also means that there is no longer any compact iPhone in the catalog: this undoubtedly responds to market requests, but some will regret that they can no longer equip itself with a smartphone which distorts the pockets a little less.
iPhone 16th: a design inherited from the old models
At the first glance, we could therefore think he came back a little more than two years back since if the new entry -level iPhone adopts the large 6.1 inch (15 cm) diagonal screen) occupying the whole Front front, it is a notch that sits at the top to accommodate the selfie camera and the faceid sensor and not the dynamic island (Apple preferred to keep the name Dynamic Island Even in French) that appeared with the iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max. So we find ourselves well in front of a new iPhone based on the design of the iPhone 14 announced in September 2022.
With the addition of the Action button, which appeared in September 2023 on the two iPhone 15 Pro. Remember that this action button is programmable and has replaced the old two -position vibrator button which has therefore now disappeared from all iPhone. On the other hand, the camera command button is always reserved for iPhone 16 and 16 pro. This means in particular that the iPhone 16th will not be able to benefit from the Visual Intelligence function integrated into Apple Intelligence tools (Apple AIA which will be available in France in April) and which allows you to launch an analysis of its environment by performing Precisely a long support on the said camera command button.
iPhone 16th: a large OLED screen but always a single photo goal
The 6.1 inch OLED screen directly from the iPhone 14 is therefore real progress compared to the 4.7 -inch LCD screen of the previous iPhone SE 3 of 2022. We note that the rate of refreshment of this screen is always limited to 60 Hz, as on all non -pro iPhone for so many years. It is time for Apple to make an effort on this side there, because it is very easy to find Android smartphones for u equivalent price, even lower, with a screen that can go up to 90 or even 120 Hz, which adds Really visual comfort. As with the previous one, the iPhone 16th is only equipped with a single photo lens of 48 MPXL. Apple gives him the name of a two-in-one camera because he simulates a 2x optical zoom by recuperating the photo that we take on the 12 MPXL in the middle when we select the zoom command in the camera camera . A real/false zoom in a way. Note also that, since it is only equipped with a single objective, the iPhone 16th is not able to produce spatialized videos or photos.
iPhone 16th: an overpowered A18 chip
As expected, the new iPhone 16th will not lack power since it has the A18 chip, the same as that which equips the iPhone 16 and 16 Plus! Finally almost, because it is a slightly less powerful chip at the graphic level since it only integrates 4 GPU cores, against that of the iPhone 16 and 16 Plus. The difference will be negligible. Even with fewer hearts, this A18 chip makes it of course compatible with Apple Intelligence. We can therefore without too much risk concluding that it is also equipped with 8 GB of RAM, minimum quantity required to use Apple AI tools. And this is good news even if we do not use Apple Intelligence because a greater quantity of RAM ensures a globally more fluid use of iOS, in particular by allowing the system to keep the web pages displayed in memory longer in The browsers, without needing to recharge them when you go back after going through an application. Everyone wins.
iPhone 16th: a 5g house and wi-fi 6 modem 6
For the first time since its acquisition of Intel’s modem activity in 2019, Apple has chosen to equip one of its iPhone models with a 5G “house” modem, in place of those of Qualcomm that equip Almost all the iPhone since then. This chip is called C1il there had been an exception in 2026, the release year of the iPhone 7. At the time, the models sold in the United States at AT&T and T-Mobile (as well as part of the international models) were Equipped with an Intel XMM 7360 modem, while those intended for Verizon, Sprint and other markets used a Qualcomm Snapdragon X12 modem. It had not passed smoothly because the comparison between the two modems were clearly to the advantage of Qualcomm at the time: the 4G LTE connections of the iPhone in Mo modeM Intel were 20 to 30% lower than those of the iPhone “Qualcomm “. We will have to wait for the tests of the brand new iPhone 16th to find out if Apple has managed to catch up in this area. We note all the same that this C1 is indeed an entry-level modem since it is limited to Wi-Fi 6, like the iPhone 14 in its time. Too bad, but not very disabling either.
iPhone 16th: promising autonomy but no fast load
This “house” modem is the main reason put forward by Apple to explain the significant gain in the autonomy of the iPhone 16th: up to 26 hours of uninterrupted video reading against 22 hours for the iPhone 16. It was announced at 20 hours For the iPhone 14. We will wait for the tests of course to check. This increase in autonomy is obviously good news to really hope to be able to hold on a single load all day.
And that’s good, because on the side of the recharge precisely, we are a little disappointed. In terms of wireless recharge, the iPhone 16th is announced as Qi compatible up to 7.5 W, without any mention of the Magsafe standard. It therefore seems that the iPhone 16th has not been equipped with magnets which have however been one of the assets of the iPhone for years. And the iPhone 14 was already able to recharge in wireless up to 15 W. In other words, loads the iPhone 16th wireless will be very (very!) Long. We can of course load the iPhone 16th with a cable, but it is not made any mention of any fast charge …
iPhone 16th: Available in a few days
The iPhone will be available for pre -order from the shop Apple online from February 21. It will be available in stores from February 28. Please note, the iPhone 16th is only offered in two “colors”: black or white. We knew more festive. The iPhone SE of 2022 having disappeared from the Apple catalog on December 28, due to European regulations prohibiting the sale of new devices not equipped with a USB-C port, the arrival of its replacement is obviously welcome.
Of course, the Phone 16th will not only be on the site and the Apple shops: it will be found in all the usual merchants (Amazon, Boulanger, Fnac, Darty, Rakuten, etc.), in supermarkets (Auchan, Leclerc, Carrefour, etc.) but also with mobile operators (Orange, Free, Bouygues, SFR, etc.), in association or not with packages.
iPhone 16th: a very high price
The iPhone 16th is equipped as standard of 128 GB of storage, against 64 GB for the iPhone SE 3 of 2022 which it replaces. It is progress, but which is expensive because the starting price of the iPhone 16th is 719 euros, against 589 euros for the SE 3 equipped with 128 GB, when it was released. Difficult to talk about a cheap entry -level iPhone at this price! You can also choose a model equipped with 256 GB or 512 GB, at respective prices of 849 and 1099 euros.
Please note, if you are interested in a new iPhone, whatever its model, remember to anticipate your storage needs: do not forget that on all iPhone (as on some smartphones of other brands), it is impossible to ‘Extend the a posteriori storage space by adding a memory card.